Chennai, Jan 1 :Two days after unexpected heavy rains pounded the city and suburbs, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin today urged

Union Home Minister Amit Shah to enhance the capacity of the the Indian Meteorological Centre (IMC) here for making accurate accurate real time

rainfall forecasts.

In a Demi-Official letter to Mr Shah, copies of which were released to the media here, he urged the Centre to do the needful to enhance the capacity

of IMC, Chennai to enable it to make predictions of high alert situations earlier and notify the same to the State Government well in time.

Drawing Mr Shah’s attention to an important issue that has a bearing in ability of the State Government to respond to red alert rainfall situations,

he said the State Government relies substantially on alerts issued by the IMC, Chennai for gearing up the administration to handle impending

disaster situations arising out of intense rainfall.

“A timely alert from IMC helps the State and District Administration to take up pre-emptive efforts to ensure the safety of people”, he added

“We have, however, noted that IMC is unable to predict the red alert situation sufficiently in advance giving hardly any time”, Mr Stalin said.

“On December 30, 2021 the IMC in its bulletin issued at 12 noon predicted thunderstorm with moderate rainfall at few places over coastal Tamil Nadu

and thunderstorm with moderate rain in Villuppuram, Cuddalore and Delta districts, while predicting thunderstorm with light to moderate rain in some

areas of Chennai. Later, at 3.40 P.M., the IMC issued a Nowcast Warning stating that thunderstorm with light to moderate rain would occur at isolated

places over few districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet districts for the next 1-2 hours”, the Chief Minister pointed out.

Meanwhile, rains started lashing Chennai and its suburbs from afternoon that lasted till late night. At 4.15 PM, the IMC issued an Orange alert. By this time,

there was high intensity heavy downpour all over Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpet districts resulting in inundation of many places and

total disruption of traffic in the city, he said.

The shortcoming in the capability of IMC to provide accurate real time rainfall forecasting on instances like this is often preventing the State and district

administration to take up timely mobilisation of emergency management system, he said, adding, this results in total disruption of normal life, movement of health

care support systems and also causing loss of lives and damages to critical infrastructure.

These instances highlight the need for making additional investments in advanced weather prediction mechanism and up-gradation of technology being used in IMCs, Mr Stalin said and urged Mr Amit Shah to enhance the capacity of IMC to enable it to make accurate predictions of high alert situations earlier.(UNI)