DRDO chief says tragedy could have been avoided if weather radars existed

[thestringshredder]

DRDO chief says tragedy could have been avoided if weather radars existed in Uttarakhand

The new chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, Dr Avinash Chander, on Wednesday said the impact of Uttarakhand calamity could have been reduced had adequate measures been taken by the authorities concerned.

In an interview to Headlines Today, the country’s senior most military scientist said if weather radars had existed, the magnitude of the disaster could be much less.

“We could have planned much better for such a calamity if there were weather radars on ground,” Chander said.

“It highlights the need for sensors at local/state level to detect micro-climate and forecast phenomena such as cloudbursts. Overall satellite picture doesn’t give specific data required to forecast such disasters,” he said.

Chander emphasised on the need to anticipate what disasters lie ahead because “nature is not always predictable”.

“We have set up a special team to create Disaster Management Support System to aid in such situations, which will include communication equipment, UAVs and bridging equipment,” he said.

The DRDO chief’s statement comes a day after Headlines Today quoted a senior official of National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) blaming the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the huge loss of life.

The head of Geo Hazards at NIDM, Chandan Ghosh, had said that ISRO faltered by not issuing a warning on ice formation at the Kedar Dome Lake.

Link - DRDO chief says tragedy could have been avoided if weather radars existed in Uttarakhand | idrw.org

 

[Arjun93]

What's the use of the several dozen remote sensing satellites that India has launched? Do we just launch them for fun? I doubt any of those satellites has ever aided in predicting a major calamity. India has the largest number of remote sensing satellites in space. Now I know what they are used for , they use them to take pictures of storm clouds and publish them in NCERT textbooks, predicting disasters is just not cool enough.

 

[Dash]

What's the use of the several dozen remote sensing satellites that India has launched? Do we just launch them for fun? I doubt any of those satellites has ever aided in predicting a major calamity. India has the largest number of remote sensing satellites in space. Now I know what they are used for , they use them to take pictures of storm clouds and publish them in NCERT textbooks, predicting disasters is just not cool enough.

They are not real time like weather radars..

 

[IND151]

hope now the install radars in Uttarakhand

 

[Abingdonboy]

It's true to an extent but such systems can only be used for now-casting. When talking about such specific one-off tragedies that such as cloud bursts such systems are next to useless. I saw the director of the Indian MET dept saying this himself but he said they will be installing pulse-doppler radars in the state within the next 12 months as part of a nation-wide project. Importantly though they are also improving their forecasting capabiltity.

 

[Sergi]

Hardly. No one would have listened to the warning. But may be authorities would have been ready. Hope they install it soon.

+ why NIDM blaming ISRO ??? Look like I missed that news.

It's true to an extent but such systems can only be used for now-casting. When talking about such specific one-off tragedies that such as cloud bursts such systems are next to useless. I saw the director of the Indian MET dept saying this himself but he said they will be installing pulse-doppler radars in the state within the next 12 months as part of a nation-wide project. Importantly though they are also improving their forecasting capabiltity.

Which Radars you are talking ??? Apparently the weather radars brought from China got RED flag.
So unless we have developed and can produce that fast its not possible in such short time.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiat...9443086_1_doppler-radar-coastal-areas-altinho


http://articles.timesofindia.indiat...rt-doppler-radar-chinese-doppler-installation
Installation will take minimum 7/8 months after we got our hands on that.

 

[third eye]

Technology can only be an aid. It cannot replace what humans can & must do .

A Doppler Radar would at best give indications for saturation levels to reach a point where a cloud burst is imminent. Given how lethargic our administration is & how greedy they along with local traders & politicians are it would hardly have made a diff.

One may say that even one life saved is worth it , yes it is but where is the surety that the radars will remain operational always & not pack up for want of Generators or some other silly mundane thing.

We just dont care - thats how we have become.

 

[janon]

What's the use of the several dozen remote sensing satellites that India has launched? Do we just launch them for fun? I doubt any of those satellites has ever aided in predicting a major calamity. India has the largest number of remote sensing satellites in space. Now I know what they are used for , they use them to take pictures of storm clouds and publish them in NCERT textbooks, predicting disasters is just not cool enough.

And NCERT textbooks are "cool"?

Anyway, remote sensing and weather forecasting are different things.