As a country that has experienced the tragedy of adverse weather, Ethiopia has been making strenuous efforts to boost environmental protection works guided by weather forecasts. Despite precaution measures that had been taken to mitigate the climate impacts, the country's weather prospects, including recent flashfloods and mudslides, were forecasted by the Ethiopian Metrology Institute (EMI).
The predictions provided by the institute are crucial to prevent disasters and improve productivity. The reliability of weather forecasts of the institute is improving through time as it has been proved by the occurrence of the predictions including the above normal rainfall the country experienced last rainy (Kiremt) season.
EMI has been working on alleviating climate change impacts including drought, flashflood and landslide, through weather forecasts and early warning mechanisms. This information is available on the institute's website so that all regions and zones of the country can access and use them in their developmental activities, EMI Director General Fetene Teshome said.
In an ambition to boosting modern forecasting technologies that improve the institute's capacity to provide latest and more accurate information, EMI is working to install six radars in addition to the existing four ones, which are helpful in averting natural disasters like flashfloods. It is also joining hands with the international civil aviation organization, the Ethiopian airlines and Ethiopian civil aviation authority so as to installing radars on aircrafts so as to provide weather predictions throughout the areas the planes fly over.
Briefing journalists recently regarding the upcoming Ethiopian dry (Bega) season, Fetene said that East and South Somali, South Oromia, Sidama and South Ethiopia states would get normal and below normal rainfall as of September 29, 2024. Accordingly, the Director General suggested the consolidation of national activities to collecting rain waters in these areas by constructing irrigation dams to reduce impacts and increase productivity.
Such measure is important as it helped the developed world to achieve prosperity while mitigating climate change impacts, Water and Energy (MoWE) Minister Eng. Habtamu Itefa expressed. He stressed that Ethiopia must work on harvesting rainwater to improve agricultural production and prevent flashfloods.
On the flip side, heavy rainfall creates favorable environment to waterborne diseases as increasing amount of floods and surface waters might pollute drinking waters which exacerbates the transmission of diseases like cholera. In addition, the saturated puddles here and there also favor the breeding of mosquitoes, known for transmitting malaria - a tropical disease listed among the top ten killer diseases in the world.
Accordingly, EMI and Ministry of Health are cementing cooperation in this spectrum to prevent diseases through draining surface water favorable for mosquitoes, ensuring sanitation, Fetene said. He also stressed that all governmental and nongovernmental institutions and media partners must utilize the predictions made by EMI to avert danger and intensify development works.
MoWE Emergency Drinking Water and Sanitation Program Coordinator Gebite Genemo expressed that his ministry uses the triannual weather forecasts released by the EMI to carry out its activities regarding water and energy development.
EMI publishes accurate weather predictions that help Gebite's organization to undertake flood prevention works in specified flood-prone areas despite the recent disasters. The ministry in collaboration with the national disaster risk management commission, have made awareness creation works and mobilize the public to facilitate opening blocked sewerages, floodways and so on. However, the country might have faced extreme damages, if it had not been for the precaution and prevention works, according to Gebite.
Relying on the weather prediction of EMI, the hydrology department of the MoWE also makes its own flood forecasts and forewarns so that the public would to take the necessary preventive measures. It also regulates water resource management including the amount of water in reservoirs. This helps to control flood and employ the water for boosting production. However, a lot remain to be done in preserving water and soil through expanding the green legacy initiative. In addition, constructing dams, drilling ponds and other water reservoirs helps to control floods and mitigate the impacts of drought by saving water. Moreover, he stressed the need to aware the people at household level to harvest rain waters for various purposes.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Ethiopia's rainy season affected by level of temperature on Pacific Ocean, La Nina occurrence. Understanding the status of such seasonal climate, drivers cannot be reached without the implementation of knowledge based and technology assisted processes including artificial intelligence and other automatic weather forecasting systems, believed a Metrology Science Expert Asaminew Teshome (PhD). Asaminew, who is also the Deputy Director General of EMI suggested that a close cooperation among the all stakeholders is crucial to properly implement environment protection, health care and agricultural activities based on the reliable climate information from his institute.
