Flood management: ‘Follow Japan model’

He was speaking at Maricon 2019, an international conference organised by the School of Marine Sciences, Cusat.
Abdulla Bava, senior research scientist, Advanced Technology Institute, Japan.
Abdulla Bava, senior research scientist, Advanced Technology Institute, Japan.

KOCHI: Policymakers and people should realise that climate change is behind the heavy rainfall in Kerala and that they need to adapt, said International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management director Toshio Koike on Thursday.

He was speaking at Maricon 2019, an international conference organised by the School of Marine Sciences, Cusat. The accumulation of rainwater and the rising intensity of rainfall is leading to frequent landslides here, he said. A book on flood management titled ‘Japan: An ideal model for Kerala’, by Abdulla Bava, senior research scientist, Advanced Technology Institute, Japan, was released during the conference. The book emphasises on why the Japan model of flood management is better for the state.

“Kerala and Japan face heavy rainfall in a short period. They share same geography, weather, river patterns and flood characteristics,” said Bava. On comparing Kerala and the Netherlands—where chief minister had gone earlier this year to study the water management and flood prevention system—Bava said both Kuttanad and the Netherlands were affected by tidal flooding. So the country’s model could be emulated at Kuttanad. “As for managing flood in the state, we need technology on a larger scale to control the swiftly flowing rivers. So the Japan model is the best option,” he said.

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