JOURNALISTS PLAY CRITICAL ROLE DELIVERING DISASTER EARLY WARNINGS

BY RICKY ISRAEL

A media workshop in Port Moresby has highlighted the critical role journalists play in delivering early warning messages during natural disasters.

The two-day program this week brought together reporters, editors and broadcasters to learn how the National Weather Service issues alerts for floods, cyclones, droughts and landslides. Weather officers, working with the International Organization for Migration and the National Disaster Office, explained how warnings are developed and passed on to the public.

Assistant Director for Forecasting and Warning, Benjamin Malai, told participants that the media is essential for reaching communities quickly and that their work helps save lives. He said the workshop would help improve the way the Weather Service communicates with the public and support journalists in reporting disaster information more clearly.

Malai also emphasized that effective early warning systems depend on strong cooperation from provincial authorities, NGOs, police, defence and community groups, and that every organization must work together to ensure warnings reach the last mile.

The workshop concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between disaster agencies and the media to improve public safety during severe weather and other natural hazards.