Union Water Resources Ministry Teams up with Google for Flood WarningTop Stories

June 19, 2018 11:31
Union Water Resources Ministry Teams up with Google for Flood Warning

(Image source from: Latestly)

Union Water Resources Ministry has collaborated with the Google to bring forth flood warnings. A Google maps user if there are any signs of an imminent flood, they will be able to see what regions are apt to see water logging first and if their neighborhood is under threat.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) currently warns of floods based on the rising water levels in reservoirs and if these are nearing a dam's 'danger marks'.

Earlier this year, it began a trial programme to give 3-day flood forecasts. The inputs to CWC is provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on whether heavy rainfall is likely and if this could translate into large amounts of rainwater overflowing from river banks or catchments.

"What Google will do is provide a visualization. Via Google Maps, you will now be able to see water levels build up in a region," said an IMD meteorologist, intimately aware of the project.

"CWC and Google will share technical expertise in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, geospatial mapping and analysis of hydrological observation data to improve flood prediction systems, provide location-targeted, actionable flood warnings, and use Google Earth Engine to help visualize and improve flood management and initiate a cultural project to build online exhibitions on the 'Rivers of India'" said a press statement from the Ministry.

In this monsoon, an experimental version of the exercise will possibly begin and will offer free of cost as part of company's "Corporate Social Responsibility".

"The collaborative arrangement is likely to result in savings of crores of rupees," the press statement added.

Especially in North-East and many parts of Central India, the monsoon every year brings torrential floods to several parts of India.

By Sowmya Sangam

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