THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
(SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)
(a) Damage as on 27-12-2017 due to cyclone Ockhi is attached in Annexure-I.
(b-c) Yes Madam.
The cyclone Ockhi had rapid intensification during its genesis stage. The system emerged into the Comorin Area during night of 29th and intensified into Deep Depression in the early hrs of 30th and into Cyclonic Storm in the forenoon of 30th Nov. 2017.
Regular warnings were issued for fishermen along and off Tamilnadu, Kerala, Lakshdweep Islands, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka & Gujarat, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu coasts. Three hourly Tropical Cyclone Advisories were issued to central & state level disaster managers, media, general public from 29th November forenoon onwards.
• The first information regarding formation of depression over Bay Of Bengal (BOB) during next 48-72 hours (i.e. 30th onwards) was issued on 28th November in the Tropical Weather Outlook issued at 1200 hrs IST and depression formed over southeast BOB in the morning of 28th.
• In its first bulletin based on 0830 IST of 29th November 2017, Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre New Delhi indicated the west-northwestward movement of system and its emergence into Comorin area by 30th. It was also mentioned that the system would intensify further.
• Cyclone Warning for Lakshadweep, south Kerala and south Tamil Nadu was given in the bulletin issued at 1155 hrs IST of 30th Nov.
• First warning of storm surge of height about 1.0 m above astronomical tides likely to inundate low lying areas of Lakshadweep Islands and 0.5 m above astronomical tides likely to inundate low lying areas of south Kerala, south Karnataka coasts was issued on 1700 hrs IST of 30th.
The interaction of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) with Disaster Management agencies were as under;
The common advisory bulletin was issued by IMD to all state Governments (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and UT of Lakshadweep) for taking appropriate precautionary actions based on the likely adverse conditions both over the land and adjoining Sea areas as mentioned in all the bulletins of IMD commencing from Bulletin No. 1 issued in the forenoon of 29th Nov. 2017. Same contents of the bulletin were also resent by NDMA through WhatsApp group to relevant state Govt. authorities periodically starting from 29th Nov.
• First bulletin was issued at 1155 IST of 29th Nov to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadweep Islands,
• Total number of 54 bulletins was issued by IMD to disaster management agencies.
• All the above bulletins were sent to disaster management authorities through e-mail and fax. Also SMSs were sent at least once a day.
• In addition, IMD officers at Meteorological Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai regularly interacted with the state Govt officials since 29th afternoon through phone and personal meetings.
• It is to mention that all above communications are directed jointly by IMD and NDMA to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep to consider taking all necessary response actions at their respective ends.
(d)-(e) IMD has one of the best forecasting mechanisms for predicting tropical cyclones using high resolution advanced mathematical models and a suite of quality observations from Satellites and Radars. IMD also has rich experience of more than 100 years in tropical cyclone prediction and has many trained and experienced scientists specialized in forecasting. In the recent past, IMD accurately predicted cyclones like Phailin, HudHud and Vardah and helped to save thousands of lives.
The improvement in the monitoring and forecasting of such tropical cyclones is a continuous process.
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