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INCOIS to launch mobile apps that track jellyfish, issue storm surge alerts today

February 09, 2026 5 min read Science & Technology Geography GS Paper 1 GS Paper 3
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What Happened

  • The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) launched three new ocean information services on its 27th Foundation Day (9 February 2026) at its campus in Hyderabad.
  • JellyAIIP (Jellyfish Aggregation Information Interactive Portal) is a first-of-its-kind national web platform for real-time monitoring and reporting of jellyfish distribution along India's coastline, featuring geospatial mapping, hotspot analysis, species data, seasonal trends, and multilingual first-aid guidance for stings.
  • SAMUDRA 2.0 is an upgraded multilingual mobile application providing ocean advisories and early warnings to fishermen and maritime users, including Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, tuna advisories, and small vessel alerts.
  • SIVAS (Swell-Surge Inundation Vulnerability Advisory System) is a coastal inundation early warning service providing advance alerts for swell-surge flooding events, currently operational along the Kerala coast with multilingual forecast bulletins.
  • The services were inaugurated by Dr V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO. INCOIS Director Dr T.M. Balakrishnan Nair stated that JellyAIIP would play a crucial role in raising awareness about jellyfish risks along the coast.

Static Topic Bridges

INCOIS and India's Ocean Information Services Architecture

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, headquartered in Pragathi Nagar, Hyderabad. Established on 8 February 1999, it is mandated to provide ocean information and advisory services through sustained ocean observations and systematic research.

  • INCOIS operates four major service streams: Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories that help fishermen locate fish aggregation areas using satellite-derived sea surface temperature and chlorophyll data, the Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS) through the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC), Ocean State Forecast (OSF) providing wave, wind, and current predictions, and the Ocean Observation Group (OOG) managing India's network of ocean observing systems.
  • INCOIS functions under the Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO) framework of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, alongside sister organisations such as the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT).
  • UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) designated INCOIS's ITEWC as a Regional Tsunami Service Provider for the Indian Ocean.
  • The SAMUDRA app (first version launched earlier) marked INCOIS's entry into direct mobile-based service delivery for fishing communities, a significant step given that India has over 4 million active marine fishermen.

Connection to this news: The three new services launched on INCOIS Foundation Day expand the organisation's service portfolio beyond its traditional focus on fishing zone advisories and tsunami warnings into new domains: marine biological hazard monitoring (jellyfish), coastal flooding (swell-surge), and enhanced multilingual mobile delivery (SAMUDRA 2.0).

Coastal Hazards and Vulnerability in India

India's coastline of approximately 7,516 km across 9 states and 4 union territories faces multiple natural hazards including cyclones, storm surges, tsunamis, coastal erosion, and sea-level rise. The coastal zone supports over 250 million people and is critical for fisheries, ports, tourism, and industrial activity.

  • Storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea level during a cyclone, caused by strong onshore winds and low atmospheric pressure. The Bay of Bengal coast is more vulnerable than the Arabian Sea coast due to its funnel-shaped geography, shallow continental shelf, and higher frequency of intense cyclones.
  • Swell surges (distinct from cyclonic storm surges) are caused by distant ocean swells generated by far-away weather systems. Kerala's coast has experienced multiple swell-surge flooding events (locally called "Kallakkadal"), causing damage to coastal settlements and fishing infrastructure.
  • Jellyfish blooms have become an increasing concern along Indian coasts, affecting fishermen (nets clogged, catch contaminated), beachgoers (stings), and marine ecosystems (competition with fish for plankton). Factors contributing to increased blooms include rising sea temperatures, overfishing of jellyfish predators, and coastal eutrophication.
  • India's Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019, regulates development activities along the coast, categorising the coastal zone into CRZ-I through CRZ-IV based on ecological sensitivity and development potential.

Connection to this news: SIVAS addresses the specific vulnerability of the Kerala coast to swell-surge flooding events, while JellyAIIP responds to the growing hazard of jellyfish aggregations that affect fishing communities and tourism along India's coastline, filling gaps that traditional ocean forecast systems did not cover.

Early Warning Systems and the Sendai Framework

Early warning systems (EWS) are a core component of disaster risk reduction under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). The United Nations has launched the "Early Warnings for All" initiative aiming to ensure every person on Earth is protected by early warning systems by 2027.

  • An effective multi-hazard early warning system has four components: risk knowledge, monitoring and warning service, dissemination and communication, and response capability.
  • India's National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP), funded partly by the World Bank, strengthened cyclone early warning dissemination infrastructure along India's east and west coasts, including last-mile connectivity through electronic display boards, public address systems, and mobile alerts.
  • The IMD issues colour-coded weather warnings, while INCOIS provides ocean-specific advisories. SIVAS and SAMUDRA 2.0 add granularity by providing localised, multilingual alerts directly to at-risk communities via mobile platforms.
  • Multilingual service delivery is critical in India's coastal context: fishermen along different coastlines speak Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, and Odia, requiring advisory services in local languages to be actionable.

Connection to this news: The launch of SIVAS and SAMUDRA 2.0 as multilingual, mobile-accessible platforms directly strengthens last-mile warning dissemination, addressing a long-recognised gap in India's early warning architecture where information generated at technical centres did not always reach vulnerable coastal communities in time or in a comprehensible format.

Key Facts & Data

  • INCOIS established: 8 February 1999, Hyderabad, under Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • INCOIS 27th Foundation Day: 9 February 2026
  • Three services launched: JellyAIIP, SAMUDRA 2.0, SIVAS
  • JellyAIIP: first national web portal for jellyfish monitoring with geospatial mapping and multilingual first-aid guidance
  • SAMUDRA 2.0: upgraded multilingual mobile app for fishermen with PFZ, tuna, and small vessel advisories
  • SIVAS: swell-surge inundation early warning, operational along Kerala coast
  • India's coastline: approximately 7,516 km across 9 states and 4 union territories
  • India has over 4 million active marine fishermen
  • UN "Early Warnings for All" initiative: target coverage by 2027
  • Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction: 2015-2030
  • Inaugurated by: Dr V. Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO
  • INCOIS Director: Dr T.M. Balakrishnan Nair
  • INCOIS is designated as a Regional Tsunami Service Provider by UNESCO-IOC