IMD prediction could have been more accurate: Tamil Nadu Govt

The Stalin ministry has raised serious questions on the efficacy of the weather prediction of the Meteorological Department.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has raised questions on the efficacy of weather prediction by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) by pointing to the “shorter gap” between the issuance of the Red Alert and the actual flooding in four districts.

While Chief Minister M K Stalin said the rainfall was much higher than what it was predicted by the IMD, Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj, whose native district Kanyakumari was also affected due to the rains and subsequent floods, was very blunt in his criticism.

While suggesting that the IMD prediction was inaccurate, he said with more precise warnings, the extent of property damage could have been lessened, and fewer people would have been stranded.

“The rains were much higher than what was predicted by the IMD. Though we received the warning from the IMD late, we took precautions and that’s why we could minimise the damages and losses,” Stalin said in New Delhi.

While the IMD predicted that Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi will receive more than 20 cm rainfall, the actual recorded rainfall in the town in 24 hours was 96 cm. The IMD’s prediction also fell short in Chennai during Cyclone Michaung in the first week of December.

In a statement, Thangaraj said it was crucial to reflect on both the performance of the IMD and the state’s collective response to such natural disasters.

"While the Tamil Nadu government has exerted considerable effort to manage this crisis, there is always room for improvement. However, it's important to acknowledge that the unforeseen severity and impact of these events could've been mitigated with more precise and timely forecasts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD),” he said.

Thangaraj said the gap between the issuance of the Red Alert and the actual flooding was much shorter than what could have been ideal as some western models exhibit in those countries. This critical delay in our forecasting system underscores the need for more immediate and accurate weather alerts, he said.

Thangaraj added that differing rainfall predictions between the IMD and western models are real as some of the people from the west would acknowledge.

“While Western models anticipate heavier and more immediate downpours much more precisely. This disparity potentially affects our readiness and response to the flooding. It's understandable that it's hard in tropical countries,” he said.

He also said the recent events serve as a stark reminder of the escalating climate crisis, a global issue that now directly affects us in India. It is imperative for the Union Government to reconfigure their approach and take proactive steps, the minister added.