Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to make the state’s weather-related early warning system more accurate, prompt and people-centric.Accurate information provided in a timely manner during natural disasters can save the lives of many people, the chief minister said during a review meeting of the relief and disaster management department held on Saturday, according to an official spokesperson.He emphasised that the weather forecasting and warning mechanism should not be confined merely to a technical framework but must be effectively delivered to the “last person” in society.He directed officials to strengthen “last-mile connectivity” in villages and vulnerable areas, and to make extensive use of IVRS, loudspeakers at the panchayat level, local FM radio, mobile alerts, and social media platforms, according to a press release.During the meeting, a review of the severe storm that struck on May 13 was presented. It was reported that the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (MHEWS) had been monitoring this event for seven days prior to its occurrence. Initially, a Yellow Warning was issued, which was subsequently upgraded to an Orange Warning and, in several districts, to a Red Alert.These warnings had forecast the likelihood of strong winds, lightning strikes, hailstorms, and wind speeds exceeding 60 kilometres per hour. In several locations, wind speeds ranging from 80 to 130 kilometres per hour were recorded.During the meeting, it was reported that nowcast alerts regarding wind speeds reaching 70 to 80 kilometres per hour had been issued for several districts, including Bhadohi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Lucknow, Mirzapur, Raebareli, Kanpur Nagar, and Unnao. Through the ‘Sachet’ platform, colour-coded alerts were disseminated to district administrations, District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), Aapda Mitras and relevant government departments. SMS-based warnings were also sent to active mobile phones within the affected areas.Information was also disseminated on a wide scale through local TV channels, FM radio, WhatsApp groups, gram pradhans (village heads), lekhpals (revenue officials), and ASHA and anganwadi workers. The chief minister sought a detailed account of the actions taken by the respective district magistrates following the receipt of advance weather-related warnings.The chief minister stated that, alongside issuing warnings, it is equally essential to raise awareness among the public regarding safe practices and behaviors. He issued directives to conduct extensive public awareness campaigns in schools, panchayats, and rural areas.Furthermore, he instructed officials to conduct local-level assessments regarding the vulnerability of trees, electricity poles, hoardings, and fragile temporary structures, and to formulate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on these assessments.It was reported during the meeting that IMD is continuously monitoring weather conditions across the state using Doppler Weather Radars, Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), Automatic Rain Gauge Stations (ARG), lightning sensors, satellite imagery, and numerical weather prediction models. Forecasts regarding thunderstorm and lightning activities are issued at three levels: medium-range (four-five days), short-range (two-three days), and nowcast (up to three hours).Currently, 450 Automatic Weather Stations and 2,000 Automatic Rain Gauges have been installed across the state. Doppler Weather Radars are in the process of being installed in Aligarh, Jhansi, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Azamgarh, while the process of installing additional radars in Bareilly, Deoria, and Prayagraj is also underway. The process of installing Wind Profiler Radars in Lucknow and Prayagraj is also underway.During the meeting, it was informed that, with the support of the UNDP, Disaster Management Plans are being formulated for 15 state departments, all 75 districts, and 20 major cities. In 2025, training was imparted to women belonging to approximately 1,800 Self-Help Groups across 118 tehsils in 44 districts; through these groups, public awareness campaigns were conducted in 2,361 villages and 4,824 hamlets. Insurance certificates have been distributed to ‘Aapda Mitra’ (Disaster Friend) volunteers, and 66,077 life jackets have been distributed across 38 districts to prevent boat accidents.