Bhubaneswar, 16 September (H.S.): A new Doppler Weather Radar Centre was inaugurated at Jamadarpali in Odisha’s Sambalpur district to strengthen weather monitoring and improve the accuracy of forecasts and early warnings for severe weather events in western Odisha.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal and India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra attended the inauguration ceremony.

The five-storey radar centre houses a state-of-the-art C-band Doppler Weather Radar with an operational range of approximately 250 km. The facility is expected to strengthen weather surveillance across nearly 10 districts of western Odisha.

The radar will enable authorities to monitor weather systems more closely and provide timely information on lightning, thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and storms. The enhanced data is expected to help the administration improve preparedness, early warning systems and disaster response.

The facility will also play an important role in monitoring rainfall in the catchment area of the Hirakud reservoir. More accurate rainfall assessments will help authorities estimate inflows into the reservoir and improve water management and flood-control measures.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra expressed gratitude to the Central and Odisha governments for their cooperation and support in establishing the radar facility.

The new radar is expected to significantly strengthen Odisha’s weather-monitoring network and enhance the State’s capacity to respond to weather-related risks, particularly in the western region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda