PNG as hub for early warning system

By DELLYANNE ILAI
EFFORTS are now underway to build the institutional foundation for Papua New Guinea to host the regional integrated multi-hazard early warning system (Rimes) sub-regional hub for the Pacific region.
This follows a National Executive Council decision last year, according to Jimmy Gomoga, the assistant director of PNG National Weather Service.
Consultations with the NWS, Department of Transport, Department of Mining Policy and Geohazards Management, Conservation and Environment Protection Authority and Climate Change Development Authority, Department of Agriculture and Livestock and National Disaster Centre were undertaken from Aug 15 to detail the policy and mechanisms for establishing the hub.
The PNG multi-hazard early warning centre and Rimes sub-regional hub for the Pacific is envisioned to be multi-disciplinary, Gomoga said.
He said the consultations have provided unified national services for earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, extreme weather, droughts, floods/flashfloods, climate risk management information systems and ocean swells and climate change projections for adaptation planning.
The week-long consultations also looked into existing infrastructure, human resource capacity, products and procedures available within the technical institutions and how these may be harnessed and enhanced to establish the multi-hazard center and sub-regional hub for applications, Gomoga said.
He also told The National that the idea of establishing Rimes sub-regional hubs was proposed by PNG at the 5th Rimes council meeting in June 2012 in New Delhi, India, for the purpose of decentralising the delivery of Rimes programmes.
PNG also joined Rimes in March 2011, with the signing of the Rimes cooperation agreement, Gomoga said.
It is owned and managed by its 33 member and collaborating states.
Rimes helps the countries in building their capacities in the generation and application of user-relevant early warning information, he said.