India aids 5 nations develop early warning systems: IMD

New Delhi: India is helping Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Mauritius develop early warning systems to reduce the loss of life and property due to extreme weather events, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) director general said India will

play the role of a big brother and a peer advisor to Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Mauritius in the efforts to guard against the impact of extreme weather events.

India’s efforts are part of the ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative announced by the United Nations in 2022 to ensure that everyone is protected from hazardous weather, water or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.

.“Fifty per cent of the countries do not have an early warning system. The poor countries, least developed countries, and small island nations, for example, Maldives and Seychelles, do not have the capacity to provide early warning about extreme weather events. Therefore, people are dying and losing a lot of property because of disasters,” he said.