The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Grant Agreement with the Government to set up Doppler Weather Radar Network for the Department of Meteorology (DOM) at the Ministry of Disaster Management on Friday.
Following the signing of Exchange of Notes between the Ambassador of Japan, Kenichi Suganuma and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media, Dr. R.H Samaratunga, a Grant Agreement was signed between Dr. R.H Samaratunga, and the Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office, Fusato Tanaka.
It entails the procurement, installation of C-Band Pulse Compression Solid State Dual Polarization (Polarmetric) Meteorological Doppler Radar System, and technical training worth approximately Japanese Yen 2.5 billion (approximately Rs. 3.4 billion) grant.
In Sri Lanka, floods, landslides which are caused by heavy rain as well as drought are the most frequent disasters in recent decades. Especially, economic loss and human damage have been increasing because of global climate change, population growth and rapid urban development or settlement in disaster prone area.
To cope with such situation, appropriate weather forecasting and warning based on real-time rainfall data is very necessary.
“Through this Grant Aid Project, DOM could improve their capacity to accumulate, analyze weather forecasting information such as rainfall, speed and direction of wind throughout the country as well as disseminating early warning based on those data. We believe it will contribute Sri Lanka to mitigate serious damage by weather-related disasters,” noted Fusato Tanaka. JICA has been supporting Disaster Risk Reduction areas such as financing to landslide mitigation on national road network, technical cooperation to stakeholder agencies, Master Plan on urban drainage in metropolitan area. We would like to contribute to Government of Sri Lanka’s effort to realize safer and more resilient Sri Lanka.