SMHI Supports Early Warnings for Extreme Weather in Zimbabwe
Sipepa, in western Zimbabwe, has repeatedly been affected by flooding. When SMHI, together with its Zimbabwean partner agencies, visited the area to present a new type of flood warning service, around one hundred local residents gathered to learn how they can better prepare for future extreme weather events.
The classroom where one of the presentations was held was packed.
As a Sida-funded project between SMHI, the Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe (MSD) and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) approaches its conclusion, one of its key achievements is an improved national warning service for extreme weather events.
“For the first time, many vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe will have access to locally tailored flood warnings based on forecasts several days in advance. This gives people the opportunity to prepare before floodwaters reach their homes and farms – something that is becoming increasingly important in a climate with more frequent extreme weather events.” – Richard Alpfjord Wylde, Project Manager at SMHI.
The goal is for warnings to be distributed to local communities through WhatsApp and telephone services, as well as through local authorities.
Interest from across the region
Sipepa is located in Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe’s poorest province. The area has previously suffered severe flooding, particularly during the 2016–2017 rainy season, when widespread floods across Zimbabwe caused more than 250 deaths and destroyed around 2,000 homes.
In the beginning of June, SMHI and its Zimbabwean partners visited Sipepa to test a new flood warning product and assess how well it works for the people it is intended to serve. Around 50 participants had been expected, but interest far exceeded expectations, with approximately 160 people attending.
“The high level of participation demonstrates strong engagement from the local community on these issues. By working inclusively and directly with the groups most affected by climate change, useful warning products and services can be developed, while strengthening local capacity to respond to extreme weather events.” – Johanna Diakite-Gårdesten, Programme Officer for Environment and Climate at the Swedish Embassy in Zimbabwe.
Participants reported that they largely understood the warning messages, but also suggested ways to make them even clearer and recommended providing them in additional local languages. This feedback will now be used to finalize the warning templates before the next rainy season.
Here the warning product is discussed in different groups.
Engagement with national and local authorities
During the same week, the project also organized a workshop involving representatives from the Red Cross, emergency services, and Zimbabwean authorities responsible for water management, agriculture, and civil protection.
“Government agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders contributed with practical suggestions for improvement and showed a genuine commitment to the long-term development of a system for those most at risk of flooding.” – Richard Alpfjord Wylde.
National authorities and organizations participated in a workshop to evaluate the new warning product.
New warning service will be launched in October
Through the project, cooperation between Zimbabwe’s hydrologists at the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and meteorologists at the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) has been strengthened. They will work side by side to issue warnings during extreme weather events. The goal is for the new joint warning service to become operational in October.
“When we combine real-time data from the country's rivers with weather forecasts, we can issue earlier and more accurate flood warnings. This collaboration prevents authorities from providing fragmented information. Instead, we ensure that reliable information reaches people in situations where every minute counts.” – Charmaine Tafadzwa Mawodza, Hydrologist at ZINWA.
A decade of cooperation
The improved warning services are the result of nearly ten years of cooperation between SMHI and Zimbabwean authorities. These Sida-funded projects have spanned a wide range of activities, from strengthening forecasting and warning procedures to improving the accessibility of information for people living in remote areas.
Over the past year, the project has worked intensively to adapt SMHI’s hydrological model to Zimbabwe’s geography and local conditions. The project has also contributed to the digitization of historical data from the country’s monitoring stations, which is essential for producing more accurate forecasts and warnings using the model.
“Zimbabwe is one of the countries most severely affected by climate change, frequently experiencing both droughts and floods. Developing early warning systems is therefore crucial for strengthening resilience. The long-term institutional cooperation that SMHI has maintained with Zimbabwe’s hydrologists (ZINWA) and meteorologists (MSD) over many years demonstrates that Sweden possesses highly valued technical expertise in these areas. By working together, we can achieve better results and greater sustainability.” – Johanna Diakite-Gårdesten.
Zimbabwe remains vulnerable
The project was originally planned to continue for an additional two years but was concluded earlier than expected due to a re-orientation of Sida’s development funding. SMHI will continue to support the development of Zimbabwe’s warning service through financial contributions from other countries.