IIT Guwahati to conduct survey in flood affected areas using drones

The state government has reached out to IIT Guwahati to seek their expertise in surveying the flood-affected areas using drones to assess the condition in the villages where the road connectivity has been disputed due to the heavy flow of water.

IIT Guwahati to conduct survey in flood affected areas using drones

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has announced that it will help the Assam government in surveying the flood-affected read by using drones that have been developed by its startup to aid relief and rescue work. As per the officials, the state government has reached out to IIT Guwahati to seek their expertise in surveying the flood-affected areas using drones to assess the condition in the villages where the road connectivity has been disputed due to the heavy flow of water. 

On Sunday, the flood situation in the state remained extremely critical with many new localities coming under the impact of the deluge in several districts of the state and overnight incessant rain inundating more areas in Guwahati. The torrential rains in the past week have thrown normal life out of gear in parts of Assam. Landslides have also been reported from another half a dozen places in the city, including Kamakhya, Kharghuli, Hengerabari, Silpukhuri and Chandmari Colony. Knee-deep water and partially submerged vehicles on submerged roads were seen at many major intersections in the capital city.

"The government has approached us and we will be beginning the work as soon as possible. We will be using the drones to survey the affected areas. Also, this exercise is important to help the government develop an action plan to prepare better ahead of the monsoon season considering the area is prone to floods and landslides due to its geographic location," Parmeshwar Iyer, Dean, IIT Guwahati said.

"The drones will be used to conduct aerial surveys of the areas which have been severely affected and some villages where road connectivity is disrupted due to heavy water flow. The exercise will be helpful in identifying areas where people could be stranded, immediate evacuation is needed and relief material needs to be provided," he added. 

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