SUPARCO Concludes Five-Day International Course on Space Technology for Disaster Management

The Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has concluded a five-day international training course on the use of space technology for dealing with natural disasters.

The training programme was held from 2 to 6 November at the COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad, and was attended by national and international experts and participants.

During the course, particular emphasis was placed on the timely identification of disaster risks, advance preparedness, and the use of modern space technology to reduce potential losses. A total of 13 sessions were held, and 11 technical presentations were delivered on various topics. Experts trained participants on floods, glacial lake outburst floods, severe heatwaves and the different aspects of early warning systems.

Participants discussed how satellite technology and geographic information can be used effectively to assess disaster risks, identify affected areas and devise ways of reducing losses. As part of this, SUPARCO’s Disaster Watch Portal and the Space for Climate website were demonstrated in practice, so that participants could understand the usefulness of these tools and their role in monitoring natural disasters.

The main aim of the course was to move away from the traditional approach of responding after disasters strike, and to promote advance preparation, timely identification and effective planning. The training stressed building participants’ capacity and incorporating modern scientific tools into disaster prevention strategies.

On this occasion, SUPARCO called for continued cooperation between national and international institutions, the sharing of information and joint efforts to mitigate natural disasters effectively. The programme was described as an effort to promote the use of modern space technology and scientific information in dealing with disasters.