The Government of Japan decided to increase the amount of grant aid for the “Project for Installation of Weather Surveillance Radar in Multan” from around US$14.99 million (2.042 billion Japanese Yen) to around US$20.57 million (2.8 billion Japanese Yen).
The surveillance system will allow the country to be better prepared for weather changes. Pakistan is prone to natural disasters such as floods and landslides caused by heavy torrential rains, tropical cyclones and earthquakes.
The original documents were signed and exchanged between the two governments on August 31, 2018.
In response to the request from the Government of Pakistan, the Government of Japan decided to provide an additional amount of 760 million Japanese Yen (around 5.58 million USD) for the weather forecasting project.
The latest document was signed and exchanged between Ito Takeshi, Charge d’ Affaires ad interim of Japan to Pakistan and Dr Kazim Niaz, Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs.
“This project will enhance PMD’s capabilities, it will be able to disseminate information and deliver more accurate weather forecasts, and it will be able to send out warnings to protect the lives and properties of the people in Pakistan. The whole population of the country will be benefitted,” Ito said.
The Japanese government has been assisting Pakistan proactively, in the enhancement of weather surveillance capacity since the 1980s, in order to mitigate the damage by floods.
Including the latest additional amount pledged, the total amount of Japanese assistance for weather surveillance radars in Pakistan has reached about US$82.9 million.
Japan has supported the installation of 6 weather radars in the cities of Islamabad, Karachi, Dera Ismail Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan (ongoing) and Sukkur (ongoing) and will cover 80% of the country and benefit 90% of the whole population.
The weather radar network will surely contribute to further strengthening the weather forecasting capability in Pakistan and help Pakistan become more resilient to future natural disasters.