Guatemala City, by Jenny Herrera -AGN- The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction -Conred-, with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of China -Taiwan-, conducted a presentation on the results of the training and installation of Internet Of Things stations for Early Warning and Disaster Management in Guatemala on the Cahabón River, in the municipalities of Cobán and San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz.
The event took place at Conred’s headquarters in Guatemala City. Oscar Estuardo Cossío Cámara, Executive Secretary of Conred; Miguel Li-Jey Tsao, Ambassador of the Republic of China -Taiwan- in Guatemala; Hao-Che-Ho, NTU researcher and professor at the National Taiwan University, and Edwin Rojas, General Director of Insivumeh, participated in the ceremony.
Monitoring
The project focuses on monitoring vulnerable areas for floods and landslides. Training activities have been carried out using Taiwanese drones to strengthen technical capacities for immediate response.
The project has also installed two hydrological monitoring stations on the Cahabón River, the first on the El Arco bridge in Santa Cruz Verapaz, and the second on the Chiu bridge in Cobán, and a landslide monitoring station in the Esperanza Community Association in Cobán.
Technology
The environmental information collection equipment has a rain gauge, temperature, humidity indicator, and water displays that transmit real-time information with low energy consumption. This combination allows the institutions to have a broader perspective.
“Today, I am honored to participate in this ceremony. At the same time, we present the training results offered to technicians to act efficiently in case of natural disasters. I am convinced that it will benefit many citizens and, at the same time, strengthen the friendly bond between the two countries,” stated Ambassador Miguel Li-Jey Tsao.
The ambassador also mentioned that two months ago, a bilateral agreement was signed between Guatemala and Taiwan for two and a half years with a value of USD 1.482 million
The Secretary of Conred, Oscar Cossío, noted that “this is a project in which the technical mission of Taiwan and Guatemala have been working as a team.. Together, we are undertaking actions to prevent any emergency or disaster. Today, the results of the progress made by both governments were made public.”
Results
During the event, a demonstration of emergency operations was performed.Attendees could observe virtually the installation of a sensor and surveillance cameras to check that the water level and precipitation were adequate.
The drone simulation was also performed through digital handling, in which several participants had the opportunity to practice with control and display.
Finally, at Conred’s main facilities, Hao-Che-Ho, a researcher from NTU, explained the use and correct way to handle a drone; subsequently, the professional provided a series of precautions.
