Floods, landslides: Kerala plans tech-driven resilience initiative with IIT experts

Thiruvananthapuram: Days after torrential rains triggered floods, landslides and prolonged waterlogging across Kerala, forcing several people to relocate and claiming more than 20 lives, the state government has decided to implement a Flood Resilience Initiative to strengthen the state's preparedness for climate-induced disasters.

As part of the initiative, experts from leading technical institutions held discussions with Chief Minister V D Satheesan and presented a roadmap for developing an advanced flood-resilience system using modern technology.

A team comprising experts from IIT Roorkee, IIT Palakkad and IIIT Kottayam proposed a comprehensive framework aimed at making Kerala more resilient to extreme weather events and potentially creating a model for other states.

The proposed system will focus on preparedness for extreme rainfall, urban and riverine flooding, landslides and landslips. It will use Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, remote sensing, hydrodynamic modelling and high-precision rainfall forecasting to identify flood-prone areas in advance and provide timely warnings.

The experts also stressed the need for scientific assessment before undertaking desilting or sediment-removal activities in rivers, lakes and backwaters, particularly to understand their potential impact on ecosystems and natural water flow.

The Chief Minister has directed the Water Resources Department and Disaster Management Department to jointly examine the project's technical feasibility, financial implications and implementation mechanism. The departments have been asked to submit a report within a month.

Further decisions on implementing the initiative will be taken based on the report.

Revenue Minister A P Anil Kumar, Environment Minister Sunny Joseph, Agriculture Minister T Siddique, Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph, Chief Secretary Bishwanath Sinha IAS and other senior officials attended the meeting.