SOLOMON Islands Meteorological Service (SIMS) no longer has the challenge to store weather and climate data after UNDP in partnership with the Australian Government stepped in to assist with the much needed equipment.
SIMS is the country’s office responsible for issuing weather updates and early warning information for most natural hazards such as tsunamis, cyclones, flooding, heavy rainfall and other potential disasters.
A statement from UNDP Solomon Islands said SIMS office gathers weather and climate data from its various network of data collection mechanisms (that is Automatic Weather Stations, Manned stations, Satellite etc.) around the country.
However, it said there are challenges with limited capacity to store data.
As a result UNDP in partnership with the Australian High Commission handed over a set of server equipment as well as ICT accessories to increase the storage capacity of SIMS to perform their early warning mandate.
The statement added that the weather and climate data can be further analysed by key decision makers to develop actionable risk information for a broad range of sectors and the public.
Meanwhile the donors also gave ICT equipment to support the SI National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) response capacity and business continuity for Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, and Meteorology (MECDM) Corporate Division.
The NDMO issues ‘what to do’ information based on early warning alerts from SIMS during an emergency or disaster event.
