Early Warning Systems for Floods (EWS-F)

Project

Project background

With support from USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, The EWS-F targets 14 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Central America, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Southwest Indian Ocean. The project was designed to expand WMO Members’ capabilities to better predict and manage  floods, namely, riverine floods, urban floods, and flash floods as well as drought and other related hydrometeorological hazards.  Integration with existing tools and interoperability of the systems are some of the core principles of this project. The efforts under this project are aligned with the EW4All initiative. 

Objective(s)

Enable countries to take early action and reduce the impact of hydrological hazards, in particular floods, through building and strengthening existing capabilities through the development and implementation of national Early Warning System for floods within an MHEWS environment. 

Outputs

  • Assess and analyze hydrological hazards, capacities, and capabilities of EW4All targeted countries. 
  • Enhance hydrological modelling, forecasting and warning system for floods.
  • Ensure regional context within interoperability and accessibility requirements and MHEWS environment.
  • Assist regional and national transformation for Flood EWS through developing Concept of Operations  (CONOPS).
  • Upscale services for Impact Based Forecasting and water resources assessment and management.
  • Strengthen collaboration among stakeholders at basin, national and regional levels by enhancing visibility and recognition of flood forecasting and warning services delivered by NMHSs. 

Expected outcomes

  1. Complete assessment of the needs of targeted Members to enable them to provide and use an integrated flood early warning system.
  1. Implement solutions to technical and institutional gaps by building the capacity and capabilities of targeted Members so they can implement and provide E2E EWS-F building upon national, regional, and global systems in an interoperable environment.
  1. Advance capacities of targeted Members to provide enhanced impact- and risk-based flood forecast and warning products and services to enable better preparedness and response to flood events.
  1. Increase visibility, recognition, and sustainability of NMHSs in developing countries by demonstrating the value of their flood early warning system and services leading to support for maintaining, sustaining and further enhancing the provision of services. 

Achievements

  • Concept notes and work plans developed for 3 Regions (14 SIDS) and approved by scoped countries. 
  • Completed project initiation meetings, attended by NMHSs, National Disaster Management Authorities and related regional and transboundary agencies
    • Pacific FFGS and EWS-F (March and July 2024)
    • SWIOFFGS and EWS-F (February, March and July 2024)
    • Caribbean EWS-F (April  and June 2024)
  • All 14 countries extended their project commitment letters to benefit from EWS-F
  • Establishment of regional project steering committee
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Flooded street with debris and damaged buildings, surrounded by muddy water. Trees and structures in the background under a cloudy sky.
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Ongoing
Total Funding:
US$ 12,500,000
WMO Long-Term Goal(s):
  • Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Capacity Development
Focus Area(s):
  • Early Warnings

Implemented in

Donors

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