Nirjuli, Mar 18: The North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) has developed an advanced real-time flood warning system for Mizoram to mitigate the impact of recurrent floods in the northeastern region.
The system, designed by the department of agricultural engineering at NERIST, integrates hydrological models with machine learning techniques to generate timely audio-visual alerts. It aims to assist authorities and residents in taking preventive measures to reduce loss of life and property damage.
NERIST, which specializes in hydrological and hydrodynamic modeling, flood mapping, remote sensing, GIS, and climate change studies, developed this system as a consultancy project for the Irrigation and Water Resources Department (I&WRD) of Mizoram.
To familiarize officials with the newly developed system, NERIST conducted a one-day workshop attended by 11 officials from Mizoram's Irrigation and Water Resources Department and three engineers from the Arunachal Pradesh Water Resources Department. The training included theoretical sessions and hands-on demonstrations on the system’s operation and applications.
Speaking at the evert, NERIST director Prof Narendranath S emphasized the importance of technology-driven systems in disaster management. The session began with a welcome address by Prof Aditi Bhadra, head of the department of agricultural engineering, who underscored the significance of early flood warning systems. This was followed by a presentation on the project by Prof Arnab Bandyopadhyay, the chief consultant to I&WRD Mizoram.
The workshop provided practical training on interpreting alerts and using the system for flood risk mitigation.
With climate change expected to increase the frequency and severity of floods, the real-time flood warning system is anticipated to significantly improve preparedness in Mizoram. NERIST plans to continue refining and expanding the system’s capabilities to support disaster management efforts in the region.
