Weather bureau working on new early warning system after December storm killed over 1,200 people on island of Mindanao
BANGKOK (AlertNet) – The Philippines’ weather bureau is working on a new early warning system for flooding after last month’s Tropical Storm Washi killed over 1,200 people on the island of Mindanao, the Philippine Star reported.
The country’s president Benigno Aquino has tasked the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to come up with a system where specific areas that would see flooding during heavy rains would be identified, the paper said, quoting Science Secretary Mario Montejo.
“Instead of giving the public only the estimated volume of rainfall, the new flood advisory would also alert them how high the flood water will reach,” said Montejo.
He added that 1,000 automatic water-level sensors would be installed in 18 river basins across the country this year after the president allocated some 150 million pesos ($3.4 million) to fit them.
The sensors would help forecasters to track river water levels and potential floods. Currently these are installed in only five rivers, Montejo said.
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