WRD/PTC.36/Doc. 3.2, p.
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATIONFOR PARTICIPANTS ONLY
AND
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSIONWRD/PTC.37/Doc. 3.2
FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC(9.II.2010)
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WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones
Thirty-seventh session
Phuket, Thailand
15 to 19 February 2010ENGLISH ONLY
REPORTS OF MEMBERS ON THE IMPACT OF TROPICAL CYCLONES
Maldives’ Report for the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones
Report of the Impact of Tropical Cyclone Season - 2009
(Submitted by Maldives)
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WRD/PTC.37/Doc. 3.2, p. 1
Maldives’ Report for the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones
Thirty- Seventh Session
Phuket, Thailand 15 – 19 February 2010
Report on the impact of Tropical Cyclone season – 2009
February
A trough extended up to southern atolls from the low pressure area over the southwest of Addu atoll in early February brought heavy rain accompanied with severe thunderstorms to that area. Heavy rainfalls of 99 mm were reported in Kadhdhoo and the trough remained there for nearly five days. Rest of February and March were considerably warm as it goes into a dry northeast monsoon!
April
A low pressure tough formed in the east of Maldives deepened to a low level circulation on 3 April. Very intense convective clouds associated with the system caused prolonged rain with severe thunderstorm over the country. On 5 April, Lightning strike at Shaviyani Kanditheemu in the morning, causing damage to household electronic appliances and communication equipments followed by disruption in telephone services.
On the same day, a water spout occurred in the east of Hulhule’. At 10:25 a.m., it was observed tracking southeasterly direction for about 10 minutes and there after dissipated over the sea without causing much damage.
Intense convective clouds continued to form over the country causing widespread rain, thunderstorms and occasional heavy showers in many places. High rainfall of 115 mm recorded in Baa Dharavandhoo on 7 April. These episodic events of rain and severe thunderstorms continued mostly over Northern provinces till 12th April.
May
Strong southwest monsoon prevailed over the Maldives from 20 – 24 May. Widespread rain and squally showers were frequent during this period. In association with the cyclonic storm ‘AILA’, strong winds of 23 – 33 miles per hour sustained in Male’ area for about 14 hours on
24 May. Heaviest rainfall for the period was 86 mm recorded in Thaa Veymandoo while Maximumgust wind speed of 58 miles per hour was registered at the Meteorological Office Kadhdhoo. Rough seas caused by strong winds interrupted local transportation while some islands reported coastal flooding and beach erosion due to high swell waves.
June
Low pressure trough formed over the Maldives caused average strong winds of 15 – 20 miles per hour with gust speed of 40 – 45 mph in central and northern atolls on 5 and 6 June.
A tornado was experienced in Laamu Mukurimagu around 6:15 a.m. on the 18 June and caused severe damage to 14 houses including blown off two roofs. On the 20th, gust wind speed of 51 miles per hour was recorded in Vaavu Fulidhoo.
July
Monsoon became vigorous on 7 July causing torrential rain over southern atolls. 24 hour total down pour of 154 mm registered in Seenu Gan, followed by 96 and 51 mm in Hithadhoo and Hulhumeedhoo of the same atoll. Due to strong winds and rough seas, one fishing boat ran aground in the western reef of Meemu Mulaku while engaged on fishing. And three other reports of emergency were recorded the Coast Guard of Maldives. On the following morning violent shower, measuring 64 mm of rain within 2 hours was registered in Male’. On the same day, heavy fall of 58 and 51 mm of rain were recorded in Kaafu Vabbinfaru and Meemu Muli respectively.
This bad weather caused flooding in most islands of Southern atoll and some islands of the central including Capital Male’.
On 16 July, an area of convection started developing in the Arabian Sea, west of Maldives. As a result, gust wind speed of 50 and 44 miles per hour were recorded in Male’ and Hanimaadhoo respectively.
August
Southwest monsoon became very active on 8th August causing heavy rain over many places. Apart from this, violent showers measuring 117 mm was recorded in Fuvahmulaku.
The week-long bad weather system which lay over central and northern atolls gave continuous heavy rain measuring 24 hour total fall of 191 mm in Baa Dharavandhoo on 15 August followed by a 124 mm of rain recorded in Vabbinfaru island on 16 August.
October
The whole of October remained quite fine except for the flash flooding in some islands of southern-most atolls. Rainfalls were recorded as high as 124 mm in Hithadhoo in Addu Atoll followed by 53mm in FuahmulahIsland on the 19th.
November
The first half of November was very unstable. Heavy rain showers with occasional heavy thunderstorms were experienced in the country. Even on the first day, it received a 125mm in Haa.Dhaalu Makunudhoo. The low-level circulation which formed over the Comorin-Maldives area continued to bring heavy downpours throughout the period and strong winds sustained with occasional gusts of 50 -55 mph. The unsettled weather condition further deteriorated during
9 – 12th November when Tropical Cyclone “PHYAN” appeared few hundred kilometers away from northern atolls. The sea transport system was interrupted throughout the second week and flash flooding was reported in many islands in the north. The month ended with another spell of torrential rain in central atolls measuring 151mm in KaashidhooIsland followed by a severe incident of a funnel cloud (tornado) happened in NaifaruIsland in which four roofs were blown away damaging number of household items.
December
Under the influence of a trough of low pressure, torrential rain had occurred in central Maldives during last ten days of December. On the 21st day it was measured 131mm in Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo, a 106mm was recorded in Haadhaalu Makunudhoo on 25th, 142mm in Thaa Veymandoo on 29th and lastly 115mm registered at Hanimaadhoo Met. Office on the
31st of December.
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5.1Meteorological Component
Upper air Observation
Radio-sonde observations at the Meteorological Office, Gan (WMO # 43599) were discontinued on 25th February till the end of 2009 due to unavailability of consumables.
Like last several years, no upper-air observations were made at Male’ (WMO # 43555) in 2009 as well. The WF100 wind finding radar with the hydrogen generator remained unserviceable for many years.
The location of Maldives in the Indian Ocean happens to be a data sparse area, upper air observations from the south and central Maldives are very important to us as well as the entire meteorological community in the region. Hence, Maldives urge assistance from WMO/ ESCAP and Panel members to consider rebuilding of our upper air network.
Surface Observations
Maldives has 5 meteorological stations all are manned 24 hours, both synoptic and aviation reports are made on all five stations. Only one of them is categorized additionally as upper-air station.
-Hanimaadhoo (43533) surface;
-Male’ (43555) surface;
-Kadhdhoo (43577) surface;
-Kaadehdhoo (43588) surface; and,
-Gan (43599) surface + radiosonde.
Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) are growing in number. Ten more stations were added in 2009 to the existing 10 thus making a total of 20 AWS.
AWS WAYPOINTS- ULIGAM11.MAKUNUDHOO
- FEEVAH(AGRO)12.DHARAVANDHOO
- KAASHIDHOO13.MALE’
- RANGALI14.BANYAN TREE
- FULIDHOO15.VAADHOO
- HULHUDHELI16.HIRILANDHOO
- VILUFISHI17.ISDHOO
- NILANDHOO 18.GA.VILLINGILI
- GADHDHOO19.FUAMULAH
- HITHADHOO20.MEEDHOO
Rainfall Stations
Across the country, Maldives has 7 rainfall stations which measure only accumulated rainfall for 24 hours and reading are collected at 0300UTC for national use only.
-HA. Kela
-Sh. Funadhoo
-B. Dharavandhoo
-M. Muli
-Dh. Kudahuvadhoo
-Th. Veymandoo
-Gn. Fuvanmulah
Meteorological Satellites and Doppler Weather Radar
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has graciously donated Digital Meteorological Data Dissemination (DMDD) system to Maldives. This system receives WMO coded GTS data, half hourly cloud imagery from Kalpana and Fax charts in LRIT/HRIT format transmitted by IMD and display on a high resolution color monitor. Images can be further enhanced using different image processing functions and can be focused more on the area of interest. This system has the capability to plot the received met data by values or contours on a specific image. With all these features it helps forecasters to do more precise predictions.
The High Resolution Satellite Image Receiving System and the Doppler Weather Radar received as part of Multi-hazard Early Warning System are in operation now.
Numerical Weather Prediction
Maldives Meteorological Service continues to run WRF model as a trial basis and although planned to expand this service last year, could not achieve that goal due to budget constraints.
Telecommunications
The 10mbps internet service and the computer based telecommunication system between the local Meteorological Offices and the National Meteorological Centre (NMC), functioned very well.
NMC’s Global Telecommunications System (GTS) and Message Switching System (MSS)
NMC’s Global Telecommunication System (GTS) is a TCP/IP based multi-channel communication link that is capable of handling vast amount of data. In addition to its main connection with RTH New Delhi, Male’ is also connected to Colombo and Melbourne through this COROBOR’s MESSIR-COMM message switching system.
Forecaster’s Workstation
MICAPS (meteorological data analyzing) System donated by China Meteorological Administration (CMA) is being used as an important in the Forecasting Office.
Meteorological information through internet
The official website of the Maldives Meteorological Service has served its users with current weather updates, forecasts, warnings, met reports and aviation weather charts.
5.2Hydrological Component
There are no much hydrological issues in the Maldives; only a few lakes or swamps exist here.
5.3Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Component
Maldives Meteorological Service is the authoritative organization in the country for issuing advisories and warnings related to meteorological, hydrological, tectonic and oceanographic disasters. To accomplish these tasks, MMS has prepared the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to act upon any likely event of meteorological, hydrological, tectonic and oceanographic disasters. MMS acquired a High Resolution Satellite Image Receiving System, Doppler Weather Radar, number of Automatic Weather Stations, broadband and short-period seismometers within the framework of establishing a National Multi-Hazard Early Warning System. Our sea level network comprises of three tide gauges in Hanimaadhoo, Male’ and Gan to monitor low frequency changes in sea level associated with global sea level rise or decadal climate variations like other gauges in GLOSS network. They have been upgraded with more sensors such as radar/ pressure/ float based water level sensors, and the reference level float switch sensors and with these improvements, it shall even detect any slight variations in sea level due to a tsunami wave. The National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre (NMHEWC) of MMS conducts awareness programs targeting at public and students in different atolls periodically.
Warnings and advisories
The National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre issued timely and accurate severe weather warnings and advisories, disseminated them to the public through mass media and through its website.
Apart from severe weather or tropical cyclone warnings, earthquake or tsunami warning reports received from Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, Japan Meteorological Agency and Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre through internet and GTS were also disseminated to public satisfactorily in time.
Under the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the Department, the warnings were additionally dispatched through cooperate SMS and Hotlines to designated authorities.
The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES)
[Maldives as the Secretariat]
1.Background
In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, countries in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia evolved a regional cooperation for establishing and operating a tsunami early warning system for the region, within a multi-hazard framework, along the declarations of the Special ASEAN Leaders' Meeting on the aftermath of the Earthquake and Tsunami (6 January 2005, Jakarta), Ministerial Meeting on Regional Cooperation on Tsunami Early Warning Arrangement (29 January 2005, Phuket), and the Second Asian Ministerial Conference (November 2007, Delh)i. So far, the following 26 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Comoros, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam, and Yemen have been collaborating in this early warning arrangement.
1.1Establishment of a Regional Early Warning System for Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia
UNESCAP, through the UN Tsunami Regional Trust Fund, established through contributions from Royal Thai Government and Government of Sweden, provided USD 4.5 million for establishing the tsunami early warning subsystem, while the Government of Denmark, through Danida, provided, in early 2006, USD 1.3 million for establishing the hydro-meteorological subsystem of the regional early warning facility located at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) campus in Pathumthani, Thailand. Activities to build capacity of national early warning systems and enhance community resilience were also supported by these funds.
1.2 Regional Facility for Early Warning
The regional early warning facility has been established to provide the following unique, specialized services, considering the differential needs and demands of Member States:
a)Provision of regional tsunami watch under UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission's (IOC) framework;
b)Research and development support to national meteorological and hydrological services (NMHSs) for providing localized hydro-meteorological disaster risk information under the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) framework; and,
c)Enhancing capacities of national systems to respond to early warning information at national, local, and at-risk community levels under the Hyogo Framework of Action (UNISDR).
2.RIMES
On 30 April 2009, three of the 26 collaborating countries signed the Agreement on the Cooperation on Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Afro-Asian Region, which established the Regional Integrated Early Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) as an inter-governmental, international, non-profit organization, with mandate to provide regional early warning services, and build capacity of its Member Countries in the early warning of tsunami and other natural hazards. The Agreement came into force with the signing by a minimum of three Member States. As of 15 November 2009, five countries have signed: Cambodia, Union of Comoros, Lao PDR, Maldives and Seychelles. Remaining 21 countries are in the process of consideration for respective government approvals and signatures, and could sign as and when approval is received from respective governments.
2.1Governance
RIMES evolved from the Regional Steering Committee. The 1st Regional Steering Committee meeting in January 2008, with the following institutional arrangement:
a) Council, which shall be composed of heads of National Hydro-Meteorological Services (NMHSs) and national scientific and technical agencies generating
multi-hazard early warning information. The Council is empowered to make policy decisions on behalf of her government;
b) Secretariat, which shall provide support to the Program Unit to manage the regional early warning facility. Maldives is the current Secretariat to RIMES; and,
c) Program Unit, which is co-located with the regional early warning facility, for
day-to-day operation and management of the regional early warning facility.
The Program Unit has financial and administrative autonomy through delegated powers, and the financial and staff regulations approved by the Council.
Further the Council has through resolutions also created two high level bodies to assist in establishment and consolidation of RIMES and its financial and institutional sustainability:
i)Presidential Task Force, chaired by His Excellency Vice President of the Republic of Maldives and comprising of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Housing, Transport and Environment to provide highest level guidance and advice, facilitate institutional establishment and consolidation; and,
ii)Executive Board, chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences of Government of India, to implement policies and decisions of the Council for resource mobilization and formulate an action plan to provide cost-effective services to each MemberState.
2.2RIMES Financial Sustainability
The RIMES budget consists of contributions from Member States, from the international community (i.e., donor countries), and from other sources to be approved by the Council.
Member States contribute, once in 10 years, 1% of the average, over 3 years: 2006, 2007, and 2008, of the Gross National Budget of national technical agency mandated to generate early warning information. Replenishment for the next decade is decided after a review on the fifth year of the current decade. Member States also have the option of a yearly contribution of USD 100,000.
The RIMES Executive Board approved a Five-Year (2009-2014) Master Plan to implement capacity building projects through a Program Fund to be established by the Ministers’ Consortium.
RIMES could also generate resources by developing and implementing early warning projects by addressing two critical gaps in the extant early warning system in the region. Currently, all potential research outputs are not systematically assessed and calibrated for enhancing operational forecast system performances and all potentially usable operational forecast products are not integrated into making systems for reducing disaster risks.
2.3Current Status of RIMES Operations
The hydro-meteorological subsystem has been operational since October 2007, providing localized disaster risk information upon request from Member States. It:
- shared Cyclone Nargis real-time simulation results, with 7 days lead time, with the
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Myanmar; - provides 7-10 days flood forecasts to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre,
Bangladesh, during July -August flood season;
- provides daily real-time weather simulations to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Comoros, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Seychelles, Timor-Leste and other Member States, on request; and,
- is assisting the Royal Government of Bhutan in establishing its weather and flood forecasting capabilities, and the Government of Nepal in enhancing its weather forecasting and flood forecasting capabilities.
The tsunami subsystem is currently under experimental 24x7 operations, with participation of seconded scientists from Member States.