Media Release:
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Multi-disaster risk assessment and lifestyle impact indices have been added to Mandaluyong City’s local multi-hazard early warning system.
Since its launch two years ago, the city’s very own multi-hazard, automated, and hyper-local early warning system dubbed “Project MENCHIE” (Mandaluyong Enhanced monitoring of Natural hazards and Climate for Household Information and Education) got its first update with additional features giving barangay (village) officials and residents more real-time localized weather and environmental information.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), headed by Roald Arcangel, revealed the new features of Project MENCHIE to Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” A. Abalos last Monday (July 5).
Project MENCHIE now has Multi-Disaster Automated Risk Assessment Generator for data such as heat index, six-hour rain forecast, and six-hour accumulated rain for a specific barangay. This map-based multi-risk assessment provides barangay-level color coded risk assessment for both observed and forecast weather events which updates every 10 minutes. Through this, Mandaleños will have an idea on what barangays are currently experiencing and will expect heavy rains and extreme heat.
It also shows other possible hazards that can affect the Greater Metro Manila Area (GMMA) such as earthquake-induced landslide, flood, ground rupture, ground shaking, liquefaction, rain-induced landslides, storm surge, and tsunami. Every risk assessment generated by the system is recorded and the datasets can be downloaded and used by students in their studies and researches.
Then, barangay-level lightning and dangerous thunderstorm alerts will be sent via SMS and emailed to all barangay officials to warn them 15 to 30 minutes in advance if there are incoming lightning strike and thunderstorm over/near their vicinity. This gives barangay officials the capability to disseminate warnings or alerts to their respective constituents. They will also receive via email a 24/7 daily weather forecast summary which they can easily disseminate to the community.
“These features will be a great help to our barangay captains. I hope residents also use Project MENCHIE as they plan their daily activities,” Mayor Abalos said.
City’s hazard maps can now be downloaded
In addition, the Lifestyle Impact information in each barangay will have additional indices. Running weather index can suggest the best day and time to run around the city. Watering needs index can guide “plantitos” and “plantitas” in making sure their plants get the right amount of water.
Driving difficulty index provides information on expected driving condition around the barangay and the city, and can help lessen possible accidents due to poor visibility. While the Golf Index is both for professionals and amateurs near Wack Wack golf course to suggest if it is favorable to play golf.
Users of the Project MENCHIE community website (https://resilient-mandaluyong.org) can now download hazard maps of the city, which were adopted from other national agencies, for their reference.
And to increase the monitoring of air quality in the city, CDRRMO personnel built its own unmanned aircraft system or UAS which is equipped with an MQ-135 gas sensor for air quality module. The UAS can help the CDRRM identify the presence of harmful gases in the air. (✓)
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Featured image of a Mandaluyong City scene via Facebook page/ .