Scientists in different parts of the country are working on mechanisms to alert people about landslides.
At least 10 people have lost their lives in Agartala after unrelenting rainfall for four days caused floods in large parts of Tripura’s capital. Rivers running in spate have caused devastation in other parts of the state, especially its southern districts, and the authorities fear the toll could be higher. It’s clear that “unprecedented rainfall” caught the state administration off-guard. Given that the IMD predicts that the downpour will continue for the next two days, the state government has done the right thing in according priority to “public safety” and “mitigating the impact of flooding”. More than 50,000 people have been shifted to relief camps. The Centre has promised Tripura “all help” in dealing with the emergency. But Tripura, like most states, needs more central support in combating the vagaries of the elements. Reports indicate that the flash floods and landslides experienced by the northeastern state in the past three days have distinct similarities to the extreme weather-induced calamities in several parts of the country this season. The Centre will have to hand-hold states in building resilience against climate change.
Scientists in different parts of the country are working on mechanisms to alert people about landslides. IIT Mandi, for instance, has installed sensors to measure rainfall, soil moisture and humidity in Kinnaur and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. The data collected by these devices can help forecast landslides about three hours in advance. Administrators will need to sync this research with the observations of the weather bureau and coordinate with telecom operators to provide timely SMS warnings to people. But if the climate action plans of most state governments are any indication of ecological awareness, local agencies cannot be left to their own devices. Tripura’s climate action plan, for instance, has only a few sentences on floods and landslides. It does refer to the imperative of desilting rivers and upscaling urban drainage systems. The destruction caused by the latest floods is proof that such measures have remained on paper.
The raging waters have submerged the fields of Tripura’s paddy and jute farmers, most of whom are small agriculturists. The state’s farm sector is yet to recover from the damage caused by Cyclone Remal in May and another round of floods a month later. The Tripura government had then announced a financial assistance scheme for agriculturists. But as with early warning systems or urban infrastructure, governments will need to find ways to shield the fields from the ravages of floods. These tasks cannot be postponed for long.
