The importance of improving coastal inundation forecasting for coastal communities and maritime safety for local fishermen and small crafts was a major outcome of discussions held by the Pacific Islands Marine and Ocean Services (PIMOS) Panel. This will be put before the Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting to be held in Solomon Islands next year.
The second session of the Pacific Islands Marine and Oceans Services (PIMOS) Panel met at the IRD campus in Noumea, New Caledonia on 23 May, 2016. The PIMOS Panel was formed during the 3rd Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting held July 2015 in Tonga, and is intended to advise and support the Council on marine and ocean services issues.
“Due to a lack of data and down-scaled models, many communities have no warning when inundation events caused by storm surges and severe weather will be occurring, causing preventable hardship and damage to property,” said Tommy Moore the Pacific Islands Global Ocean Observing System Officer of SPREP.
“Adequate warning systems and community preparations, such as what the Pacific Integrated Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) is providing for communities on Majuro and Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, are critical for resilient and sustainable development, especially in low-lying atoll countries.”
In addition to coastal inundation, far too many small boats are lost at sea, leading to a tragic loss of life or prolonged suffering while waiting to be rescued. Effective small craft advisories, and community of uptake of these warnings, are a key part in preventing this.
These topics were further explored in the Data Buoy Cooperation Panel Ocean Observing and Data Applications capacity building workshop that was held following the PIMOS Panel meeting.
The PIMOS Panel meeting was attended by representatives from seven Pacific Islands National Meteorological Services, IRD, US NOAA, PacIOOS, University of Hawaii, AIMS, CSIRO, SPC, USP, and was chaired and supported by SPREP.
PIMOS Panel meeting and DBCP workshop attendees. (Image Credit: Sidney Thurston)