Nagpur Floods: 7/20 vs 9/23, Warning Ignored Again? | Nagpur News

Nagpur: Saturday’s downpour surpassed the deluge of September 23 last year in both speed and intensity. While the city received 135 mm of rain in just three hours on Saturday morning, the district received 116 mm on September 23 last year, with 91 mm falling between 2:15 am and 4:30 am. Fortunately, Saturday’s rains followed a relatively dry spell, unlike the mild rains preceding September 23, when an overflow from the Ambazari dam and a swollen Nag river caused chaos. With the two devastation occurring a year apart, there is one striking similarity between the two: the apathy of the municipal administration. On both occasions, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) issued an orange alert well in advance. Along with a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall in four districts of Vidarbha, the RMC issued an orange alert for Nagpur on July 18. Despite warnings, the municipal and district officials seemed confident that they could control the adverse conditions. And they refused to give details about measures to contain the disaster or prevent flooding, while speaking to TOI on July 18. As reports of flooding poured in, the control room was flooded with complaints. Citizens confronted the municipality, urging it to show the same vigor in its preparations for the monsoon. Legal cases by flood-affected residents after the September tragedy have already exposed the apathy and laxity of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in heeding timely warnings from weather forecasters. It came as no surprise, then, that several areas were flooded, leaving scores of citizens stranded. On Saturday, citizens took to social media to express their anger over the municipality’s poor preparation in preventing flooding during excessive rainfall. Praveen Kumar, in-charge of weather forecasting at RMC, said they have been sending out accurate warnings consistently. “We have also been able to clearly explain why such systems developed over Nagpur and what caused the heavy rainfall. Today’s rainfall warning was also forecast on July 18,” he said. The RMC has also used Doppler Radar to issue a nowcast every three hours. Yashwant Katpatal, dean, research and consultancy, VNIT, held both the civic body and residents responsible for repeated flooding in Nagpur. “Flooding in urban areas can be prevented with long-term planning and consideration of scientific factors such as surface hydrology. Unfortunately, many builders and developers are unaware of topography, including lowered levels and elevation changes, which can lead to flooding. It is essential that authorities educate people about hydrology and ensure that construction is carried out accordingly. Moreover, engineers and developers should educate residents about the plinth of houses in low-lying areas and the importance of maintaining a strong rainwater network,” he said. Katpatal lamented that many residents unknowingly contribute to the problem by closing rainwater inlets, which worsens flooding. “It is a shared responsibility of the municipality and residents to ensure smooth flow of rainwater, especially in areas with narrow roads like South Nagpur.”