Annual Report 2009-2010 - Ministry Of Earth Sciences

9
Disaster Support
9.1 Introduction
The early warning services in respect of extreme
weather phenomena such as cyclonic storms,
heavy rainfall, squalls, thunderstorms, etc. as well
as tsunami covering the entire country have been
provided by the MoES Centres – IMD and INCOIS.
The assessments in respect of these extreme
weather and tsunami were disseminated through
the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to various
state and district level authorities, media, as well
as uploaded on to the Web Portal. The customised
advisories to the neighbouring countries were also
provided.
9.2 Hydro-meteorological Services
The compilation of rainfall statistics, hydrometeorological
analysis of different river catchments
have been carried out. Meteorological support for
flood warning and flood control operations to
field units of Central Water Commission has been
provided. Research Programmes in (a) Design
Storm Analysis, (b) Rainfall Frequency Analysis
and (c) Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF)
are the primary activities.
9.2.1 Rainfall Monitoring
Real time monitoring of district-wise daily
rainfall is one of the important activities. A
network comprising a large number of rain
gauge stations is utilised under District-wise
Rainfall Monitoring Scheme (DRMS). Based on
real time daily rainfall data, weekly district scale,
meteorological sub-division scale and state level
rainfall distribution summaries are prepared.
District and meteorological sub-divisional rainfall
statistics provide important information useful to
the crop-weather watch group discussions at the
central and state government levels, agricultural
extension/agro-meteorological advisory services,
planners and decision makers.
During Monsoon 2009, daily sub-division rainfall
reports (153 reports in total during the season) were
prepared and supplied to the Cabinet Secretary and
other user departments/agencies in the central
and state governments. District level scenario for
the immediate past five-years were also loaded on
the Website along with creation of sub-divisional
rainfall maps for hands-on comparison of rainfall
statistics for the successive monsoon seasons for
the last five-years.
9.2.2 Flood Meteorological Service
Flood Meteorological Service provides the
following inputs to Central Water Commission
(CWC) through their 10 Flood Meteorological
Offices (FMO) established in different parts of
India in support of operational flood forecasting.
During the Flood 2009, 3002 QPFs were issued by
FMOs and supplied to Central Water Commission
for flood forecasting purposes.
9.2.3 Design Storm Studies
Design Storm Studies are being conducted to
evaluate design storm estimates (rainfall magnitude
and time distribution) for various river catchments/
projects in the country, for use as main input for
design engineers in estimating design flood for
hydraulic structures, irrigation projects, dams, etc.
on various rivers. This estimation of design values
is required for safe and optimum design of storage
and spillway capacity. On the request of Central
Govt./State Govt., private agencies, design storm
values (probable maximum precipitation along
with time distribution) are provided to users. In all,
more than 500 projects have so far been completed
and results communicated to the concerned
project authority. During the current financial
Ministry of Earth Sciences : Annual Report 2009-10 53