FLOOD FORECASTING AND MANAGEMENT

Floods are natural calamity that India faces almost every year, in varying degrees of magnitude. The frequent occurrence of floods can be attributed to various factors, including wide variations in rainfall both in time and space with frequent departures from the normal pattern, inadequate carrying capacities of rivers, river bank erosion and silting of river beds, landslides, poor natural drainage in flood prone areas, glacial lake outbursts, etc.

The state-wise data on damages due to heavy rain and floods is compiled by Central Water Commission (CWC) after receipt of confirmation from respective States. The statement showing damage due to floods/heavy rain in the country during the last five years (2017-2021), State/UT-wise is at Annexure – I.

Flood management falls within the purview of the States. Flood management and erosion control projects are formulated and implemented by concerned State Governments from own resources as per their priority. The Union Government supplements the efforts of the States by providing technical guidance and also promotional financial assistance for management of floods in critical areas. Integrated flood approach aims at adopting judicious mix of structural and non-structural measures to provide a reasonable degree of protection against flood damages at economic cost.

To strengthen the structural measures of flood management, Union Government had implemented Flood Management Programme (FMP) during XI & XII Plans for providing central assistance to States for works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, anti-sea erosion, etc. which subsequently continued as a component of “Flood Management and Border Areas Programme” (FMBAP) for the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21 and was further extended up to September 2022 with limited outlay. 427 completed projects under FMP component of FMBAP have given protection to an area of around 4.994 million hectares (mha) and protected a population of about 53.57 million.

Central Water Commission (CWC) is the nodal Organisation entrusted with the task of flood forecasting & early flood warnings in the country. Presently, CWC issues flood forecasts for 338 forecasting stations (138 Inflow Forecast Stations & 200 Level Forecast Stations) which include 25 States and UTs. The network has been established in consultation with the State Governments and UTs. In order to provide more lead time to the local authorities to plan evacuation of people & take other remedial measures, CWC has developed basin wise flood forecasting model based on rainfall-runoff mathematical modelling for 5 days’ advance advisory at its forecasting stations.

The primary responsibility of disaster management rests with the State Government concerned. The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Government and provides requisite logistics and financial support. The State Government undertakes assessment of damages caused due to 12 notified natural calamities including rain and floods and provide relief assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) already placed at their disposal as per Government of India’s approved norms. Additional financial assistance is provided from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), as per laid down procedure in case of disaster of ‘severe nature’ which includes an assessment based on the visit of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT). Total funds released to different States under SDRF and NDRF during last five years is at Annexure-II.

Delhi faced extreme flood situation in the river Yamuna during second week of July 2023 due to very heavy rainfall in the Himalayan region upstream of Hathnikund Barrage. Very high discharge passed downstream of Hathnikund Barrage, resulting in a highest ever recorded water level of 208.66 meters at Old Railway Bridge in Delhi at 18:00 hrs on 13th July, 2023, surpassing the earlier Highest Flood Level of 207.49 m recorded in September, 1978.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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PK/AS

ANNEXURE-I

State-wise Total Damages due to Heavy Rains and Floods (2017-2021)

(in Rs. crore)

 NR- Not Reported