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In a bold step towards strengthening disaster preparedness, Zomba City Council (ZCC) has welcomed the newly innovated early warning system application developed by the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST).
The application, designed by MUST graduates, is designed to provide timely alerts about potential hazards, enabling communities to take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of disasters.
During a familiarization meeting held at Civic Office, Principal Environment Health Officer, Gomezgani Nyasulu, emphasized the council’s commitment to coordinating with local committees to ensure the purposeful use of the application.
“We will work with local committees to ensure that the messages reach the intended audience, and we will also conduct follow-ups to identify any challenges or suggestions that communities may have,” Nyasulu said.
MUST lecturer, Steven Gondwe highlighted the app’s key features, including the ability to share weather alerts via SMS and WhatsApp, display disaster history of an area, provide routes to evacuation centers, and allow users to report on disasters in their areas.
He added that the app will be user-friendly, commenting that soon they will translate it to Chichewa language.
One of the participants at the meeting, Rodney Rabson, a weather chaser from Chambo ward, described the development as a major milestone in disaster management.
MUST has developed the application through the Echo project, which was implemented by UNDP and UN Habitat with support from European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.