INCOIS Advises Coastal States to be on Alert

News: Coastal states have been cautioned by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) to remain alert due to rough seas, high waves, and the potential inundation of low-lying areas.

About:

Information	Details
Establishment	Established in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences as a unit of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO).
Objective	The objective is to provide ocean data, information, and advisory services to society, industry, government, and the scientific community.
Activities	- Provides round-the-clock monitoring and warning services for coastal populations on tsunamis, storm surges, high waves, etc. - Issues daily advisories to fisherfolk to help locate areas of abundant fish in the ocean, optimizing fuel and time usage. - Issues short-term (3-7 days) Ocean State Forecasts (waves, currents, sea surface temperature, etc.) daily. - Deploys and maintains Ocean Observing Systems in the Indian Ocean to collect data on various oceanic parameters, aiding in understanding ocean processes and predicting changes.

Swell Waves:

• Formation of Swell Waves:
o Swell waves are generated by distant storms like hurricanes or long periods of gale winds, transferring significant energy from the air into the water.
o They move from deep ocean water towards shallow coastal areas, far from their source of origin.

• Factors Affecting Swell Wave Size:
o Wind Speed: Higher wind speeds lead to larger waves.
o Wind Duration: Longer durations of wind result in bigger waves.
o Fetch: Greater distances over which wind travels across open water contribute to larger wave formation.

• Swell Waves in India:
o States like Kerala experience swell waves originating from strong winds in the southern Indian Ocean.
o For instance, in March 2024, a low-pressure system from the South Atlantic Ocean, about 10,000 kilometers away, caused swell waves up to 11 meters in height that reached the Kerala coast and Lakshadweep.

• Forecasting Swell Waves:
o INCOIS launched the Swell Surge Forecast System in 2020 to provide advanced warnings up to seven days in advance about incoming swell waves.

• Difference Between Swell Waves and Tsunamis:
o Swell Waves: Generated by distant storms or prolonged winds, moving at a slower pace.
o Tsunamis: Result from underwater disturbances like earthquakes, moving much faster than swell waves (around 10 times faster) and hitting land at speeds of 30–50 km/h.

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