With land landslides and lightning floods on the rise due to extreme rainfall events, the eastern high ranges of Kottayam are preparing to defense with the installation of rainwater meters to create a system of early warning to improve the readiness for disaster.
As part of this initiative, the Hume Center for the ecology and biology of wild animals has launched a preliminary study to identify the most vulnerable zones in the Kanjirapally block. According to officials, rain meters will be installed in these areas to monitor the trends of precipitation and assess the risk of potential landslides and floods.
“The project also includes detailed mapping of the region, division into 2.5 square grids based on precipitation data. This network -based approach will help determine the areas susceptible to disasters and support the development of focused plans for mitigation and readiness,” they said.
With the level of precipitation regularly exceeding the levels of neighboring regions, the Kanjirapaly region is sensitive to the danger caused by climate change. Officials identified the hills of Vagamon, Kootickal, Enthayar, Elamcad, Corrut and Kanamala as a priority zone where there is a particularly high risk of cloudbursts and landslide.
A few weeks ago, the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), the Indian Institute for Science and Space Science (Iist), and the ERRC research center (ERRC) combined to deploy an automated system warning in the region. Supported by India Limited (NSIL), commercial ISRA, three automatic meteorological stations (AWS) were set up in Theekoy, Poonjar Thekkekar and Moonnilava Panchayats, all in the Meenachil River basin.
These AWS units continuously monitor the key parameters of the environment such as wind speed, humidity, temperature, precipitation, soil humidity and soil temperature. Real time data is transmitted to servers in CUSAT, where they are analyzed for early signs of potential disasters.
Published – June 22, 2025 21:10
