Observatory set up in Tehri to monitor cloud activities

A Himalayan Cloud Observatory has been set up in Tehri district here on Friday to receive forecast and monitor cloud burst incidents in the Himalayan region and help minimise the damage.

The Observatory has been established in the SRT campus Badshahithaul and is currently in the testing period.

Cloudburst incidents are very frequent in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, resulting in a huge loss of life.

"Cloud activities in higher regions of the Himalayas are monitored by the Himalayan Cloud Observatory in SRT campus Chamba, which has different types of parameters for rainfall, temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and data is being prepared," said Professor RC Ramola, Director at SRT Campus.

"We collect cloud particles and from that mix, we identify whether clouds will form or not, and if clouds will form, how much time will they take. This is second such observatory in India that can function in high-altitudes," Ramola added.

This is the second observatory in the country to monitor cloud activities by the Indian Science and Technology Department and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur that can function in high-altitudes.

"The Himalayan Cloud Observatory has recently prepared a six-month data while being in the testing period, so that after the completion of the testing period, cloud bursting incidents in future could be easily predicted and the severe loss of lives and property caused to the localities due to this could be stopped," said Sanjeev Kumar, Technical Assistant at SRT Campus.