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| Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology | |
|---|---|
| Name | Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology |
| Formation | 1947 |
| Headquarters | Naypyidaw |
| Region served | Myanmar |
| Parent organization | Ministry of Transport and Communications |
Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology is the national agency responsible for meteorological and hydrological services in Myanmar, tasked with weather forecasting, climate monitoring, flood forecasting, and early warning dissemination. It operates within the administrative framework of Naypyidaw and interfaces with regional, ASEAN, and United Nations entities to support disaster risk reduction, agriculture, water resource management, and aviation safety.
Established in the late colonial and postcolonial period, the agency’s origins trace to meteorological institutions active during the period of British Burma and the transitional years after World War II, linking to legacies similar to the India Meteorological Department, Royal Observatory, Greenwich, British Empire meteorological networks, and postwar institutions such as the World Meteorological Organization. Over successive governments, including administrations associated with U Nu, Ne Win, Than Shwe, and later political figures, the service expanded its remit to hydrology reflecting demands after notable cyclones and floods akin to events that impacted neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Thailand. The department modernized through partnerships influenced by initiatives from the United Nations Development Programme, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and bilateral assistance resembling programs by the United States Agency for International Development and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The department functions under the Ministry of Transport and Communications and is headquartered in Naypyidaw with regional offices across states and regions such as Yangon Region, Mandalay Region, Kachin State, Shan State, and Rakhine State. Its administrative structure includes divisions for synoptic meteorology, climatology, hydrology, forecasting, and instrumentation, mirroring organizational units found in agencies like the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Japan Meteorological Agency, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Leadership appointments have been influenced by national policy decisions from bodies like the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, and coordination occurs with branches of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation and the Civil Aviation Authority of Myanmar to align aviation meteorological services with international standards such as those promoted by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Primary responsibilities encompass operational weather forecasting, seasonal climate outlooks, flood and drought monitoring, and river discharge reporting for basins such as the Ayeyarwady River, Chindwin River, and Sittaung River. The department provides meteorological support for sectors including aviation, shipping on the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, agriculture in regions like the Irrawaddy Delta, and urban planning in cities such as Yangon and Mandalay. It issues public advisories analogous to those produced by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration during tropical cyclone seasons affecting the South China Sea and the Gulf of Martaban, and contributes climatological data to international repositories used by programs like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and initiatives related to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The observational network comprises synoptic stations, automatic weather stations, rain gauges, river gauge networks, upper-air sounding stations, and radar installations distributed across key sites including Sittwe, Mawlamyine, Pathein, Bago, and Taunggyi. Instrumentation upgrades have been pursued through collaborations reminiscent of projects with the World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and bilateral partners such as China and Japan supplying equipment comparable to systems used by the Korea Meteorological Administration and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The department maintains data exchange links with regional centers like the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre Tokyo and integrates satellite products from operators including Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA, and European Space Agency to improve situational awareness for severe weather and hydrological forecasting.
Research priorities include tropical cyclone dynamics in the Bay of Bengal, monsoon variability linked to the Indian Ocean Dipole, hydrological modeling for the Ayeyarwady Delta, and climate change impact assessments aligned with studies by the IPCC and regional research networks such as the Southeast Asian Climate Outlook Forum. The department collaborates with national research institutions and universities like the University of Yangon, Mandalay University, and specialist centers including the Myanmar Engineering Society and national hydrology research units, while engaging with international programs such as the Climate Services Partnership, Future Earth, and research consortia affiliated with the International Hydrological Programme.
The agency participates in multilateral frameworks including the World Meteorological Organization, ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, and regional disaster management systems that coordinate with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It contributes to cross-border flood forecasting efforts with neighbors India, China, Thailand, and Bangladesh and partakes in humanitarian coordination mechanisms used during major events similar to cyclones comparable to Cyclone Nargis and regional emergencies coordinated through the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Training and capacity building are provided via in-house programs and scholarships linked to institutions such as the WMO Regional Training Centre network, university partnerships with Tokyo University, Nanyang Technological University, and exchanges with agencies like NOAA and the Met Office. Public outreach employs multilingual bulletins for communities across ethnic states including Chin State and Kayin State, uses media channels exemplified by collaborations with national broadcasters and civil society organizations, and promotes awareness campaigns consistent with regional preparedness initiatives like the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management.
Category:Government agencies of Myanmar Category:Meteorology organizations