WB PLANS TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM OF REEQUIPMENT OF HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is among 6 countries where
it’s planned to implement a program aimed at estimation of efficiency
of perfection of forecasting and warning systems for the purpose of
reequipment of hudrometeorological services by the World Bank (WB). As
Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Levon Vardanian, Director
of the Armenian State Service of Hydrometeorology and Monitoring
(Armstatehydromet), the program’s preliminary cost is about 5 mln
300 thousand USD. It was also mentioned that the current isufficient
level of technical equipment of Armstatehydromet has a negative impact
on the country’s hydrometeorological service quality. According to
L.Vardanian, the direct losses the Armenian economy suffered as a
result of dangerous hydrometeorological fenomena are estimated in
the amount of 35 bln drams (about 77 mln USD) a year. He mentioned
that according to experts, usage of hydrometeorological information
enables to prevent 30% of these losses.