New tablets for Pacific Catastrophe Risk survey team in Tonga

New tablets for Pacific Catastrophe Risk survey team in Tonga [1]

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Wednesday, July 20, 2022 - 23:43. Updated on Thursday, September 8, 2022 - 14:48.

Acting CEO for the Ministry of Finance, Kilisitina Tuaimoe’api and staff received 15 new computing tablets for risk assessments. Photo: Navneet Lal (SPC - Pacific Community). 18 July 2022.

Fifteen new computing tablets from the Pacific Community will be used by a Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative team, when they start surveys this week on Tongatapu.

The project, now into its second phase, aims to enhance the financial resilience of Pacific Island countries against natural disasters and climate risks.

Mr Nauvalurua, Pacific Community's Technical and Research Officer said at the handover of the assistance on 18 July, that they were pleased to be involved in this PCRAFI II project as it links the region's current work in the disaster risk area and the disaster risk finance work in Tonga.

He said this project also builds upon past activities and will also inform future work, not only for Tonga but also for the region and SPC.

"Tonga has engaged with the PCRAFI II project since its inception and through the Think Tank Regional meetings, which started in 2019. This is a step towards standardising risk data in the region which can also enhance the understanding of, and informing of risk at a regional level."

He said that despite, the recent eruption and tsunami in Tonga, the challenges faced with COVID-19, the progress had been excellent.

Tonga is the first out of five countries where this project is being implemented through this survey.

The project is implemented under the Disaster and Community Resilience Programme of the Geoscience Energy and Maritime Division; but also utilises resources across their Oceans and Maritime, and Geoinformatics team, under SPC.

Survey starts

Meanwhile, Acting CEO for the Ministry of Finance, Kilisitina Tuaimoe’api expressed gratitude to SPC and the support of donor partners, and the World Bank.

"I understand the PCRAFI Survey team will start the survey in Tongatapu, and in the outer islands of Vava’u, Ha’apai and ‘Eua to update our country’s risk data in the Pacific Risk Information System (PacRIS) that is managed by SPC in Suva, Fiji."

The survey starts in Tongatapu this week and in the outer islands next week.

She said this project had gone through the challenges of the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai Volcanic eruption in January, and the changing times caused bythe COVID-19 pandemic.

“SPC responded well to the need to have these tablets for the purpose of the survey and for ongoing strengthening of our local capacity in Tonga to improve and update our exposure data,” she said.

A refresher training was also held on 18 July before the survey team start their survey.

Post survey, the project is also expected to hold a local GIS training.

Tonga [2]

SPC [3]

Ministry of Finance [4]

tablets [5]

PCRAFI II [6]

Disaster recovery [7]