Lok Sabha Question No. 355 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-24
Subject: Mapping Heatwaves
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Shri P V Midhun Reddy

- (a) Yes.
- (b) India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues forecasts and warnings related to severe weather events, including heatwaves, in different spatial and temporal scales and shares the same with public and disaster management authorities to initiate required mitigation measures.  Using geospatial  technology,  IMD  has  recently  advanced  in  heatwave forecasting, monitoring, and early warning services. The prevailing heatwave condition information and the forecast and warnings for next five days, up to districts and sub-city scale, are available on a web Geographic Information System (GIS) based map. The link for the heatwave information web page is https://internal.imd.gov.in/pages/heatwave\_mausam.php.

Also,  IMD  has  prepared  a  Climate  Hazards  and  Vulnerability  Atlas  of  India  for  the thirteen most hazardous meteorological events, including heat waves. The web Atlas is depicted using GIS tools and is available at (https://www.imdpune.gov.in/hazardatlas/index.html).  The  Atlas  provides  district  maps on  hazard  events  and  vulnerability  for  all  the  calendar  months  and  at  an  annual  scale. This Atlas identifies the hotspots in terms of high hazard potential and  higher vulnerability.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 355

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 24 TH  JULY, 2024

## MAPPING HEATWAVES

## 355.    SHRI P V MIDHUN REDDY:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government  is  looking  into investing in latest advanced  geospatial technology and field-based assessments to provide effective mapping of heatwaves, such as granular scale heat vulnerability and hotspot mapping;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  mandate  establishment  of  locally-defined temperature thresholds in all Heat Action Plans taking local risk multipliers in account while declaring a heatwave to provide for a more region-specific approach;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  any  plans  to  reform  forecast  models  to  region-specific thresholds for energy and water demand, crop, and health impacts to enable impact-based heat  forecast  alerts  in  order  to  help  policy-makers  plan  in  advance  about  predicted heatwave events; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (c) Yes. IMD defines heatwave conditions based on temperature criteria as reported by the stations  located  across  various  districts  in  the  country.  It  also  considers  station-wise percentile-based  analysis  of  temperature,  humidity,  and  wind  information  as  noted  in real-time from multiple observatories situated in a region. Hence, IMD considers mainly meteorological parameters at local levels as the impact of heatwaves are aggravated due to prevailing humidity, winds and climatological information.
- (d)-(e)  Various  forecast  model  products  are  used  to  issue  early  warning  alerts  to  different sectors  and  regions.  The  climate  hazards  and  vulnerability  Atlas  of  India  provides information mainly to help policy makers to plan in advance.

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