ISLAMABAD: China has supplied Pakistan with twenty-five weather detectors valued at 1 million dollars to establish a very-low-frequency (VLF/VF) lightning network.
The primary objective is to enhance the lightning warning capabilities of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and mitigate the impact of lightning-related disasters on both lives and properties.
These detectors are deployable across different regions of Pakistan where lightning poses a threat to life and property.
Gift from China to Pakistan
An official said that this contribution from China is a valuable gift that Pakistan will use for the first time. This collaboration highlights the significance of the Sino-Pak partnership in bolstering preparedness and response capabilities.
Regarding the detectors, an MoU was inked between PMD and the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in September 2023 in Beijing.
Director General PMD Sahibzad Khan, while leading a 4-member delegation, held a detailed discussion with Dr. Yaohua Li, Director, IEECAS-led delegation, to start and promote the establishment of a VLF/LF lightning detection network in Pakistan to improve the lightning warning capability of PMD and to reduce the casualties and property losses caused by lightning disasters.
