According to the World Bank Officials, Bhutan needs to do a lot to improve the weather and flood forecasting system.
While weather and flood forecasting in other countries are done many days in advance, but in Bhutan it is done only 24 hours prior.
The weather and flood forecasting is carried out by the Department of Hydro-Met services under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Early forecast system
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During a recent consultation workshop on Hydro-Met Services Modernisation held in Thimphu, an official from the World Bank said that the weather and flood forecasting should be done beyond 24 hours.
This will give people more time, and save lives and properties in case of natural disasters.
“Right now the agency does not have the capacity for that but they are trying to get there. In terms of forecasting, a lot can be done, not just issuing warning and alerts,” says Poonam Pillai, Task Team Leader, World Bank.
Lack of professionals and infrastructure
According to the Director of the Department of Hydro-Met Services, Karma Tsering, works are being intensified to improve the weather and flood forecasting.
“Now we have moved from statistical based approach of weather forecasting to physically to dynamic physically based approach where we engage numerical weather prediction called WRFEMS. We are implementing a forecast system, putting in the precipitation forecast to increase the lead time at least depending on what kind of precipitation forecast we have. So if we have 24 hours of precipitation forecast, we are actually increasing the flood early warning system by 24 hours,” he says.
However, he added that there is lack of experienced professionals in the hydrology and meteorology section, in fact in the whole government system. Not just that, there is also shortage of relevant equipment and infrastructure.
