Pakistan to acquire weather monitoring system from Japan

ISLAMABAD: The government has finalized an agreement with Japan for the purchase and installation of 45 telemetry stations and five automated weather stations, aimed at enhancing flood forecasting and weather monitoring systems. The estimated cost of Rs 5.2 billion project will be implemented in two and a half years.

The number of weather monitoring stations is expected to increase to 110, with 84 sites shortlisted in Punjab and 26 sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Rs 4.11 billion (about 80 percent of the project cost), while the remaining Rs 1.01 billion will be provided by WAPDA, Federal Flood Commission (FFC), Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and Provincial Irrigation Department.

JICA’s support also includes the establishment of a data center to augment the country’s early flood warning system managed by PMD.

The Rs 5.2 billion project includes the improvement of 1,543 meters of flood defense infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the installation of 45 telemetry stations and five automated weather stations. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has already approved the Rs 5.178 billion “Flood Management Enhancement Project in the Indus Basin” for the flood-affected districts of Punjab, including Attock, Gujranwala, Jhang, Jhelum and Sialkot. will cover the districts. Similarly Haripur in K.P.

JICA will appoint supervisory consultants to monitor project completion and operation, while FFC, as the managing agency, will monitor progress and submit monthly reports to stakeholders including JICA. The project is part of a wider Rs 200 billion flood protection programme, jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments with the support of international lenders.

After a field visit by a JICA technical team last year, 45 out of 110 sites were selected for flood telemetry stations. These stations will provide real-time flood flow data and improve early flood warning capabilities, allowing reservoirs to manage excess water more effectively by pre-empting excess water.

The project will also support the optimal operation of existing hydropower projects and future developments within the Indus Cascade. The telemetry stations will collect real-time data on rainfall, river level, flow rate, temperature, humidity and other parameters. This data will feed into a unified digital monitoring system, water data management, and decision support system, enabling more accurate management of water resources in key locations such as Tarbela, Mangla, and Kabul.

Advanced technology from Japan will include data loggers, temperature and humidity probes, rain gauges, solar radiation equipment, wind speed and direction sensors, and acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP). The benefits of the project, which include saving lives, property and livestock, far outweigh the financial costs and will help reduce panic during flash floods in vulnerable areas.

The project will also help the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) to launch faster rescue and relief operations, reducing human errors during flood emergencies.