Coastal nations agree to build a shared early-warning network for cyclones
Eleven countries around the Indian Ocean will pool radar and buoy data so warnings reach fishing villages hours sooner.
Quick read
- Eleven countries signed the agreement at a two-day meeting
- Radar, satellite and ocean-buoy data will feed one shared system
- First phase covers alerts sent by text message in local languages
New Delhi: Eleven countries bordering the Indian Ocean have agreed to link their weather radars and ocean buoys into one shared network, a move officials say could add several hours of warning time before a cyclone makes landfall.
Under the plan, each country keeps control of its own forecasting service but streams raw readings to a common data hub. Forecasters in any member state will be able to see storm tracks forming well outside their own waters.
The first phase focuses on the last mile: alerts will go out by text message in local languages to registered fishing boats and coastal panchayats. A second phase, planned for next year, adds sirens in low-lying villages.
Delegates said funding for the hub will be shared on a sliding scale, with smaller island states contributing the least. A technical committee will meet every quarter to review how the system performs during the storm season.