PAGASA to develop flood-risk mapping model

The amount of rainfall is key to creating a flood-risk map

The weather bureau would conduct a research that would allow flood-risk mapping based on the amount of rainfall.

“Pedring” and “Quiel”, two devastating typhoons that hit the country last month, left Metro Manila and some provinces in Central Luzon submerged in water. The catastrophic effects of the floods have led to an inquiry on how much rainfall would necessitate a flood alarm in certain areas.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has no answer to the question, at least not yet. However, the weather bureau is teaming up with the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological Sciences and Taiwan’s Typhoon and Flood Research Institute to develop a model that would help create a flood-risk mapping based on the amount of rainfall.  The research will be conducted from now until 2013.

It has been established that the amount of rainfall could predict the possibility of flooding as well as the areas that would be affected. The results of the research would help local governments to create an emergency plan to avoid death and damage to properties. Although cities and towns have disaster plans in place, the unpredictability of floods makes it difficult to for disaster response professionals to act faster than they would have wanted. With a more accurate forecast of rainfall, flood alarm would be raised even before the rush of water occurs. When a flood risk mapping is put in place, a better and more effective disaster response action plan can save more lives. What’s more, residents of flood-prone areas can quickly assess the situation and could evacuate in time.

If Pagasa could communicate accurate warnings and alert notices in a manner that could easily be understood, then there will be a significant improvement in the way disasters could be handled.

The joint undertaking is one of the research studies conducted by Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco) that would run for two years.

Photo courtesy of inquirer.net