Context

A first-of-its-kind system for South Asian countries that will provide alerts for flash floods 6-24 hours in advance was launched at the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

About

What is IMD’s Flash Flood Guidance?

• The Flash Flood Guidance is a robust system designed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to provide the necessary products in real-time to support the development of warnings for flash floods about 6-12 hours in advance at the watershed level with a resolution of 4kmx4km for the Flash Flood prone South Asian countries –
  • India
  • Nepal
  • Bhutan
  • Bangladesh
  • Sri Lanka
• The system has been developed by the WMO Commission for Hydrology, jointly with the WMO Commission for Basic Systems and in collaboration with the US National Weather Service, the US Hydrologic Research Centre (HRC).
• The system has in-depth science, dynamics and diagnostics to provide guidance for the possible occurrences of flash floods at the local level.
• The World Meteorological Department (WMO) has entrusted India with the responsibility of the Regional Centre of South Asia Flash Flood Guidance System for coordination, development and its implementation.
• India also shares cyclone warning alerts with neighbouring countries.

What is the need of such system?

• Flash floods are highly localised events of short duration with a very high peak and usually have less than six hours between the occurrence of the rainfall and peak flood.
• There is a general lack of flash flood warning capabilities and capacities among countries across the world.
• Recognising that flash floods have a particularly disastrous impact on lives and properties of the affected populations, the 15th WMO Congress had approved the implementation of a Flash Flood Guidance System (FFGS) project with global coverage.