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By Zephania Ubwani
The Citizen Bureau Chief
Arusha. As the world is preparing for the Durban Climate Change Summit next week, experts have warned of increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, in the East African Region.The director general of the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) Dr Agnes Kijazi said here on Monday that recent flash floods, which caused injuries to people and destruction of property was a matter of concern. These included floods associated with strong winds which swept Mwanza, Entebbe and Bukoba towns on the shores of Lake Victoria as well as landslides which continue to wreak havoc in mountainous areas in eastern Uganda.
She made the remarks when speaking at the start of a regional training workshop on severe weather forecasting and warning services, sponsored by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and which attracted experts from six countries. She said due to the global warming, a key factor for the changing climatic phenomenon, there was a likelihood of increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events like intense storms, droughts and floods.
The EA region was not the only place affected by the climatic disasters, she said, citing recent worst floods that hit Thailand for the first time in nearly 60 years following heavy rains, killing people and causing massive destruction of property. Dr Kijazi added that the November 14, flash floods in Mwanza which resulted in all flights to the lakeside town being cancelled for about 10 hours and similar hail storms that swept Bukoba and Entebbe last August were enough indicators of climate change impact in the EA region.
"These events affect directly or indirectly some of the most fundamental determinants of socio-economic development activities," she told experts from Tanzania, Burundi, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Weather forecasters from the national meteorological and hydrological services in attendance emphasised the need to integrate their data systems on meteorology and improve the operations of the warning centres for disaster management.
A report presented by TMA, an autonomous government body responsible for weather forecasts and allied issues, noted that the Lake Victoria basin has lately become prone to natural disasters, most of which are weather-related. "This means that we need accurate weather forecasts, advisories and warnings so that disaster managers and other users can carry out their mandates," read part of the report at the 12 day workshop which ends on December 2.
It was emphasised that the national meteorological and hydrological services should be well-equipped to enable them discharge their duties well not only in informing the public on weather patterns but how to mitigate climate-related disasters.
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