IMD set to install doppler radars in North Bengal for early disaster alerts

Jalpaiguri: To boost early warning systems against natural disasters, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is installing powerful Doppler weather radars in North Bengal. An X-band radar with a 150 km range is coming up in Malda, while Jalpaiguri will get a high-capacity unit covering 300 km. A C-band radar is also being installed in Diamond Harbour, with similar facilities planned for Sikkim and Guwahati.

Announcing the initiative in Jalpaiguri on Monday, Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the radars will enhance forecasting of severe calamities such as cloudbursts, cyclones, and tornadoes. “These systems will play a vital role in protecting lives and property across the sub-Himalayan region,” he noted at a press briefing.

Disasters are rising steadily in North Bengal and Sikkim particularly in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, along with the plains. Heavy rainfall in Sikkim has been impacting downstream areas of river Teesta, while the region has reported cloudbursts, GLOF and cyclones, including a recent tornado in Maynaguri. Similar extreme weather events are affecting the Northeast, highlighting the urgent need for stronger forecasting infrastructure.

Alongside the radars, IMD will introduce specialised lightning detection systems, known as Nowcast, across Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, Malda, South Dinajpur and Cooch Behar. These systems will provide advance alerts on lightning strikes, which have surged in recent years.

Dr. Mohapatra also expressed concern over changing climate patterns across the Northeast and North Bengal over the past three decades. Daytime temperatures in the hills remain consistently above normal, while nights are no longer as cool as they once were. Rainfall, too, has become increasingly erratic—often delayed or prolonged—resulting in floods and landslides. He attributed much of this instability to rapid urbanisation.

Later in the day, Mohapatra visited the Regional Flood Meteorology Station in Jalpaiguri with Somnath Dutta, Director of the Kolkata Meteorological Department, and Gopinath Raha, Director of the Sikkim Meteorological Department. Calling the centre “extremely crucial for North Bengal,” he said its infrastructure is being further strengthened.