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Community-Oriented Flood Forecast System Launched in Kerala
Context:
- On September 28, 2024, a decentralised, community-oriented, and impact-based flood forecast and early warning system was launched for the Periyar and Chalakudy river basins in Kerala.
- This innovative system enhances disaster preparedness, rescue operations, and flood mitigation, especially for disaster-prone areas affected by recurring floods since the devastating 2018 deluge.
Key Features of the Project
Community-Sourced Data Collection:
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- The system is part of the Project CoS-it-FloWS (Community-Sourced Impact-based Flood Forecast and Early Warning System).
- Data is gathered using 100 rain gauges operated by community volunteers.
- This data is sent daily to the Ernakulam District Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for better flood management decisions.
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Technological Innovations:
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- Developed by Equinoct, a Kochi-based modeling solution provider.
- Incorporates a novel rain gauge system suited for extreme rainfall events.
- A mobile app, “gather,” has been developed for real-time data transmission from volunteers to the authorities.
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Impact-Based Forecasting:
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- The system simulates multiple weather and hydrological parameters to forecast potential impacts of flooding.
- It addresses gaps in the current flood forecasting models, particularly in small tropical river basins, and helps in issuing timely warnings.
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Data Mobilisation and Monitoring:
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- Community volunteers, including children and senior citizens, play a pivotal role in data collection.
- The data gathered includes rainfall, river levels, tidal information, and groundwater measurements.
- Data is analysed and visualised using a “climate dashboard,” which helps decision-makers during flood events.
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Local Community Engagement:
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- The project fosters significant community involvement, empowering local residents to monitor and report hyper-local climate data.
- Volunteers from diverse backgrounds, including young children and elderly individuals, contribute to the monitoring process.
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Advantages and Significance
Improved Disaster Preparedness:
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- The system enhances flood preparedness and enables quicker response times for evacuation and rescue.
- It addresses existing issues in India’s early warning systems, such as inadequate impact-based forecasts and last-mile connectivity challenges.
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Bridging Data Gaps:
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- The hyper-local data gathered through the system helps bridge existing data gaps in flood forecasting.
- This model, being community-driven and cost-effective, can be replicated in other flood-prone regions in India and Global South nations.
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Enhanced Decision-Making:
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- The climate dashboard presents real-time, actionable data to district and state authorities.
- This aids in making well-informed decisions during floods and other extreme weather events.
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Future Prospects
System Testing During Disasters:
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- The project will be tested during real flood events to fine-tune its effectiveness.
- Government support could scale up the system to provide hourly updates, improving real-time flood response.
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Expansion and Scaling:
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- With further improvements, the model has the potential to expand beyond Kerala and be adopted by other vulnerable regions.
- The initiative could evolve to include AI modules for more precise flood forecasting.
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Conclusion:
The community-oriented flood forecasting system for the Periyar and Chalakudy river basins is a pioneering approach that empowers local communities to actively participate in disaster management. This system, with its potential for nationwide and global replication, represents a significant step forward in managing climate-related flood risks and improving early warning systems.