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Mr.
Naohito Ichiryu of JICA hands over the EWS to Director NEMO watched by
officials of UWI |
Tuesday, March 27, 2007 - With the official start of the hurricane
season 65 days away Saint Lucia shall received eight Flood Early Warning Systems
(EWS) for Communities for installation. Though the eight communities are yet to
be identified the equipment will be best placed in area prone to flooding. The
Early Warning System will become one more component which will form part of the
Evacuation planning that is taking place in communities around the island.
The Prototype Telephonic Rainfall early Warning System can be installed in the
upper catchments to monitor rainfall regimes and instantaneously inform
responsible agencies of the potential for flooding in the lower catchments.
Flooding is the number one hazard in the Caribbean. Since 1980 3.4 million
persons in the Caribbean and Latin America have been affected by flooding to an
estimated damage of US$1,800 million.
The Engineering Institute of the University of the West Indies, through active
participation in the Caribbean Disaster Management (CADM) Project has developed
a Prototype Telephonic Rainfall Early Warning System (EWS) funded by the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The rugged terrain of many on the islands of the region demand the early
knowledge of rainfall events in the mountainous upper catchments of the
watershed before the effect of flood water reaches residents in the lower
catchments of the watersheds. The early knowledge will enable persons living in
the flood prone areas to make adequate preparation for the impending flood
water.
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