8 hours ago
Kanjirappally taps technology for disaster preparedness
With landslides and flash floods on the rise due to extreme rainfall events, the eastern high ranges of Kottayam are gearing up for a tech-enabled defence by installing rain gauges to establish an early warning system to improve disaster preparedness.
As part of this initiative, the Wayanad-based Hume Centre for Ecology and Wildlife Biology has begun a preliminary study to identify the most vulnerable zones within the Kanjirappally Block. According to officials, rain gauges will be installed in these areas to monitor rainfall trends and assess the risk of potential landslides and floods.
'The project also includes detailed mapping of the region, dividing it into 2.5-sq.-km grids based on rainfall data. This grid-based approach will help pinpoint disaster-prone areas and support the development of focused mitigation and preparedness plans,' they said.
With precipitation levels regularly exceeding that of neighbouring regions, the Kanjirappaly region is susceptible to climate change-induced hazards. Officials have identified the hill tracts of Vagamon, Kootickal, Enthayar, Elamkadu, Koruthodu and Kanamala as priority zones where the risk of cloudbursts and landslides is especially high.
A couple of weeks ago, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), and the Environmental Resources Research Centre (ERRC) joined forces to deploy an automated landslide warning system in the region. Supported by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, three Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) have been set up in Theekoy, Poonjar Thekkekara, and Moonnilavu panchayats, all located within the Meenachil river basin.
These AWS units continuously track key environmental parameters such as wind speed, humidity, temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, and soil temperature. The real-time data is transmitted to servers at CUSAT, where it is analysed for early signs of potential disasters.
