By Katalina Siasau

The first early warning and hazard-ready mobile application for Tonga was launched yesterday, 27 August, by Tonga Meteorology Service, on the side of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Nuku'alofa. The app provides early disaster warning information and can also report events as they happen in Tonga.

"This will ensure a faster response in time of crisis. Interaction on this platform should also build stronger partnership between the general public, various development sectors, the Met Office and the National Disaster Management Office, which is a key objective of our multi-hazard early warning policy," said Tonga Met Acting Director, Laitia Fifita.

"The goal was to create an intuitive platform that provides real-time weather updates, critical alerts and essential information directly to users, regardless of the island locations and its remoteness."

Attending the launch was the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Professor Celeste Saulo

Also attending was the Green Climate Fund Lead on Vulnerability and Conflict-Affected States, Ms. Stephanie Speck; the MEIDECC CEO Sione 'Akauola; and Weather Ready Pacific Program Manager from SPREP, 'Ofa Fa'anunu.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said, "We cannot manage what happens with natural hazards. What we can do is try to avoid a disaster to happen. That's why I don't like and we don't support the idea of ‘natural disasters’. Disasters are not natural. What is natural are the hazards. Disasters occur because we are not able to respond to protect our people. And we have vulnerabilities in place. We have exposures. And as a result, we have a disaster."

Sione ‘Akauola noted the importance of communications in the face of natural disasters, like the 2022 Hung-Tonga Hunga-Ha'apai volcanic eruption and tsunami events that Tonga experienced.

"That moment, that's where we witnessed that communication is one of our essential services in our daily life here in Tonga," he said.

"Once we launch this app, I believe almost 99% of people [will] access all the reliable information that can be provided through our Meteorology services to them. No matter what, if they are in the bush looking after their plantation, if they are fishing, or wherever, warning them early or before any disaster might hit us, this will be a milestone to us."

Tsunami preparedness

‘Ofa Fa’anunu said that tsunami preparedness has been a challenge in Tonga, especially in terms of evacuation, since the ocean is nearby, people only have about 10-20 minutes to prepare and evacuate.

"The aim is to get down to two minutes after the earthquake happens, to be able to give out a warning."

Meanwhile, a new Weather Radar technology was also launched by Tonga Meteorology, funded under the Weather Ready Pacific with financial support from New Zealand.

The Tonga Mobile Applications Community Multi-hazard Early Warning and Response System (MACRES) development was supported by the Climate Risk & Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative’s Accelerated Support Window (ASW), the World Meteorological Organization, Weather Ready Pacific Program and SPREP, in line with the 53^rd Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting theme, "Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now."