Climate prediction system inaugurated

Maputo, 19 Mar (AIM) – The Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Fernando Rafael, on Wednesday inaugurated a command centre for natural disaster management, which is supposedly capable of forecasting floods up to six days in advance.

The centre is equipped with a modern climate management system, budgeted at 7.5 million US dollars, and provided by the Korea International Cooperation Agency. The infrastructure integrates modern radars, hydrometric stations, and sirens, allowing for improved monitoring, forecasting, and issuing of alerts in risk situations.

“This is an important milestone for our country, as it strengthens our capacity to predict and respond to extreme events, which greatly affect Mozambique. Phenomena such as floods, droughts, and cyclones cause loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, and damage to the economy”, said Rafael.

According to the minister, the centre goes beyond a simple control room, functioning as an integrated decision-making platform. “It is a reliable management and decision-making tool, whereby data and models are transformed into clear alerts, resulting in preventive measures, evacuation, and protection of critical infrastructure,” he explained.

The project also foresees the expansion of the network with the installation of two additional rooms in the cities of Nampula and Mocuba, as well as the acquisition of more monitoring equipment, reinforcing national coverage.

“We call for coordination between institutions and local authorities. The effectiveness of the system also depends on the behavior of the population. Communities must avoid crossing flooded areas and respect the alerts issued”, he said.

For his part, Bok-won Kang, the South Korean ambassador to Mozambique, described the centre as a “first-rate safety net.”

“From the end of last year to the beginning of this year, hundreds of thousands of people were affected and thousands of homes were flooded or damaged. These phenomena are not just natural disasters, but real threats to life, livelihoods and sustainable development”, he said.

“We hope that this project will go beyond technical assistance and bring security and hope to the Mozambican people”, he added.
(AIM)
Nl/Ad/pf (334)