Ten schools on Tanna have been equipped with rainfall gauges that allow them to become part of the Vanuatu Rainfall Network (VRN) climate monitoring initiative.
The schools are being supported by the Vanuatu Klaemet Infomesen blong Redy, Adapt mo Protekt (VanKIRAP) project and the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD).
In Vanuatu, above average rainfall can cause flooding, soil erosion, crop damage and damage to infrastructure.
Drought can cause crops to wither and die, and water sources to dry up.
Rainfall data helps VMGD’s meteorologists and climatologists provide early warning of these two kinds of extreme hydrological events.
It also allows VMGD to model these events to better understand the relationship between rainfall and climate change.
The department provides these models to sectors so that they can improve their climate resilience.
Tafea College, Latan Tuhu Primary and Secondary School, Laukotai Primary School, Kona School, Lenakel Junior Secondary School, Isangel Junior Secondary School, and Imailone Primary School received the rainfall gauges.
The Principal and Science Department Head of Latan Tuhu Central Primary and Secondary School, Luke Stephen Sawia, said the installation of a rainfall gauge at the school “is very useful because it helps broaden science students’ knowledge of how to read and collect rainfall data, and send it to the VMGD’s main office in Port Vila for analysis”.
The installation of the rainfall monitoring gauges followed a training workshop conducted by VMGD Climatologist Kalsuak Gorden.
Photo supplied Caption: Explaining the use of VRN rain gauge at Latan Tuhu School