Creating Lifelines of Flood Forecast.

Floods kill more than 10,000 people each year and displace thousands; many countries are unable to address long-term needs to improve the capacity in dealing with them, much less the ability to effectively communicate warnings to vulnerable populations. It is to help them that the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United States National Weather Service/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NWS/NOAA) and the Government of Brazil are organizing, along with other partners, an "International Symposium on Flood Forecasting for the Americas", from 15 to 19 November 1999 at the National Institute of Meteorology in Brasilia. Its aim is to strengthen the capacities of national, regional and international institutions, to improve management of water resources and to prevent or mitigate the impacts of water-related disasters such as floods, and improve effectiveness and efficiency of flood forecasting modelling systems, including communication techniques in solving problems and ach ieving better coordination among those who are involved in disaster prevention and water resources management.

About 125 experts and policy makers from different parts of the world are expected to participate in the Symposium. This event will coincide with the INM's ninetieth anniversary celebration and will highlight a series of presentations and case studies from invited experts. It is expected to produce a practical set of guidelines for countries to use in establishing their capacities in flood forecasting for improved water-resources management, including the training of managers, issuance of warnings, working with those involved in natural disasters mitigation, and management of water resources with respect to floods. The Symposium will build on the outcome of a related workshop in April 1999 organized by NWS/NOAA and the Central American Regional Water Resources Committee.