TFP Bureau, New Delhi; April 12, 2024: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) led a comprehensive Pre-Cyclone Exercise on Wednesday, chaired by Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of IMD, at Mausam Bhavan, New Delhi. This exercise, conducted in a hybrid mode, served as a crucial preparatory measure for the upcoming cyclone season spanning April to June 2024.
Highlighting India’s robust early warning system and advanced weather forecasting models, DG IMD expressed confidence in the nation’s preparedness to tackle cyclonic events. He underscored IMD’s recent achievements in cyclone forecasting, attributing success to continued collaboration with stakeholders such as the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and various branches of the Indian armed forces.
Dr. Mohapatra elaborated on IMD’s technological advancements, including the development of an indigenous ‘Decision Support System’ with significantly enhanced accuracy compared to previous decades. He emphasized the deployment of a Multimodal ensemble system for continuous weather monitoring and the issuance of location-specific advisories via mobile apps. Additionally, he highlighted the availability of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for other organizations to utilize IMD’s data.
The director proudly noted that proactive measures led to zero casualties during cyclone Biparjoy, showcasing the effectiveness of preparedness efforts. He also announced the availability of the Web-based Dynamic Composite Risk Atlas (Web-DCRA) developed under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP) by NDMA.
As IMD commemorates its 150th year of service to the nation, Dr. Mohapatra expressed optimism about reaching every household with weather information, emphasizing the mantra “HAR HAR MAUSAM and HAR GHAR MAUSAM” (Weather for All, Weather in Every Home) through cutting-edge technology and collaboration.
Shri. Mohsen Shahedi, DIG (Ops & Training) NDRF, lauded IMD’s efforts and assured continued cooperation between NDMA, NDRF, and IMD. Similarly, Shri. R K Agarwal, (PA & AO), NCRMP, highlighted the successful collaboration with IMD under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation project.
The exercise saw participation from various disaster management agencies, representatives from coastal states and union territories, senior officials from government departments, and stakeholders from maritime, aviation, and energy sectors, demonstrating a collective commitment to enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
