RMSI: Development News

Assam is vulnerable to climate change due to its location in the Eastern Himalayan periphery. The State is characterized by high rainfall with annual floods whose severity has risen due to adverse climatic conditions. With very few bridges and an underdeveloped road network, the rivers act as lifelines for the physical movement of people and goods across the state. Accessible and affordable public inland water transport (IWT) is thus extremely vital for the lives and livelihoods of the predominantly rural communities in Assam. The state of Assam offers immense potential for inland water transport (IWT) with 15 national waterways and nearly 10% of the cumulative navigable length of 111 national waterways in India.

Besides, several climate models have forecast that in the coming decades, variability in depth of the river may further increase due increase in rains. The water levels in the river rises by about 10 meters during most flood seasons often submerging large parts of river islands, riverbanks, ghats (shore landing stations for marine crafts), and river transport infrastructure, causing considerable disruption in transport services.

The development of waterways has, thus, been challenging; the long flood season from June to September and the subsequent dry period reduces and alters the river flows and navigation channels considerably. The vulnerability of the transport infrastructure to high intensity of floods every year has been detrimental to the economy. This surged the need for a transformational shift towards policies and institutions for climate resilient investments.

Objective: The main objective was to develop the framework to improve the Assam State capacity in disaster risk management (DRM) and develop DRM plan for adaptation, resilience and disaster risk mitigation in the IWT sector.

Hazard Mitigation & Resilience Plan, U.S. Virgin Islands

Rain induced flooding is one of the most common and disrupting events in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This impacts the critical infrastructure and interrupts daily life and economic activities.

Objective: In order to estimate risk and loss to critical infrastructure in case of disaster, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) consulted RMSI to model flooding under current and future (climate change) scenarios in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

Current Development Projects

Study on Risk Management & Resilient Infrastructure Development of Inland Water Transport (IWT), Assam

Hazard Mitigation & Resilience Plan, U.S. Virgin Islands

In Focus

Building Climate Resilient Livelihood in Gambia Using Geospatial Technology

Recent Wins

Study on Issue of Flood and Siltation in River Ganga and its Tributaries due to Farakka Barrage, Bihar

Flood Plain Zoning in Meghalaya

Events

Expert in Focus


<< back Current Development Projects Study on Risk Management & Resilient Infrastructure Development of Inland Water Transport (IWT), Assam Client: The World Bank Assam is vulnerable to climate change due to its location in the Eastern Himalayan periphery. The State is characterized by high rainfall with annual floods whose severity has risen due to adverse climatic conditions. With very few bridges and an underdeveloped road network, the rivers act as lifelines for the physical movement of people and goods across the state. Accessible and affordable public inland water transport (IWT) is thus extremely vital for the lives and livelihoods of the predominantly rural communities in Assam. The state of Assam offers immense potential for inland water transport (IWT) with 15 national waterways and nearly 10% of the cumulative navigable length of 111 national waterways in India. Besides, several climate models have forecast that in the coming decades, variability in depth of the river may further increase due increase in rains. The water levels in the river rises by about 10 meters during most flood seasons often submerging large parts of river islands, riverbanks, ghats (shore landing stations for marine crafts), and river transport infrastructure, causing considerable disruption in transport services. The development of waterways has, thus, been challenging; the long flood season from June to September and the subsequent dry period reduces and alters the river flows and navigation channels considerably. The vulnerability of the transport infrastructure to high intensity of floods every year has been detrimental to the economy. This surged the need for a transformational shift towards policies and institutions for climate resilient investments. Objective: The main objective was to develop the framework to improve the Assam State capacity in disaster risk management (DRM) and develop DRM plan for adaptation, resilience and disaster risk mitigation in the IWT sector. Solution: Prioritize DRM to enhance adaptation and resilience of IWT infrastructure and services in the State Outline recommendations for institutional arrangements, policies and regulations, and financing strategy to support the implementation of the proposed DRM Framework Suggest communication strategy for the implementation of each phase of the DRM Framework and target IWT stakeholders, operators, users and communities, with a special focus on vulnerable population such as women, elderly, disabled people and minors Enhance each phase of the DRM with the use of information systems or digital platforms (either improvement of the existing ones or recommendations for the development of new ones) that would ensure enhanced preparedness with early warnings, effective coordination and robust mitigation/prevention and response actions Benefits: Help in developing a strategic framework for climate and pandemic resilience for the IWT sector in Assam Increase capacity to gather and use necessary climate, disaster, and pandemic related risk information, and data in planning and decision-making processes Guidance for early-warning systems and services strengthened Hazard Mitigation & Resilience Plan, U.S. Virgin Islands Client: University of Virgin Islands, U.S. Rain induced flooding is one of the most common and disrupting events in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This impacts the critical infrastructure and interrupts daily life and economic activities. Objective: In order to estimate risk and loss to critical infrastructure in case of disaster, the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) consulted RMSI to model flooding under current and future (climate change) scenarios in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Solutions: Estimate rain intensity scenarios for current and future climate Model the corresponding flood hazard in USVI and generate flood hazard maps Conduct a risk assessment for building and critical infrastructure exposed to the impacts of riverine flooding, storm surge, wind storms (hurricanes), earthquakes and tsunamis Transfer knowledge and capacity to UVI staff and other stakeholders Benefits: Hydrological response of all the sub-basins for high intensity rainfall will be evaluated Exposure data for all 3 islands will be developed and used in risk analysis. Flood risk analysis will identify the most vulnerable areas to flood inundation. Estimates of losses due to flood of different return periods will be available. Losses due to earth quake, tsunami also will be assessed. In Focus Building Climate Resilient Livelihood in Gambia Using Geospatial Technology Read more... Recent Wins Study on Issue of Flood and Siltation in River Ganga and its Tributaries due to Farakka Barrage, Bihar Read more... Flood Plain Zoning in Meghalaya Read more...	Events RMSI acknowledged as 'Partner of the Year - ISV Solution' by Esri India RMSI Webinar on Flood Forecasting & Early Warning Systems, June 2021 International Conference on Disaster Risk Management, July 2021 Expert in Focus Dr. Pratap Singh Water Resources Expert & VP - Sustainability, RMSI Read more...
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