SYLHET, Oct 15: The Meteorology Department has set up four optical rain gauges, sophisticated equipment at places including Sylhet district with a target of recording real time data of rainfall and its speed.
These are at Sylhet, Srimangal, Netrokona and Rangamati, informed a senior official on Tuesday.
The modern equipment helps recording of minimum rainfall, the official said, adding, "For example we can now record even 0.01 mm rainfall. Such a procedure of real time data recording would be very much helpful for forecasting possible landslide due to heavy or high intensity rains. It would help taking of cautionary measures to avert casualties."
Besides, it is helpful for forecasting agricultural purposes and others, the official added. It had been a long felt requirement of agriculture sector.
Contacted, In charge of the Sylhet regional met office, Senior Meteorologist Sayeed Ahmed Chowdhury told this correspondent under a national project, these had been procured from the US and set at the four important places under GOB funding. The authority has also been examining the possibility of setting such equipment at other regions, the official added.
Now anyone can see rainfall related data like amount of rainfall and its speed on the said places from Meteorology Department website (bmdrrn.com) for real time rainfall, the official said, things can be seen directly, as well as per minute or monthly basis data and graphically.
"However, conventionally we do collect rainfall data from rainfall recording tool three hourly while it is dispatched to the central system six hourly too. But centrally things are disseminated 12 hourly," the official said.
Besides on requirement or demand from institutions or agencies, preserved data are disseminated through climate division.
