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The application, named “Abhawa”, was developed by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) with support from the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) and BBC Media Action under the NORAD-supported Building Climate Resilience through Strengthened Communication across the Weather and Climate Information System (BRIDGES) project. It is designed to provide the public with easier access to official weather information and forecasts.
He said the government plans to build multipurpose shelters in lightning-prone areas as lightning strikes kill an estimated 200 to 300 people annually, particularly in the haor region and northern districts.
On earthquake preparedness, he said authorities have identified 445 school grounds, playgrounds and other open spaces across Dhaka for temporary shelter and emergency response during a major disaster.
The government is also building a database of 100,000 disaster volunteers, with around 70,000 already enlisted and undergoing training. Information on hospital capacity and heavy equipment owned by private firms has also been compiled to support emergency response efforts.
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