To strengthen the weather forecast system in the state, two Doppler radar centres at Gopalpur and Paradeep will start functioning by August, official sources said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is establishing the centres keeping in mind the cyclone and flood that hit the state almost every year. Currently, the weather prediction in the state is being done through traditional analogue radars set up by the IMD at Bhubaneswar and Paradeep. ” The Doppler radars would help in prediction of cyclonic storms, its movement, identifying the eye of the storm and its coverage area, excessive rainfall, thunderstorms, and hailstorms with more accuracy,” director general of IMD L S Rathore told reporters after his meeting with chief secretary G C Pati here at secretariat. Secretary of the Union ministry of earth sciences, Shailesh Nayak also attended the meeting.
The Union government officers also took stock on establishment of another two radar centres at Sambalpur and Balasore. Sources said construction of building for the two radar centres has already been completed. The IMD would expedite the equipment procurement system soon for the two centres.
Till the construction of the Balasore centre, the state government can collect weather information from the integrated test range, Chandipur, a unit under the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the IMD DG said.
Establishment of the centres has become essential in the wake of cyclone Phailin and Hud Hud that hit the Gopalpur coast in October, 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Early prediction of the super-cyclone that hit Odisha coast in 1999 could have saved many lives, the officials felt. Over 10,000 people died in the Super cyclone.
The IMD DG also advised the state government on installation of more automatic rain gauge systems in different parts of the state to take stock of the rainfall situation.
The IMD has so far installed 177 automatic rain gauge system and 37 automatic weather prediction system in the state. The chief secretary requested the IMD to set up the systems in all blocks.
The chief secretary said the state government is taking steps to on dissemination of information on cyclone and flood through digital manner, sources said.
Prasanta Patnaik