Lok Sabha Question No. 597 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-13
Subject: Management of Dams during Floods
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: ANTO  ANTONY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UN STARRED QUESTION NO. 597

ANSWERED ON 13.12 .201 8

## MANAGEMENT OF DAMS D URING FLOODS

## 597. SHRI ANTO ANTONY

## Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has noticed that the recent flood has caused huge damage in Ke if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has assessed the cause of such flood and if so, the details there steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has issued any guidelines to the States for management of vari in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether Kerala has followed the guidelines while opening the shutters of various da floods in the State and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether climate changes have caused heavy rains in Kerala and if so, the details thereof; and

(f)  whether  the  Government  has  failed  to  give  early  warning  and  taking  security  measur releasing waters from the dams and if so, the reasons therefor along with the steps taken to tackle the situation?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  WATER  RESOURCES, RIVER  DEVELOPMENT  AND GANGA REJUVENATION & PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## ( SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHW AL )

(a) The  recent  floods  of  August,  2018  has caused  huge  damage  in  Kerala. Based  on  the memorandum submitted by the State Government of Kerala to Ministry of Home Affairs (MH seeking Central Assistance for floods & landslides in August 2018, an Inter - Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) from Government of India visited the State. IMCT assessed the damages in conformit the norms of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/ National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) per the assessment made by IMCT, 339 human lives and 75,857 cattles were lost, 6.42 lakh houses damaged and 82660.29 ha. cropped area have been reported to be affected due to flood/ l during August 2018.

(b) A Study on this flood has been carried out by Central Water Commission (CWC). As pe study, Kerala experienced an abnormally high rainfall from 1 June, 2018 to 19 August, 201 IMD data, Kerala received 2346.6 mm of rainfall from 1 June, 2018 to 19 August, 2018 in contrast to

an  expected  1649.5  mm  of  rainfall.  This  rainfall  was  about  42%  above  the  normal.    Fur rainfall over Kerala during 1 st to 19 th of August was 164% above normal. Due to heavy rainfall, th first onset of flooding occurred towards the end of July. A severe spell of rainfall was expe several places on the 8 th and 9 th of August, 2018. Another severe spell of rainfall started from the th of  August  and  continued  till  the  19 th of  August,  resulting in  disastrous  flooding  in  13  out  of  14 districts.

(c) Central Water Commission (CWC) had issued following guidelines on dam safety:

- Guidelines for safety Inspection of Dams.
- Guidelines for Instrumentation of large Dams
- Guidelines for preparation of Oper ation and Maintenance Manuals of Dams.
- Guidelines for Mapping Flood Risk Associated with Dams
- Guidelines for Developing Emergency Action Plans for Dams

The State Governments/ Dam owners have been informed about the availability of guidelines which are already available on dam safety portal of CWC. Further, State Gov Water Resource Departments/Dam Owners are regularly advised to prepare the O &M manual for safe operation of Dams.

(d) The State Government of Kerala has informed that they have followed the existing guide opening  of  shutters  during  the  floods.    The  water  levels  in  the  reservoirs  had  bee continuously and warnings were issued in time. Shutters of the dam s were opened by issuing prior warning at different stages depending upon the magnitude of precautions to be taken by inhabitants and other people residing downstream of the river course. These alerts were the  consent  of  District  Admi nistration,  Kerala  State  Disaster  Management  Authority,  Media  a Police along with frequent public announcement at places wherever felt necessary.

(e) The  main  causative  factors  for  the  occurrence  of  heavy  rainfall  over  Kerala  were  t westerly/s outh  westerly  winds  over  the  Arabian  Sea  along  and  off  Kerala  coast,  associat formation  of  a  weather  system  (depression)  over  northwest  Bay  of  Bengal.  Exceptional intensity  rainfall  (above  5  cm  per  day)  frequency  has  increased  over  Peninsular India  and  in particularly over highland westward flowing river catchments of Kerala during the period -2016.

(f) According to State Government of Kerala, commensurate early warnings corresponding t quantitative  rainfall  levels  predicted  by India  Meteorological  Department  as  per  the  Standard Operating Procedures were issued.  Consequent to floods, response, relief and rehabilitati were also taken up by Government of Kerala.

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