A total of 229 observation and monitoring systems are now operational throughout the country since the Vanuatu Meteorology & Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) was established.
The Acting Director of VMGD, Allan Rarai said, “Most of these equipment are given through projects and handed over to the government when the project ends.”
Mr Rarai said, out of these 229 equipment, 10 are Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), 41 Manual instruments located in 7 Synoptic weather stations throughout the provinces, 5 Automatic Rain gauges (ARG), 52 manual rain gauges, 11 earthquake seismic stations, 9 Volcano Seismic stations, 6 Volcanic Webcams, 4 tide gauges and 19 Tsunami sirens.
He confirmed that data collected through these instruments are communicated to the VMGD main headquarters by communication towers and relay stations.
All data collected through the observation systems feed the Vanuatu National Warning Center Early Warning System on Weather, Climate and Volcano, Earthquake and Tsunami.
The data is also fed to the regional and global numerical weather and climate models used around the world.
Vanuatu has contributed data since 1952 to provide the regional and global weather and climate models used by Regional and International Meteorological agencies around the globe.
Data from, most of the automated instruments are streamed live to the main office every 10 minutes.
The Vanuatu National Warning Centre uses the data with support from regional and international numerical weather and climate models to do analysis and to monitor weather, climate, Volcanic activities and earthquake occurrence in Vanuatu.
The VMGD recently installed a new Automatic Rain Gauge at Makenzie Hill in Teouma area, southeast Efate.
The automatic rain gauge replaces the manual rain gauge used by a long-time citizen of the area, David Ludas.
Mr Ludas voluntary recorded rainfall data and supplying them to the VMGD for over 30 years.
Vanuatu Rainfall Network established by the VMGD consists of 5 automatic rain gauges and 52 manual rain gauges.
Fifty-two active rainfall volunteers through Vanuatu collected rainfall at 8 o’clock every morning of everyday and send the data to the office by calling in or using SMS.
Rainfall data are also used by engineers to design roads, airports, bridges, and hydrologists use rainfall data in hydrologic analysis to provide precipitation input to models whenever data are not available.
Water specialists and farmers use rainfall data for decision-making concerning planning times and know the rate of run-off into the rivers or streams.
Photo supplied Caption: VMGD Technicians and Climate Officers in front of the newly installed automatic rain gauge at Makenzie Hill, Teouma Area, Efate.