NCEMA strengthens weather assessment system

The Joint Weather and Tropical Assessment Team have met to discuss recent weather developments and their potential impact on the country.

The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) led the meeting, which included representatives from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the National Center for Meteorology (NCM) and other competent government departments.

They emphasised the importance of maintaining business continuity plans and closely monitoring the ongoing weather situation to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions.

The NCM reported that the current weather event is less severe than the previous one, expecting country to experience local convective rain clouds during the day from today, Tuesday, until tomorrow, Wednesday. There is a possibility of small hail falling in the eastern regions and extending to some internal and western regions. From Wednesday night to Thursday, the NCM expects moderate to heavy rain to fall in scattered areas, accompanied by occasional lightning and thunder. There is also a possibility of small hail, concentrated in the western regions, on the coasts, and in some eastern areas.

On Friday and Saturday, cloud quantities will decrease, with the possibility of continuing light to medium rain, which may be heavy in some southern and eastern regions.

For their part, the MoI affirmed that the Supreme Committee for Internal Security, headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry, is maintaining full coordination with the Joint Weather and Tropical Assessment Team, continuously monitoring the developments and updates of the weather situation, to assess all expected impacts of the situation and its consequences on the areas that may be affected by the country, especially since the country is passing through the recovery phase from the previous weather situation.

The Ministry pointed out that it has taken all proactive measures to support response operations, with the necessary resources and capabilities in the areas that are likely to be affected by the weather situation, which is expected to have a moderate to high impact on different parts of the country, in addition to the readiness of response plans and business continuity plans for vital sectors.

Prioritising the safety of the community and protecting lives and property, the MoI urges the public to exercise caution, adhere to safety standards and guidelines, comply with the directives of the competent authorities, refrain from circulating rumours, and rely on official sources for information.

In preparation for the weather conditions, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of infrastructure, notably roads, as well as the safety of dams, while enhancing their efficiency in water storage. These measures include draining water to reduce pressure and accommodate new rainfall, and cleaning water drains. The Ministry affirmed that the advanced systems and modern technologies used in dam management play a vital role in enhancing their efficiency and enabling rapid decision-making during the monitoring of rainwater flows, floods, and flash floods in valleys.

The Ministry further emphasised the utilisation of modern technology in the process of analysing and calculating water flow rates, quantities, and depths with high accuracy. This data is then transmitted to the Ministry’s control and monitoring unit for processing and analysis.