THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid criticism the India Meteorological Department (IMD) failed to provide adequate warnings during the mid-August floods, Ministry of Earth Sciences secretary M Rajeevan underlined the importance of accurately interpreting weather-related warnings issued by IMD.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Cyclone Warning Centre at the IMD Meteorological Centre here on Tuesday.
He said weather prediction involves probabilities and no organisation can give accurate forecasts every single time. “But if we give eight correct forecasts out of 10, the question is how the eight forecasts can be put to use to save lives and minimise damage. That is the skill the state government has to acquire. We will be happy to provide support as well as guidance to the government,” he said.
General rainfall predictions made for the entire country cannot be used for dam management, he said.
Rajeevan said the ministry has received the state’s letter criticising the accuracy of IMD forecasts and the matter will be looked into.
IMD plans to set up more automatic weather stations and automatic rain gauges in the state as part of improving weather forecasts, he said. The intensity of rainfall events is increasing in states including Kerala, he said. The Central Water Commission plans to establish a flood-warning system for Kerala and the IMD will provide adequate support to the system with weather forecasts, he said.
IMD director general K J Ramesh said the government weather agency is in the process of introducing impact-based forecast systems and risk-based warning mechanism for all coastal districts. Additional Chief Secretary P H Kurian, IMD Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre head (services) M Mohapatra, Regional Meteorological Centre (Chennai) deputy director general S Balachandran and Thiruvananthapuram unit director K Santhosh spoke.