TN-Alert app will help in monsoon preparedness, say officials

Tamil Nadu government launches TN-Alert mobile app for monsoon season, providing weather forecasts, alerts, safety measures, and helpline numbers.

As part of the efforts to tackle and mitigate damages caused during the Northeast monsoon season, Tamil Nadu government has launched a mobile application ‘TN-Alert’.  

The mobile application developed through TN SMART (Tamil Nadu System for Multi – hazard potential impact assessment and emergency response tracking) is a web-based system that utilizes weather forecast products to assess potential impacts and evaluate and disseminate impact management options with a robust data management system for managing and processing weather, disaster risk and emergency response resources data, said the description of the application.  

The application which can be accessed in Tamil language would provide information on rain forecasts, rainfall recorded during specified intervals of time in a particular location, weather predictions, alerts issued, among others. 

Officials briefing about the application said, the users after installing the application could receive warning during times of emergency in addition to receiving regular alerts on forecasts.  

Also, it would instruct the users on do’s and don’ts during situations like heavy rains, lightnings, flood, drought, etc. “By knowing the rain forecast issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) for the specified areas they select, they can take precautionary measures like protecting their belongings, returning home before rain starts, or also can take serious measures like moving to a safer location when the forecast gives an alert of heavy to very heavy rainfall or flood-like situations,” the official said.  

“Details on rainfall received, the level of nearby dams or major water bodies, flood prone areas in a locality, safety measures to be taken in times of natural calamities like hurricane, drought, earthquake, fire accidents, floods, thunder and lightning are the major options accessible to the users on the application,” he added.