DOST working on village level early warning

To cope with the effects of climate change and prepare for the threat of calamities as disastrous as supertyphoon Yolanda/Haiyan, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is doubling its efforts to equip vulnerable communities with relevant data.

Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said they are committed to providing forecasts.

“Double time na kami sa pagbibigay ng more site-specific data at kung ano ang impact ng posibleng dumating na mga kalamidad,” said Montejo during a press conference yesterday.

“We are trying to give information on the extent of, let’s say, tsunamis 48 hours before it happens,” he said.

He added that monitoring wind speed, rainfall and temperature is done throughout a 12-kilometer radius to provide more site-specific data.

He said the agency will need the support of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for flood modeling and flood control mechanism design.

As for earthquakes, Montejo said there still hasn’t been a technology developed to predict them.
He added that DOST can only strengthen its sensor mapping capabilities and identify more fault lines as a mitigation.

Although earthquake prediction studies are currently ongoing, he said they are now focusing more on tsunami warning systems.

Anticipating more typhoons to come in the last quarter of 2014, Montejo said that Pagasa will acquire another Doppler and install it in either Siquijor or Bohol.