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National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology

Project Period - July 2021 to June 2025 (48 months)

NCHM total allocation - USD $ 0.6 million

World Bank Project on Strengthening Risk Information for Disaster Resilience in Bhutan (RIR) project will be implemented from July 2021 for a period of 4 years. The Project Management Unit, DDM is the overall project coordinator for this project. The Project will be funded by the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience and Global Facility for Disaster Reduction Recovery. There are three main components under this project as below:

  • Component A. Development and Piloting of a Multi-hazard Risk Decision Support System;
  • Component B. Strengthening Hydro-met and Agro-met Services Delivery; and
  • Component C. Professionalization of the Construction Industry for Green and Resilient Infrastructure Development.

Component A. Development and Piloting of a Multi-Hazard Risk Decision Support System (MHRDS)

At the request of RGOB and with Bank technical assistance support, DDM is coordinating an activity on stocktaking of existing risk data, identification of design elements for a MHRDS, and action planning for conducting a nation-wide multi-hazard risk assessment.  This component will build on DDM’s effort and provide support on developing and establishing a functional MHRDS platform through the following activities:

  1. Subcomponent A.1: Development of MHRDS
  2. Subcomponent A.2: Capacity building and Piloting of MHRDS

This component is implemented by various sector such as, DES and DOR from  MOWHS, DDM and NCHM. NCHM will focus on the Flood Risk Assessment for entire river basin in coordination with the various relevant sectors. This will include the surveying and data collection from the field, hiring of the experts to assist in preparing the Flood Hazard Maps, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment from Flooding.

Component B. Strengthening Hydromet and Agromet Services Delivery

Component B intends to strengthen the Agro-met services with following sub components;

  1. Subcomponent B.1: Strengthening Agrometeorological Services Delivery.
  2. Subcomponent B.2: Strengthening Hydromet and Climate Services Delivery

This component is implemented by the Department of Agriculture and NCHM in coordination with DDM. Under this component NCHM aims to build the capacity of providing the Medium Range Weather Forecasting (5 to 10 days) which will be useful for delivery of agromet services under Agromet Decision Support System implemented by DOA.

Under Sub Component B.2, NCHM will carry out the following activities;

  1. Update the Road Map for the Hydrometeorological Services. The earlier Roadmap for Modernizing Weather, Water, and Climate Services that was prepared in 2015.
  2. Hydro-Met Policy of the Kingdom of Bhutan is under process and NCHM plans to submit the final draft of policy by end of 2021. Therefore, there will be round of stakeholders consultation required before finalizing and submission to GNHC. The project will support in stakeholder consultation and others related to policy drafting and finalizing. 
  3. This component will also develop a technical guidance note to help NCHM prepare design and specifications for the planned dedicated 24/7 National Weather and Flood Warning Center. This technical note will include specifications for (i) room and space requirements along with minimal sizes required, (ii) electrical and communication outlets, (iii) equipment including on necessary backups, and (iv) internet connectivity and other telecommunication items.