**Executive Summary**
This document outlines the operational status of district-level early warning systems for floods and cyclones across India, as presented by the Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences. The systems aim to strengthen disaster preparedness and provide timely alerts. Key initiatives include the "Flood Watch India" app and the "C-Flood" platform.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **District-Level Early Warning Systems:**
* Operational in vulnerable districts across the country.
* Enable timely alerts and improved disaster preparedness.
* **India Meteorological Department (IMD) Role:**
* Prepares and updates district-wise early warnings four times daily.
* Forecasts are valid for up to seven days, especially for heavy rainfall and cyclones.
* Disseminates warnings through multiple channels: Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), mobile apps, official websites, social media, and messaging services.
* Generates real-time weather warnings and graphical products for monitoring and preparedness.
* **Central Water Commission (CWC) Role:**
* Nodal organization for flood forecasting and early flood warnings.
* Issues flood forecasts at 350 forecasting stations, including inflow forecasts for dams and barrages (150 stations) and level forecasts for rivers (200 stations).
* Developed basin-wise flood forecasting models for seven-day advance advisory forecasts and short-range forecasts (up to 24 hours).
* Launched the "C-Flood" web-based platform for two-day advance inundation forecasts, covering river basins like Godavari, Tapi, and Mahanadi, with color-coded alerts.
* Launched the "Flood Watch India" mobile application in August 2023 for flood forecasting and monitoring.
* **Dissemination of Warnings:**
* No major deficiencies in generating heavy rainfall warnings for states like Punjab, West Bengal, and Bihar.
* End-to-end connectivity for cyclone warning dissemination is in place, utilizing various channels.
* Special communication arrangements for fishermen include All India Radio broadcasts, SMS alerts, and NAVIC satellite navigation.
* State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) and State Emergency Operation Centres (SEOCs) disseminate warnings through state-level networks and local alert systems.
* **Strengthening Last-Mile Warning Dissemination:**
* Efforts focus on improving mobile and digital connectivity in vulnerable areas.
* Installation of local siren systems.
* Enhancing satellite communication support for fishermen.
* Promoting public awareness on disaster preparedness and response.
* **Financial Resources:**
* Available through State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF).
* Additional assistance can be considered under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF).
**Impact Analysis**
* **Vulnerable Communities:**
* **Impact:** Receive timely alerts and warnings for floods and cyclones, enabling better preparedness and response, potentially saving lives and reducing damage.
* **Action Required:** Stay informed through the various dissemination channels provided, understand warning signals, and follow safety instructions issued by authorities.
* **Disaster Management Authorities (National and State Level):**
* **Impact:** Benefit from enhanced real-time weather data, graphical products, and inundation forecasts, allowing for more effective planning and mitigation measures.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the provided warning systems and data for continuous monitoring, preparedness, and response activities. Disseminate warnings effectively to all relevant stakeholders and the public.
* **Fishermen:**
* **Impact:** Receive specific weather warnings and alerts to ensure their safety while operating at sea.
* **Action Required:** Monitor weather warnings broadcast via All India Radio, SMS alerts, and the NAVIC satellite navigation system.
* **General Public:**
* **Impact:** Gain access to real-time flood forecasting information, monitoring data, and reservoir storage status, enabling timely preventive actions.
* **Action Required:** Download and use the "Flood Watch India" app, stay updated through official websites and social media, and heed public awareness campaigns.
* **States and Union Territories:**
* **Impact:** Receive support from national agencies in flood forecasting and early warning dissemination, facilitating localized planning and evacuation efforts. Access financial resources for strengthening their disaster response capabilities.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with IMD and CWC, establish and utilize state-level disaster warning networks, and leverage available financial resources (SDRF, SDMF) to enhance early warning dissemination and response capacity.
Key Entities Referenced
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, who is updating Lok Sabha about the early warning systems.
India Meteorological Department (IMD): Responsible for preparing and updating district-wise early warnings for floods and cyclones.
Central Water Commission (CWC): Nodal organisation for flood forecasting and early flood warnings in the country.
Flood Watch India App: Mobile application providing flood forecasting information, flood monitoring data, and reservoir storage status.
District-level Early Warning Systems: Systems operational across vulnerable districts to provide timely alerts for floods and cyclones.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
District-level Early Warning Systems for Floods
and Cyclones Operational Across Vulnerable
Districts: Dr. Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha
Technology-Driven Early Warning Systems Strengthening
Disaster Preparedness, says Dr Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha
Flood Watch India App Provides Real-Time Alerts from 200
Forecasting Stations: Dr Jitendra Singh
Government Enhancing Public Awareness and Local
Response to Early Weather Warnings, says Dr Jitendra Singh
Posted On: 11 MAR 2026 7:18PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, MoS PMO,
Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today updated Lok
Sabha about district-level early warning systems for floods and cyclones are operational across vulnerable
districts of the country, enabling timely alerts and improved disaster preparedness.
The Minister was replying to a question raised by Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who sought to know whether
district-level early warning systems for floods and cyclones have been established in vulnerable districts
of the country and the steps taken by the Government to strengthen local-level dissemination of such
warnings.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) prepares and updates district-wise
early warnings four times a day, with forecasts valid for up to seven days, particularly for heavy rainfall
and cyclone-related events. These warnings are disseminated through multiple communication channels
including Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), mobile applications, official websites, social media
platforms and messaging services to ensure timely access for authorities and the public.
The Minister said that real-time weather warnings and graphical products generated by IMD support
continuous monitoring of weather systems, helping disaster management authorities take necessary
preparedness and mitigation measures in vulnerable districts.
He further informed that the Central Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal organisation for flood
forecasting and early flood warnings in the country. At present, flood forecasts are issued at 350
forecasting stations, including 150 inflow forecast stations on major dams and barrages and 200 level
forecast stations on major rivers, established in consultation with States and Union Territories.To enhance preparedness, the CWC has developed basin-wise flood forecasting models based on rainfall-
runoff mathematical modelling, enabling seven-day advance advisory forecasts, in addition to short-range
flood forecasts with response times of up to 24 hours. These forecasts provide additional lead time to local
authorities for planning evacuation and other preventive measures.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also highlighted the web-based “C-Flood” platform, which provides two-day advance
inundation forecasts up to the village level through detailed inundation maps and water-level predictions.
The platform integrates advanced two-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling with satellite-based datasets
and ground-based hydrological observations to improve forecasting accuracy.
The C-Flood platform currently covers the Godavari, Tapi and Mahanadi River basins in its initial phase
and provides colour-coded flood alerts based on inundation depth, including yellow, orange and red alerts
to indicate increasing severity of flooding.
The Minister also referred to the “Flood Watch India” mobile application, launched by the CWC in August
2023, which provides flood forecasting information at 200 stations, flood monitoring data at over 500
stations and reservoir storage status of 150 major reservoirs across the country. The application provides
timely information to both disaster management authorities and the general public for preventive action.
Regarding certain flood-prone regions, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that no major deficiencies have been
observed in generating district-wise heavy rainfall warnings for States such as Punjab, West Bengal, and
Bihar. IMD continues to provide timely rainfall observations and Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts
(QPF) to the Central Water Commission to support flood forecasting in relevant catchment areas.
In his reply, the Minister stated that India does not lack end-to-end connectivity for the dissemination of
cyclone warnings. IMD utilises a wide range of communication channels including official websites,
mobile applications, SMS alerts, social media platforms, press releases, and media briefings to reach
disaster managers, media organisations and the general public.
Special communication arrangements are also in place for fishermen. Weather warnings are broadcast
through All India Radio, while alerts are sent to fishermen through SMS and through the NAVIC satellite
navigation system via the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) for those
operating in deep sea areas.
Dr. Jitendra Singh added that State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) and State Emergency
Operation Centres (SEOCs) further disseminate warnings to vulnerable communities through their state-
level disaster warning communication networks, including local alert systems.
The Minister highlighted that efforts are also being made to strengthen last-mile warning dissemination,
including improving mobile and digital connectivity in vulnerable areas, installing local siren systems,
enhancing satellite communication support for fishermen, and promoting public awareness on disaster
preparedness and response.
He further informed that financial resources for strengthening early warning dissemination and response
capacity at the state level are available through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the State
Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF). Additional financial assistance can also be considered under the
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) as per the
prescribed guidelines.*****
NKR/AK
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