WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
AND
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION
FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
Forty-third Session of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones for the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea
(New Delhi, India from 2-6 May, 2016)
Agenda Item No. 8
Report of the PTC Secretariat
PTC Secretariat Report
During the Intersessional Period 2015-2016
The PTC report is based on the summary of the PTC Secretariat activities during the intersessional period 2015-2016.
Ø Pursuant upon the organization of 3rd Joint Session of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) and ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee (TC) (WMO/ESCAP/PTC-42 Session | ESCAP/WMO/TC-47 Session) in Bangkok, Thailand, from 9 to 13 February 2015. PTC Secretariat collected input/feedback from the Panel Member countries and other participating international organizations under the auspicious of WMO and ESCAP and arranged / compiled the PTC-42 final report.
Ø In order to enhance the visibility of the of activities of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones beyond the Panel region and to increase its Membership, PTC Secretariat extended invitation to UAE, Qatar and Yemen for participation in the 3rd Joint Session of PTC/TC (Bangkok, Thailand, 9-13 February, 2015). Yemen showed interest for the membership of PTC. PTC Secretariat, under the guidance of WMO, extend full coordinated with Yemen for its membership to Panel on Tropical Cyclones, and extend invitation for attending PTC-43 as an observer.
Ø PTC Secretariat collected contributions from Member countries for PTC Newsletters and published PTC Newsletter “Panel News” (Issue No.39, 40) and distributed the e-version issue among the PTC Member countries, WMO, UN-ESCAP and other international organizations.
Ø As per decision of 3rd Joint Session of WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) and ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee (TC) (Bangkok, Thailand from 9-13 February, 2015), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) organized Attachment Training for three tropical cyclone forecasters one each from PTC Member countries Bangladesh, Maldives, and Myanmar. The Attachment Training was held at RSMC, Tokyo, Japan from 22 to 31 July, 2015. Financial support in lieu of travel and per diem for the participants was arranged through JMA’s VCP Fund maintained by WMO. PTC Secretariat, upon WMO’s advice, extended invitation to the concerned PTC Member countries for inviting nominations for the attachment training.
Ø With the support of the Panel, Secretary of PTC represented PTC at Seventy-first Session of ESCAP (Phase-II) (Bangkok, Thailand from 25-29 May, 2015). The opportunity was also used to share PTC programmes and activities, and to highlight the cooperation of PTC with the other regional body of WMO/ESCAP Typhoon Committee (TC) in joint SSOP project. At the platform of ESCAP, the Secretary of PTC made the following statement:
“The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) is working to strengthen regional cooperation among countries affected by tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. This year, a particular highlight of our work is the Joint Session held in cooperation with the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee (TC) and hosted by ESCAP here in Bangkok in February this year. This was the first time in 18 years that such a joint session was held. In this session, the PTC and the TC agreed on mechanism for future cooperation, including joint projects and human capacity building trainings. We are now working to take this positive outcome forward, in cooperation with ESCAP, WMO and Regional Specialized Meteorological Centres.”
Ø Panel on Tropical Cyclones Secretariat closely collaborated with the Typhoon Committee in the implementation of joint project “Synergized Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) for Coastal Multi-Hazards Early Warning System (SSOP)” funded by ESCAP Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness in Indian Ocean and South East Asia. The beneficiary countries include Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. Under this project Manual on SSOP has been developed, the same has been circulated to the Panel Member countries.
Ø Concerning to the updation of Tropical Cyclone Operational Plan (TCP-21) for 2015 version, PTC Secretariat collected feedback from PTC Member countries to assist Rapporteur of the Operation Plan in the early issuance of TCP-21 2015 version.
Ø In connection to the organization of 43rd Session of WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (New Delhi, India from 2-6 May, 2016), PTC Secretariat extended invitation to the Panel Member countries for seeking nomination of their representatives. Invitations were also extended to international organizations like Typhoon Committee, IOC-UNESCO, ICAO, CMA, and Tohoku University, UN-ESCAP, IFRC, RIMES towards their participation as an observer at the PTC-43.
Ø As per decision of 3rd Joint Session of WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC) and ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee (TC) (Bangkok, Thailand from 9-13 February, 2015), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is organizing Attachment Training for three tropical cyclone forecasters one each from PTC Member countries Oman, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). The Attachment Training will be held at RSMC, Tokyo, Japan from 15 to 26 August, 2016. Financial support in lieu of travel and per diem for the participants was arranged through JMA’s VCP Fund maintained by WMO. PTC Secretariat, upon advice by WMO, extended invitation to the concerned PTC Member countries for inviting suitable nominations for the attachment training.