Republic of Mauritius- Prime Minister inaugurates Doppler Radar Weather Observation Station

The project, financed by the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency, will contribute positively to the Mauritius Meteorological Services (MMS) with regard to weather forecasting, meteorological observation and will ensure fast track acquisition of knowledge and skills to address the specific challenges posed by extreme weather events. This in turn will enhance the monitoring capability of the MMS with regard to hydro-meteorological hazards, which will help in developing a weather resilient nation. 

The Radar will provide precise information of a rain bearing system, namely the rain intensity in the clouds, the velocity of movement of the clouds and therefore the wind speed and direction, and an estimate of the rainfall amount in a given time period.

The Doppler Weather Radar is an excellent tool for tracking tropical cyclones. It can accurately give the direction of movement of the storm and indicate the speed of winds associated with the cyclone. All this information will enhance the capability of the Mauritius Meteorological Services to issue more accurate and timely early warning and will therefore contribute towards the reduction of risk of disasters and mitigate loss of life and damage to property.     

The contract for construction works, which was awarded to the Consortium of Marubeni Corporation and Shimizu Corporation of Japan, was signed in July 2016. The installation of Radar equipment was awarded to Marubeni Corporation and the Japan Radio Company. The contract for consultancy services for the Project was awarded to the Consortium of Japan Weather Association and the International Meteorological Consultant Inc.