Rain warning systems to be installed in cities

A system to warn against heavy rain would be installed in major cities, including Kochi, as part of the national disaster management programme. Equipment such as Doppler radars could give warning so that the authorities can take timely action. This was disclosed by M. Sasidhar Reddy, member of the National Disaster Management Authority. He said the Authority was preparing guidelines for management of disasters; including tsunami.Climate change was a major factor in the occurrence of heavy rainfall in many cities. New disasters such as sea-level rise could be expected in future. The management strategies should be separate for urban and rural areas. Accordingly, the Authority was preparing plans for Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur.

The Hindu, 26^th July 2008