The Hindu        24.03.2011

“Network on disaster key to awareness”

Informative: An official at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Nungambakkam briefs students about the weather observation instruments, on Wednesday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

A local network on disaster and environment management must be formed to prepare comprehensive disaster vulnerability studies and disseminate information to public and the government, said R.R. Krishnamurthy, Associate Professor, Department of Applied Geology, University of Madras.

Addressing a meeting organised here on Wednesday to mark the World Meteorological Day, on the theme ‘Climate for You', he said various institutions should be part of the network.

Highlighting the climate disaster resilience index prepared for Chennai, he said Chennai Corporation Zone 7 (Nungambakkam) was more resilient to such disasters owing to better infrastructure and the preparedness level. Zones 1 and 2 (Tondiarpet and Basin Bridge) were more vulnerable owing to environmental pollution and economic conditions.

Better understanding of the local climate was necessary and a site-specific action plan would help in disaster management. A climate action plan has been submitted to the Chennai Corporation, Prof. Krishnamurthy said, underscoring the need for improving the forecasting facilities.

Y.E.A. Raj, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, said climate change was inevitable and adaptation to the phenomenon is the need of the hour.

On the impact of climate change in city, he said the number of hot days, where the maximum temperature exceeded 40 degree Celsius, had increased to 129 in the past decade compared to 68 days between 1991 and 2000.

Cooler days have decreased over the years going by the data. During the decade from 1971, Chennai recorded 95 days of minimum temperature dipping below 19 degree Celsius. This dropped to 25 days during the past decade. However, the average annual rainfall has also increased to 140 cm in the recent years.

R. Suresh, Director-in-charge, Aerodrome Meteorological Office, Meenambakkam, spoke about the factors contributing to climate change. Though carbon dioxide emission contributed to global warming, it is not the only cause. Global cooling is also a threat. He suggested that mitigation measures such as release of treated CO2 and energy conservation must be implemented.

On the occasion of the World Meteorological Day, the Meteorological Department had thrown open its facilities in and around Chennai to the public. Many students eagerly went on a tour around the Meteorological offices in Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam. For S. Shruthi and Shirley Stephen, students of geoinformatics in Anna University, the exhibition provided an opportunity to learn about the various forecasting models and interpretations of satellite images.

Officials of the Department said this year, the open house included the automated weather station sensors. The visitors were also briefed about the use of handheld digital devices for validating the weather parameters.