The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) joined Bangladesh in commemorating International Lightning Safety Day 2026 on 28 June at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in Dhaka, marking the country’s inaugural national-level observance of the day. The event was held under the powerful Bangla slogan “শুনলে বজ্রধ্বনি, ঘরে যাই তখনই” (“When Thunder Roars, Get Indoors”).

In collaboration with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), UNICEF, Save the Children, and BRAC, RIMES organized the event, bringing together representatives from government agencies, development and humanitarian organizations, technical institutions, the media, educational institutions, and lightning-affected communities.

The observance emphasized that accurate lightning forecasts must be complemented by timely communication, practical safety knowledge, and appropriate public action to reduce lightning-related deaths and losses. Discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening early warning dissemination, improving public awareness, and ensuring that vulnerable communities receive clear and actionable safety information.

Community participants from Sunamganj shared how lightning has directly affected their lives and livelihoods. They also reflected on how increased awareness and access to weather information are helping communities use forecasts to plan farming and fishing activities, keep students indoors during thunderstorms, and circulate BMD forecasts among community members. However, participants noted that livelihood pressures, limited access to warnings, and gaps in practical safety knowledge continue to expose vulnerable groups to lightning risks.

The workshop also highlighted BMD’s experimental Lightning Alert System, developed with technical support from RIMES and operational from April 2025. The system provides location-specific lightning warnings and safety guidance one to six hours in advance through the BMD website, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other digital platforms.

A key part of the discussion focused on common misconceptions and practical safety measures. Mr. Rabbani emphasized that people should “seek indoor shelter, avoid standing under trees, and disperse rather than gather in groups when caught in open fields.” Participants also discussed the importance of avoiding plugged-in electrical equipment during thunderstorms and providing immediate CPR to a person struck by lightning.

The event reinforced the need to integrate the lightning alert system into regular institutional operations, strengthen last-mile dissemination, improve coordination among stakeholders, expand public awareness, and promote safe shelter during thunderstorms. It also reaffirmed the shared commitment of government agencies, technical organizations, development partners, and communities to ensure that timely and actionable lightning safety information reaches people at risk.

Md. Saidur Rahman Khan, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, expressed the Ministry’s support for the initiative and stated that “The government understands the significance of this and The Ministry will work to make International Lightning Safety Day as a national day.” 

His remarks underscored the importance of translating awareness into practical local action to reduce lightning-related deaths and build safer communities.

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Janakpur, Nepal | 2 July 2026 – The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) and the Resilience, Adaptation and Inclusion in Nepal (RAIN) Programme (led by People in Need), in coordination with the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), organized an Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) Orientation Workshop in Madhesh Province on 2 July 2026 to strengthen local preparedness for heatwaves and floods. 

Madhesh Province remains highly vulnerable to floods and heatwaves due to its flat terrain, dense population, and increasing climate variability. While flooding has long been recognized as a major hazard, prolonged periods of extreme heat are emerging as an equally significant threat to public health, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock, and water security. Against this backdrop, the workshop aimed to strengthen understanding of IBF and promote its application at the municipal level by translating weather forecasts into actionable information that supports preparedness and early action.

Throughout the workshop, participants explored Nepal’s evolving forecasting and early warning systems, including advances in weather observations, numerical forecasting, and dissemination platforms. Technical sessions introduced the principles of IBF, emphasizing the shift from traditional hazard-based forecasts toward impact-oriented information that considers hazard, exposure, and vulnerability to better support risk-informed decision-making. Participants also learned about DHM’s ongoing efforts to pilot IBF and develop impact-based bulletins for temperature-related hazards.

A key feature of the programme was a series of participatory group exercises that enabled participants to apply IBF concepts to real-world scenarios. Working across sectors including health, agriculture, livestock, livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and education, participants identified the likely impacts of heatwaves, vulnerable population groups, practical anticipatory actions, and institutional responsibilities. Early actions proposed included issuing heat health advisories, adjusting working hours for outdoor labourers, preparing health facilities, protecting agriculture and livestock, and strengthening community awareness through local government structures.

Participants also mapped the existing communication pathway for forecasts and early warnings—from DHM and OHM Janakpur through provincial and municipal authorities to ward offices, Community Disaster Management Committees (CDMCs), and local communities. While recognizing that this structure is already in place, discussions highlighted persistent challenges, including delays in information flow, unclear institutional responsibilities, limited use of IBF bulletins in municipal planning, and barriers in reaching vulnerable populations through digital communication channels alone. Recommendations focused on institutionalizing standard operating procedures, simplifying impact-based messages, expanding the use of multiple communication channels, and strengthening coordination among agencies responsible for early warning dissemination.

One notable discussion centered on the perception of heatwaves as a disaster risk. While some participants questioned the prioritization of heat hazards, community representatives emphasized that heat-related impacts on health, livelihoods, and productivity are often underreported despite their growing severity. The discussion underscored the importance of strengthening evidence-based advocacy and improving documentation of heat impacts to support more informed decision-making.

The workshop successfully strengthened collaboration among hydrometeorological services, local governments, and community-level stakeholders by connecting technical forecasting knowledge with operational planning at the local level. By improving participants’ understanding of impact-based bulletins, risk matrices, communication pathways, and early action planning, the programme reinforced local ownership of IBF while identifying practical, locally relevant solutions to improve preparedness and inclusive early warning dissemination for heatwaves and floods.

The orientation supports Nepal’s preparations for its National Demonstration on Impact-Based Forecasting for temperature-related hazards, contributing to broader regional efforts under the SAHF IBF Project to operationalize people-centered, impact-based early warning systems that enable communities to act before disasters occur.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐇𝐅 𝐈𝐁𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Supported by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) Asia-Pacific Programme, a part of the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) initiative, the SAHF IBF Project aims to drive transformational change in South Asia’s capacity to deliver anticipatory, impact-based forecasting. By strengthening institutional systems and methodologies,  the project helps translate weather information into actionable insights that build true climate resilience. 

For more information, visit: https://www.sahf.info/

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30 June 2026, Colombo — RIMES, together with the Department of Meteorology (DOM) and Sri Lanka National Climate Application Center (SLNCCA), supported a workshop on livestock heat stress preparedness hosted by the Livestock Development Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation  to safeguard the livestock sector against the anticipated impacts of a potentially strong El Niño event.

The workshop, titled “Livestock Heat Stress Preparedness for a Potentially Strong El Niño Event,” brought together over 100 participants from  national and provincial institutions, research organizations, development partners, and private sector stakeholders. It was facilitated under the South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF) Impact-Based Forecasting for Temperature Project.

The El Niño Threat to the Livestock Sector

El Niño conditions are expected to heavily influence weather and temperature patterns across Sri Lanka in the coming months. For the livestock industry, this translates to a heightened risk of heat stress, which threatens:

• Animal health and reproduction
• Milk and meat productivity
• Feed management and water requirements
• Overall farmer livelihoods

Key Recommendations and Next Steps

To mitigate these risks, the workshop identified an urgent need to establish a dedicated national livestock heat stress advisory system for Sri Lanka. Participants highlighted threel key recommendations to build immediate resilience:

• Integrated Monitoring: Combining standard weather forecasts with Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) monitoring and real-time livestock impact observations,
• Targeted Thresholds: Establishing species-specific heat thresholds to trigger early warning systems and timely interventions, and
• Inter-Agency Collaboration: Strengthening cooperation between livestock, veterinary, meteorological, and research institutions to ensure seamless data sharing and practical, early actions on the ground.

The workshop provided a foundation for translating meteorological data into practical advisory tools for farmers  to protect their animals and secure their livelihoods ahead of  rising temperatures.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐇𝐅 𝐈𝐁𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭: Supported by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) Asia-Pacific Programme, a part of the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) initiative, the SAHF IBF Project aims to drive transformational change in South Asia’s capacity to deliver anticipatory, impact-based forecasting. By strengthening institutional systems and methodologies,  the project helps translate weather information into actionable insights that build true climate resilience. 

For more information, visit: https://www.sahf.info/

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RIMES organized the Kick-Off Technical Working Group (TWG) Meeting on 1 July 2026 at DDPM office in Bangkok, Thailand, in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), marking the official establishment of the TWG for Thailand. This meeting was conduted as part of the project titled “Operationalizing Impact-Based Forecasting through the Localization of Decision Support Systems for the Agriculture and DRR Sectors” (ESCAP Phase III, in short), supported by the ESCAP Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness.

Beyond RIMES, DDPM and ESCAP, various representatives from Thailand’s key technical agencies participated in this meeting, including the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), the Pollution Control Department (PCD), the Department of Water Resources (DWR), the Hydro-Informatics Institute (HII), the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), and the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), reflecting the cross-sectoral collaboration necessary to advance the understanding in and capacity of Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) for Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in Thailand.

The meeting, chaired by DDPM’s Director of the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC), was opened with an overview of the ESCAP Phase III project and its regional objectives, followed by an introduction to RIMES and its longstanding partnership with DDPM in strengthening Thailand’s disaster preparedness and early warning systems. Participants were also introduced to the principles of Impact-Based Forecasting, which translate hazard forecasts into actionable impact information. This approach enables decision-makers such as DDPM to understand who and what are likely to be affected, thereby supporting timely and targeted preparedness actions.

Discussions also focused on Thailand’s 24-month implementation roadmap for 2026–2027, which prioritizes capacity building for IBF in three hazards: earthquake and tsunami, landslide, and flood. A key agenda item was the formal establishment of the Technical Working Group, a technical governance body led by DDPM with support from RIMES that will coordinate participating agencies, oversee curriculum design and development, and steer capacity-building activities within a clear coordination structure connecting ESCAP, RIMES, the TWG, DDPM, and local stakeholders.

Furthermore, the meeting outlined the project’s two-tier capacity-building program, comprising a General IBF Training for policymakers and operational personnel and a specialized Training of Trainers (ToT) program on IBF to develop a national pool of certified trainers capable of cascading IBF knowledge to the local level. These efforts will also support the formation of a national IBF War Room, aimed at strengthening Thailand’s capacity to deliver impact-based early warnings and informed decision support during disasters and emergencies.

The Kick-Off TWG Meeting marks an important milestone in advancing Thailand’s transition toward Impact-Based Forecasting. Through strengthened institutional capacity and enhanced inter-agency collaboration among Thailand’s stakeholders, the ESCAP Phase III project implemented by RIMES will lay a strong foundation for more coordinated, impact-focused disaster risk management, contributing to the improvement and protection of lives and livelihoods from the growing risks posed by natural hazards and climate-related events.

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The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), in collaboration with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), successfully conducted the SLMC Regional Review and Planning Workshop and the Flood Forecasting on a Shoestring Budget (FFSB) Technical Workshop from 8–11 June 2026 in Pathum Thani, Thailand.

The four-day regional event brought together representatives from national meteorological and hydrological services, disaster management authorities, local government institutions technical institutions, and development partners from across South and Southeast Asia. The workshop provided a platform to review implementation progress, exchange country experiences, strengthen technical capacities, and identify practical ways to sustain people-centered early warning services.

The SLMC Regional Review and Planning Workshop focused on progress across Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The country teams shared achievements, lessons learned, operational challenges, and priorities for future investments aimed at improving impact-based forecasting, decision support systems, anticipatory action, and community preparedness. The discussions supported forward planning for the next phase of SLMC and encouraged stronger alignment between country needs, operational tools, and institutional sustainability.

The FFSB Technical Workshop, led by UCAR and FFSB experts, introduced practical and cost-effective flood forecasting approaches using open-source tools, freely available datasets, and operational forecasting workflows. Technical discussions covered precipitation estimation and forecasting, forecast uncertainty, ensemble hydrologic forecasting, hydrologic model parameter estimation, reservoir inflow forecasting, and applications of forecasting tools such as RDHM, HEC-RAS, and TRITON. Participants also explored how low-cost forecasting methods can be adapted to resource-constrained operational settings.

The workshop also provided a platform for participants to identify common regional challenges, exchange good practices, and explore opportunities for future collaboration in strengthening early warning systems and disaster risk reduction initiatives.

By linking SLMC’s last-mile communication work with FFSB’s practical flood forecasting approach, the workshop highlighted the importance of connecting forecasting science with actionable early warnings.

RIMES extends its sincere appreciation to UCAR and FFSB experts, participating country agencies, technical experts, development partners, and all workshop participants for their valuable contributions to the success of the event. The workshop reaffirmed the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge sharing in strengthening resilience and ensuring that early warning information effectively reaches vulnerable communities.

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RIMES supported the conduct of the 11th Cambodia National Monsoon Forum on 2 June 2026 in Phnom Penh and the 22nd Lao PDR National Monsoon Forum on 4 June 2026 in Vientiane through the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Initiative. The forums were organized in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Department of Meteorology (DOM) of Cambodia’s Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM), and the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) of Lao PDR’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE).

The National Monsoon Forums serve as important platforms for bringing together climate information providers and users to discuss seasonal climate outlooks, emerging risks, and preparedness actions. This year’s forums gathered representatives from government agencies, development partners, media institutions, academia, and technical organizations to review recent climate conditions and discuss the outlook for the June–September (JJAS) 2026 season.

A key focus of both forums was the potential development of El Niño conditions during 2026 and the implications this may have for climate-sensitive sectors. Participants explored possible impacts on agriculture, water resources, disaster risk management, public health, and other sectors that rely on timely weather and climate information for planning and decision-making.

In addition to technical presentations, participants took part in sectoral group discussions that examined potential risks associated with the upcoming season and their likely impacts on different sectors. Working in groups, participants identified priority concerns, discussed preparedness and anticipatory actions, and shared recommendations on the climate information products and services needed to support sectoral planning and decision-making.

The group discussions concluded with presentations of sectoral outputs, providing an opportunity to compare perspectives across sectors and identify common priorities. While the risks and concerns varied, participants highlighted the importance of early preparedness, access to timely climate information, and continued coordination between climate information providers and users. The recommendations generated during the forums will support ongoing efforts to strengthen climate services and preparedness planning in Cambodia and Lao PDR.

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Sindhupalchok, Nepal, 02 June 2026 — RIMES, in partnership with Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) and Melamchi Municipality, conducted a capacity-building workshop on 2 June 2026 in Sindhupalchok, Nepal, bringing together municipal and district officials, ward representatives, community volunteers, and local NGOs from Melamchi, Helambu, and Indrawati municipalities, as well as the Sindhupalchok district office — all working across disaster risk reduction and climate-sensitive sectors. The workshop was implemented through the Strengthening Last-Mile Communication (SLMC) Project, supported by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) with funding from the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) / Office of International Disaster Response (IDR) of the U.S. Department of State, to strengthen last-mile access to and meaningful use of early warning information.

The workshop drew directly on the latest seasonal outlook and the tools, methodologies, and lessons from SASCOF-34 and the Climate Services User Forum (CSUF), held in April 2026 under the South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF) Climate Services Project. Technical sessions were facilitated by DHM personnel, including a representative who participated in SASCOF-34 — ensuring that regional climate knowledge flowed directly into local preparedness discussions.

Key outcomes included strengthened practical understanding of DHM weather forecasts, seasonal outlooks, and hydrometeorological sensor data; enhanced local capacity to translate forecast information into preparedness actions and sectoral advisories; and strengthened coordination among key stakeholders.

The workshop was warmly welcomed by municipal representatives, with a DRR focal person expressing interest in replicating a similar session at the district level — a sign of the growing demand for actionable climate services across Nepal.

This workshop exemplifies how RIMES projects work in synergy — connecting regional climate outlook generation, climate services capacity development, and last-mile communication into one integrated approach. Climate information is not only produced; it is understood, trusted, and acted upon by local governments, communities, and sectoral stakeholders — advancing climate resilience from the regional to the community level.

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Bangladesh, May 2026 — The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) conducted and supported a series of activities on Heatwave Impact-Based Forecasting and Sectoral Advisory Development in May 2026 to strengthen preparedness, coordination, and anticipatory action against increasing heatwave risks in Bangladesh.

These activities form a key part of the country’s national demonstration of IBF on heat-related hazards as part of the WISER-supported SAHF IBF Project which aims to translate temperature forecasts into sector-specific, action-oriented advisories to strengthen preparedness and early action during the heat season.

The activities included district-level consultations in Lalmonirhat and Rajshahi, followed by a two-day Technical Training and Stakeholder Workshop on Heatwave Impact-Based Forecasting and Sectoral Advisory Development in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Together, these activities brought together technical agencies, sectoral departments, local stakeholders, and partner organizations to improve the use of forecast information for early action and sector-specific preparedness.

Strengthening district-level preparedness in Lalmonirhat and Rajshahi

The local consultations on the Impact-Based Forecasting of Heatwave were held on 10 May 2026 in Lalmonirhat and on 13 May 2026 in Rajshahi. The consultations brought together representatives from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), disaster management authorities, and development partners.

The consultations focused on translating weather forecasts into actionable preparedness measures through IBF. Technical sessions covered heatwave climatology, forecasting systems, localized trigger and threshold development, agriculture and livestock impacts, anticipatory action planning, and digital advisory dissemination systems.

In Lalmonirhat, discussions highlighted the role of IBF in converting forecast information into practical advisories for vulnerable communities. Sessions also covered Bangladesh’s heatwave climatology, forecasting systems, operational heatwave monitoring approaches, livestock heat stress, veterinary preparedness, emergency response measures, crop planning, irrigation management, agro-meteorological advisory dissemination through BAMIS, and localized trigger and threshold development using historical temperature percentile analysis.

In Rajshahi, discussions centered on preparedness in one of Bangladesh’s heat-prone regions. Sessions covered localized heatwave risk assessment, district-specific thresholds, livestock preparedness, agriculture advisories, and public health risks. Health sector representatives, including civil surgeons and doctors from DGHS, highlighted risks such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, particularly among outdoor workers, elderly people, children, and low-income communities. They emphasized public awareness, hydration, reduced outdoor exposure during peak heat hours, access to safe drinking water, and monitoring of vulnerable family members. They also recommended a common alert dissemination platform for DGHS and related health institutions.

Building technical capacity on heatwave monitoring and forecasting

The two-day Technical Training and Stakeholder Workshop on Heatwave IBF and Sectoral Advisory Development was conducted on 17–18 May 2026, organized by BMD, with technical assistance from the RIMES. The training focused on strengthening BMD’s capacity in heatwave monitoring, characterization, station and gridded temperature data analysis, and percentile-based threshold calculations. On the other hand, the discussions emphasized the need to update and localize heatwave thresholds because impacts vary across regions.

The first day focused on strengthening the technical capacity of BMD officials experienced in climate services, forecast production, and impact-based forecasting. Sessions covered heatwave monitoring and characterization, station and gridded temperature data analysis, and percentile-based threshold calculations. Discussions emphasized that heatwave thresholds need to be updated and region-specific, as heatwave impacts differ across locations.

The training also included a practical demonstration of the INSTANT-SA portal, showing how forecast outputs can be visualized and used for sectoral decision-making. Sessions highlighted the use of scientifically robust thresholds and indices such as Heat Index, Universal Thermal Climate Index, and Excess Heat Factor to improve the accuracy and operational relevance of BMD’s forecasts.

The second day brought together 42 participants, including BMD experts and stakeholders from DGHS, DAE, DLS, DDM, and other partner organizations. Discussions focused on Bangladesh’s increasing heatwave risks, the need for research-informed thresholds, and the development of actionable advisories for health, agriculture, livestock, disaster management, and other sectors.

Through sectoral discussions and interactive group exercises, participants examined exposure, vulnerability, and information needs. They identified vulnerable groups, including elderly people, children under five, people with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, outdoor workers, coastal residents, small-scale livestock and poultry farmers, school children, and people facing poverty, poor sanitation, or other health and socio-economic challenges. They also assessed exposure factors such as high physical exertion, population density, crop and livestock exposure, urban heat islands, poorly insulated housing, shaded public transport stops, and temporary housing.

Sectoral speakers from fisheries, health, agriculture, and livestock shared experiences and recommendations. Key priorities included strengthening small-scale aquaculture coping capacity, expediting training manuals for medical personnel, improving upazila-wise forecasts and dissemination, establishing early warning system portals for farmers, conducting national-level workshops, and creating a joint platform for automatic alerts.

Across the activities, participants identified major challenges, including the variation of heatwave impacts across regions and sectors, the complexity of thresholds and advisories, coordination gaps, limited integration of exposure and vulnerability data, and the lack of joint platforms for automatic alerts and streamlined early action.

The way forward includes strengthening BMD’s technical capacity, updating region-specific heatwave thresholds, developing sector-specific advisories that integrate hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data, improving early warning dissemination, expanding stakeholder engagement across key sectors, and creating a joint alert platform to support coordinated and timely response.

The activities underscored the importance of linking technical forecasting with sectoral knowledge, localized preparedness, and coordinated dissemination to help ensure that forecast information supports early action and protects vulnerable populations from extreme heat impacts.

Sectoral recommendations and emerging priorities

Sectoral speakers from fisheries, health, agriculture, and livestock shared experiences, challenges, and recommendations. The discussions highlighted several common priorities, including strengthening coping capacity and stakeholder engagement in small-scale aquaculture, expediting training manuals for medical personnel, improving upazila-wise forecasts and effective dissemination, establishing early warning system portals for farmers, and conducting national-level workshops. Stakeholders also emphasized the importance of a joint platform for automatic alerts to enable more effective early action.

Across the activities, key challenges included the variation of heatwave impacts across regions and sectors, the complexity of thresholds and advisories, the vulnerability of elderly people, children, outdoor workers, small-scale farmers, and people with health or socio-economic challenges, coordination gaps between sectors, limited integration of exposure and vulnerability data, the need for region-specific percentile-based thresholds, and the lack of joint platforms for automatic alerts and streamlined early action mechanisms.

The identified way forward includes strengthening technical capacity for BMD staff on heatwave monitoring, forecasting, and impact-based forecasting; updating and calibrating heatwave thresholds regionally; developing actionable sector-specific advisories that integrate hazard, exposure, and vulnerability data; improving dissemination of early warnings and sectoral guidance, including upazila-wise forecasts; increasing stakeholder engagement in fisheries, health, agriculture, and livestock; establishing national-level workshops and early warning system portals; and creating a joint platform for automatic alerts.

Toward coordinated heatwave early warning and early action

The activities demonstrated the importance of linking technical forecasting with sectoral knowledge, local preparedness, and coordinated dissemination. The district consultations strengthened local understanding of heatwave risks and advisory interpretation, while the national training and stakeholder workshop provided a platform to connect forecasts with exposure, vulnerability, and sector-specific response measures.

Overall, the proceedings highlighted the need for continuous stakeholder engagement, localized forecasting systems, improved institutional coordination, stronger advisory dissemination mechanisms, and community-focused preparedness measures to ensure that forecast information effectively supports early action and helps protect vulnerable populations from extreme heat impacts.

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Lower Chitral, Pakistan, 6–7 May 2026 — RIMES organized a two-day Flash Flood Early Action Protocol (EAP) Validation and Emergency Simulation Drill in District Chitral Lower, Pakistan, in collaboration with the District Administration of Chitral and Focus Humanitarian Network, as part of the Strengthening Last-Mile Communication (SLMC) Project, funded by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).

The activity brought together government departments, humanitarian actors, community representatives, emergency responders, and volunteers from vulnerable communities, including the Kalash Indigenous group, to strengthen preparedness and coordination ahead of flash flood risks.

During the EAP Validation Workshop, participants reviewed and refined district-level protocols, emphasizing the importance of:

• involving all age groups in preparedness activities;
• combining oral histories from elders with scientific risk information;
• addressing connectivity challenges through local solutions such as megaphones;
• conducting mock drills before the monsoon and winter seasons;
• identifying safe spaces with prepositioned resources;
• strengthening community ownership, hazard watch groups, and civil defense integration;
• updating risk knowledge on glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and flash floods; and
• expanding awareness through social media, mosques, madrasas, and local networks.

On the second day, a scenario-based emergency simulation drill was led by the Assistant Commissioner of Chitral. A mock flash flood forecast issued by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) was cascaded through departments down to the community level, testing evacuation procedures, communication flows, and inter-agency coordination.

More than 70 participants joined the drill, including community volunteers, government officials, community emergency response teams, and Rescue 1122. The drill demonstrated how a flash flood emergency could unfold and how local institutions and communities can coordinate timely preparedness and response actions.

The two-day activity strengthened confidence in local response capacity, validated district-level Early Action Protocols, and identified key areas for improvement, particularly in communication, resource mobilization, and sustained community engagement.

Participants and government departments emphasized the need for continuous community mock drills and capacity building for relevant institutions and communities. Given local resource constraints, they also expressed hope that donors and development partners will continue supporting anticipatory action planning so that vulnerable communities in Chitral can act early and effectively when flash flood risks emerge.

The activity marks an important step in translating anticipatory action planning into operational practice by combining technical expertise, institutional coordination, and community knowledge.

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RIMES conducted a rigorous three-week technical capacity-building program for Timor-Leste at its headquarters in Pathum Thani, Thailand, from 27 April to 15 May 2026, under the Green Climate Fund-United Nations Environment Programme (GCF-UNEP) project “Enhancing Early Warning Systems to build greater resilience to hydro-meteorological hazards in Timor-Leste (FP171)”. Aligned with the training architecture established by RIMES Director General, Mr. A.R. Subbiah, the program’s overarching objective was to transition Timor-Leste’s Direção Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica (DNMG) from general weather forecasting to operational multi-sector Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF).

Weeks 1 & 2: S2S Forecasting and WRF Configuration 

During the first two weeks, RIMES equipped DNMG meteorologists with the computational skills required to configure and run high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations for 15-day (sub-seasonal) to 3-month (seasonal) horizons. Participants engaged in extensive command-line operations, utilizing Linux, Python, and Climate Data Operators (CDO) to process Global Climate Model (GCM) data, specifically downloading and subsetting GFS and ECMWF datasets.

Technical instruction covered the complete WRF architecture, including the execution of WRF Preprocessing System (WPS) components: geogrid, ungrib, and metgrid. The sessions concluded in converting GRIB files to NetCDF formats, applying bias correction using historical station data, and utilizing GrADS and GIS tools for spatial visualization to prepare localized seasonal outlooks for the 11th Monsoon Forum.

Week 3: Operationalizing Multi-Sector IBF and Decision Support Systems 

In the final week, RIMES expanded the program to 12 delegates representing critical institutions, including DNMG, the Civil Protection Authority (APC), National Maritime Authority (AMN), Ministry of Health, APORTIL, Ministry of Agriculture, and the Maritime Police. This phase focused on integrating the generated WRF outputs into sector-specific Decision Support Systems (DSS) to translate hydro-meteorological thresholds into actionable operational triggers across key sectors: 

• Agriculture: Utilizing CDIS for rainfall variation tracking and SESAME for long-lead agrometeorological advisories.
• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Employing DRR DSS for high-resolution disaster risk mapping and spatial vulnerability analysis.
• Ocean and Fisheries: Leveraging OSFAS for interpreting wave height, wind, and sea state forecasts.
• Health: Utilizing the Climate Risk Information System for Health (CRISH) for predictive disease modeling based on S2S trends.

Simulation and SOP Validation

To stress-test multi-timescale integration, delegates executed a cascading hazard simulation, responding to a prolonged El Niño-induced drought interrupted by a sudden high-impact cyclone event. This exercise mapped slow-onset impacts to real-time disaster response workflows across sectors. The multi-agency delegation subsequently validated and formalized a unified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), establishing clear institutional mandates for DSS management, early warning dissemination workflows, and data-sharing protocols, a significant milestone in strengthening Timor-Leste’s preparedness for hydro-meteorological hazards.

The successful completion of this program represents a concrete leap forward in Timor-Leste’s early warning capability. With a validated multi-agency SOP, operational DSS tools across key sectors, and a delegation ready to deliver impact-based forecasts at the 11th Monsoon Forum, Timor-Leste is now better positioned than ever to protect lives and livelihoods in the face of hydro-meteorological hazards.

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