Meteorological service needs development: Environment Minister

Maldives Meteorological Service (MMS) needs to be developed and equipped to provide better weather forecasts, Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim has said.

Environment Minister made the remarks today at an event to inaugurate the 2nd Monsoon Forum, conducted jointly by MMS and the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES).

“Maldives Meteorological Service needs development. The government wants to see improvement. It is important for areas such as air travel, sea travel and agriculture to have early forecasts,” Thoriq said.

The forecasting mechanism at MMS is inadequate and that equipment at facility are outdated, Minister Thoriq noted, and said that the government is working to provide training opportunities for the MMS staff and upgrade its equipment.

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) is an international and intergovernmental institution established in 2009 following the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. RIMES operates from its regional early warning center located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand.