Rome, Italy, Aug 12, 2010 / 03:48 am
The world community should establish a shared alert mechanism for weather-related emergencies, urged an Italian climatologist on Thursday. In light of the recent spate of major weather-related natural disasters, L'Osservatore Romano (LOR) has published his call for the developed world to step up and assist those without satellite and radar capabilities in the detection, warning and management of naturally-caused emergencies.
Flooding in Pakistan over the past two weeks has caused great loss of life and possessions among the people of the Swat Valley and joins numerous flooding disasters in China, Afghanistan, several African regions and Poland in recent days.
In an article printed in the Vatican newspaper's Thursday edition, famed Italian climatologist Franco Prodi noted that science is still uncertain if today's disasters are more intense on average than those in the past.
He also noted that while the role of climate change is being evaluated, there is something that can be done right now. What is needed at this point, Prodi said, is a centralized weather alert system for all nations.