Satellite-Based Disaster Monitoring Mechanism
Why in News?
On 18 March, 2026, In the Lok Sabha reply, the Union Minister highlighted the realization of a comprehensive disaster monitoring mechanism over the next five years, aimed at strengthening resource management and national security.
About
- International Leadership: ISRO assumed a lead role in the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters starting in April 2025, coordinating data from 17 member agencies to support global disaster response.
- Major Satellite Deployments: The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission, launched in July 2025, has begun its operational phase, providing high-resolution radar data to monitor earthquakes, landslides, and glacier movements.
- AI Integration: The launch of the Bharat Forecasting System (BharatFS) in May 2025 has enhanced weather predictions to a 6 km resolution, enabling village-level disaster alerts.
Real-time Monitoring & Prediction
- INSAT-3DR and 3DS: Used for cyclogenesis prediction, cyclone detection, and tracking storm evolution through rapid scanning.
- Oceansat-3: Vital for monitoring ocean states and forecasting potential marine-based disasters.
Advanced Imaging Technologies
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): Missions like NISAR use radar to "see" through clouds and darkness, allowing for rapid damage proxy maps after events like the Maui wildfires or Himalayan floods.
- Dual-frequency Radar: NISAR's use of L-band and S-band radar can detect surface changes as small as one centimetre, providing early warnings for tectonic shifts.
Early Warning Systems (EWS)
- NavIC Messaging: Directly broadcasts emergency warnings for cyclones and tsunamis to fishermen and coastal communities.
- C-Flood Portal: Provides two-day advance inundation forecasts at the village level for major river basins like the Godavari and Mahanadi.
Data Dissemination Platforms
- Geoportals: ISRO utilizes portals like Bhoonidhi, Bhuvan, and NDEM to provide value-added products (like flood maps) to national and state disaster management authorities.
Institutional Frameworks
- Space Application Management System (SAMS): Implemented to assess and ensure the effective utilization of Earth observation data across thematic domains like water and forests.
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