New weather radar for Tonga a lifesaver

A new weather radar for Tonga will help save lives through improved forecasting and early warnings for communities during hazardous weather events, says Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

Making the announcement while attending the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting, Mr Peters says the launch of the facility situated at the Fua’amotu Airport delivers on a commitment by New Zealand.

“We’re delighted to be here for the commissioning of this valuable new installation following the announcement of funding for this work when we visited in February.

“The radar is the first of its kind in the Pacific and will provide Tonga with the ability to give communities critical early warnings and mitigate the impacts of high-risk weather,” Mr Peters says. 

Mr Peters says the Tongan facility will help provide information for expanding the radar system around the Blue Continent.  

New Zealand funded the NZ$4 million radar pilot project in partnership with the Tonga Meteorological Service and New Zealand MetService.  This is part of New Zealand’s $20 million support for the Weather Ready Pacific Programme. The New Zealand MetService has assisted with construction of the radar and training.

The radar was launched at an event on Tongatapu by United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, along with Mr Peters, Director General of Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Sefanaia Nawadra, and Tonga’s Minister for Meteorology, Disaster Management, Environment, and Climate Change, Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu.

The project is part of the Weather Ready Pacific Programme. It is led by the Pacific Meteorological Council, endorsed by the Pacific Islands Forum, and will assist the Pacific region to contribute to the United Nations ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative.