DOST eyes six-hour warnings prior to floods

MANILA, Philippines—Using hard-learned lessons from disasters this past year, the Department of Science and Technology  is set to implement a comprehensive flood monitoring and early warning system as part of an enhanced weather information system in 2012.

Science Secretary Mario Montejo said Saturday that DOST would employ new technology that could send out flood warnings at least six hours before they hit particular areas.

The system aims to prevent catastrophic inundation seen in the country in the last quarter of the year, particularly widespread flooding in Central Luzon in the wake of Typhoons Pedring and Quiel and the deadly flash floods in Northern Mindanao.

“Our goal is that at least six hours before flooding, we could already send a warning to a specific place.  This was the directive of our President,” Montejo told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“And in the long run, we could continue improving the system so we could send out warnings earlier, even 24 hours before,” the science chief said.

President Aquino announced earlier a P1.6-billion allocation for DOST to develop precision weather information and disaster warning systems in the country.

Called DREAM (Disaster Risk Exposure, Assessment and Mitigation) program, the project seeks to arm DOST with the latest technology to gather and provide weather information and real-time flood forecasting to improve its public warning system.

Montejo said DOST would also start installing water-level gauges in rivers across the country in 2012 to better monitor river swelling and quickly forecast impending floods.

The automated water level monitoring system will be linked with the weather bureau’s existing rainfall monitoring system, Montejo said.