Table of Contents
India Launches C-FLOOD: First Unified Flood Forecasting Platform
Launch Overview
- Inauguration Date: On 2nd July 2025, Union Jal Shakti Minister R. Patil officially launched C-FLOOD in New Delhi at Shram Shakti Bhawan.
- Notable Attendees: The event saw participation from key officials representing CWC, C-DAC, NRSC, along with delegates from MeitY and DST.
Platform Overview
- Flood Forecast Availability: C-FLOOD delivers early flood predictions and inundation mapping at the village scale, with a lead time of up to 48 hours.
- Unified Integration: It combines inputs from national (CWC) and regional (NRSC) systems into a single decision-making interface for effective flood management.
Technology Framework
- Modeling Technique: The system employs two-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling to simulate floods in real time.
- Computing Power: The flood forecasts are generated using High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure developed as part of the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
- Simulation Roles: C‑DAC Pune handles Mahanadi Basin simulations, while NRSC Hyderabad focuses on Godavari and Tapi basins, under the National Hydrology Project (NHP).
Coverage Area
- Basin Inclusion: At launch, C‑FLOOD covers three major Indian river basins:
- Mahanadi Basin (Chhattisgarh, Odisha)
- Godavari Basin (Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha)
- Tapi Basin (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat)
- Future Outlook: More river systems will be gradually integrated over time.
Collaborative Model
- Project Foundation: Initiated under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) and implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
- Key Partnerships: Involves joint implementation by CWC, C‑DAC, NRSC, and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
- Financial Support: Backed by the National Hydrology Project (NHP) with partial funding from the World Bank, aimed at enhancing water data accuracy and availability.
Ministerial Directives
- Public Awareness: Minister C.R. Patil stressed the importance of popularizing the platform for community-level preparedness.
- Disaster Integration: Directed integration of C-FLOOD outputs into the National Disaster Management Emergency Response (NDEM) portal for quicker institutional response.
- Quality Focus: Emphasis was placed on satellite validation, field data verification, and continuous system upgrades.
User Benefits
- Disaster Management: Authorities receive location-specific, real-time data to guide evacuation and relief planning.
- River Administrations: Enables standardized, multi-basin coordination using centralized forecasting.
- Community Alerts: Villages and local bodies receive early warnings, allowing timely actions to reduce risks.
- Research Utility: Offers researchers a rich, real-time platform to analyze high-resolution models and flood behavior.
Future Plans
- Phase-One Rollout: Currently active in Mahanadi, Godavari, and Tapi river basins.
- System Expansion: Plans are in place to include more river systems soon.
- Platform Upgrades: CWC will continue technical collaboration with NRSC and C-DAC for model refinement, data accuracy, and interface enhancements.
National Context
- Supercomputing Mission: The NSM, with a ₹4,500 crore outlay since 2015, has been developing India’s HPC infrastructure, with the deadline extended to December 2025.
- Hydrology Project: The NHP, begun in 2016 with World Bank support (~$175 million), aims to modernize hydrological forecasting and water data systems.
- Broader Vision: C‑FLOOD reflects a significant shift towards technology-driven governance for climate resilience and disaster risk reduction in India.
Important questions
- What is the primary purpose of the C-FLOOD platform launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti?
- Which three major river basins are currently covered under the C-FLOOD system?
- How does the C-FLOOD platform utilize High-Performance Computing (HPC) in its operations?
- Which government agencies collaborated in the development and implementation of C-FLOOD?
- What measures has Minister C.R. Patil suggested to enhance the effectiveness and reach of the C-FLOOD platform?
Conclusion
C‑FLOOD is a landmark technological initiative marking India’s first unified flood forecasting portal offering critical, village-level flood forecasts up to 48 hours in advance. Driven by NSM-powered supercomputing and regional hydrodynamic modeling, and anchored in strong inter-agency coordination, it lays a robust foundation for data-driven disaster preparedness. With its rollout across three basins and plans to expand nation-wide, C‑FLOOD has strong potential to transform flood management, climate resilience, and emergency response in India.
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