Early Warning Systems for Floods (EWS-F) in Central America and the Caribbean
The project EWS-F enables countries to take early action and reduce the impact of hydrological hazards, in particular floods, through building and strengthening existing capabilities through the development and implementation of national Early Warning System for floods within an MHEWS environment. One of its regions of focus is Central America and the Caribbean, where Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guatemala, and Haiti were selected as initial countries of implementation.
Expected outcomes
- Complete assessment of the needs of targeted Members to enable them to provide and use an integrated flood early warning system.
- Implement solutions to technical and institutional gaps by building the capacity and capabilities of targeted Members so they can implement and provide E2E EWS-F building upon national, regional, and global systems in an interoperable environment.
- Advance capacities of targeted Members to provide enhanced impact- and risk-based flood forecast and warning products and services to enable better preparedness and response to flood events.
- Increase visibility, recognition, and sustainability of NMHSs in developing countries by demonstrating the value of their flood early warning system and services leading to support for maintaining, sustaining and further enhancing the provision of services.
Current status
- Concept note and work plan developed and approved by scoped countries.
- Completed project initiation meetings (introductory meeting in April 2024, initial planning meeting in June 2024), attended by NMHSs, National Disaster Management Authorities and related regional and transboundary agencies
- All 4 countries extended their project commitment letters to benefit from EWS-F
- Establishment of regional project steering committee
- Under outcome 1: assessments have been performed in Antigua & Barbuda and Barbados