The UT of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has partnered with the United Kingdom Space Agency’s (UKSA) programme for a joint project on ‘Impact Based Flood Forecasting using Earth Observation (EO) based Information’ for getting India’s 1st Impact-based Flood Forecasting.
- The project comes under the National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP), a new programme established by the UK Space Agency for supporting joint projects between UK organisations & international partners.
- The Impact based Forecasting Project will be undertaken by HR Wallingford in collaboration with Oxford University, Sayers & Partners (SPL), and D-Orbit (UK).
- J&K Government will not have to bear any expenses on the project.
What is Impact-based Flood Forecasting?
An Impact-based Flood Forecasting mechanism predicts impacts to people, their houses, crops, livestock and transport routes which will be used by the Government for minimizing challenges faced by people during flood events.
- It predicts Fluvial flood risks, expected loss of life, injuries to people, infrastructure disruption & economic damage.
How will it benefit J&K?
i.The forecast will be utilized for a planned, well organized & quick response to any eventuality in the region.
- J&K Governor, Manoh Sinha has stated that Impact-based forecasting is the next step of flood forecasting services.
- The framework can be linked to any existing or future flood flow forecasting system.
- J&K falls in seismic zone IV and V making it prone to earthquakes.
ii.The collaboration will be helpful in analyzing past flood events & identifying relationships between predicted floods and their impact.
India – 3rd Most Disaster Prone Country in the World:
According to a report by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), India was ranked as the 3rd Most Disaster Prone Country in the world after China & USA.
- Floods due to climate related hazards were ranked as the greatest risk to people.
- India has several flood forecasting systems which provide predictions of water levels and flows, but impact-based Flood Forecasting systems are very few.
Recent Related News:
i.On 13th January, 2021, UT of Jammu & Kashmir signed a MoU with the North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) to promote Bamboo Cultivation and related entrepreneurship in the region.
About UT of Jammu & Kashmir:
Tribes – Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard, Shin, Changpa, Gujjar
National Parks (NP) – City Forest (Salim Ali) NP, Dachigam NP, Kishtwar NP
