Overview

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) is an intergovernmental institution owned and managed by its member states, for building capacities in the generation and application of user-relevant early warning. RIMES evolved from the efforts of countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, to establish a regional early warning system within a multi-hazard framework.

RIMES strives to address gaps in the end-to-end early warning information value chain through technical support, strategic partnership, and capacity building at all levels. RIMES assists its member countries in establishing and maintaining early warning systems within a multi-hazard framework according to their unique needs. It also provides expertise to build regional platforms for data sharing, risk communication, and research efforts from a multi-hazard perspective encompassing climatic, seismic, oceanic and hydro-meteorological domains.

RIMES offers integrated solutions to improve modeling and forecasting capabilities and build decision support systems that facilitate rapid response to transboundary hazards. RIMES innovates products and services to support national as well as regional efforts toward climate and disaster-resilient development.

RIMES was established on 30 April 2009 and was registered with the United Nations, under Article 102 of the UN Charter, on 1 July 2009. RIMES operates from its regional early warning center located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand.

Core Business Functions

RIMES caters to the unique needs and demands of its member states by enhancing capacities for end-to-end multi-hazard early warning response, particularly on:

• Hazard monitoring, detection, analysis, prediction, and forecasting
• Risk assessment
• Potential impact analysis
• Generation of tailored risk information at different time scales
• Application of risk information in decision-making
• Risk communication
• Development of web portal and application

Focus Areas

	Enhance data availability RIMES provides expertise for the establishment and maintenance of regional observing and monitoring systems, assisting National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in developing data integration systems and data sharing mechanisms for enhanced data access and insights for early warning response.
	Improve modeling and forecasting capabilities Forging global and regional partnerships for data sharing and research, RIMES supports NMHSs on generating hydro-meteorological forecasts and develops customized services for providing potential earthquake damage, tsunami, and coastal inundation forecast information.
	Transform data into actionable information RIMES promotes a collaborative approach among the NMHSs and intermediary stakeholder institutions in agriculture, water resources, disaster management among others, for co-production of tailored services and decision support systems to transform data into actionable information.
	Community outreach to enhance climate and disaster resilience RIMES links vulnerable groups to available resources and supports forecast-based action through effective last mile communication, community engagement and capacity building.
	Capacity building and research and development RIMES facilitates capacity building at institutional and community level to effectively interpret and apply early warning information. Furthermore, our dedicated team of experts and a global network of strategic partners position RIMES to foster a vibrant environment for applied research and delivery of demand based services.