Avalanche Alerts: Enhancing Safety in the Himalayas

Avalanches are a natural hazard in high-altitude areas of India, posing risks to humans and properties. The government uses advanced technologies, such as automated weather stations and doppler radars, for improved forecast and warning to mitigate risks, with DRDO's DGRE leading efforts in avalanche management.

Avalanches pose significant hazards to the high-altitude regions of India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh. In response, the government has heightened its focus on employing cutting-edge technology to predict and mitigate these natural disasters effectively.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, informed the Lok Sabha that improved forecasting systems, including automated weather stations and doppler radars, have been established in vulnerable areas. Currently, the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) manages 72 snow meteorological observatories and 45 operational automated weather stations, with more in the testing phase.

The DGRE, a Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) division, plays a crucial role in daily avalanche forecasting and is advancing technologies for mitigation. It collaborates with the Indian Meteorological Department, which provides six-hourly weather updates, to ensure timely alerts and enhance safety measures for the Army and civilian populations in affected regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)