TOMSK, Feb 12 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists of Tomsk State University (TSU) held a workshop in Laos on
the use of their "Pavodok" ("Freshet") application to
monitor water levels under flood threat, the development will help local
authorities reduce the number of casualties during seasonal floods, the
university’s press service said on Wednesday.
It is noted that each year in August-September, due to
heavy rainfall, the main river of Laos - the Mekong - leaves the banks, in some
places the water level can reach 18 meters. Almost every year this leads to
dozens of victims, many people are left homeless. This creates a demand for
developments for hydrological modeling in Southeast Asia.
According to the press service, the
"Pavodok" ("Freshet") application of TSU Geoportal for
monitoring the flood situation was presented to employees of the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Ecology of Laos and National University of Laos during
their visit to Tomsk two years ago.
"The application analyzes the data received from
gauging stations located near settlements, and online makes a forecast
indicating the territories that will be at risk of flooding", - the
associate professor of the TSU Faculty of Geology and Geography Vadim Khromykh
is quoted.
© с сайта ТГУAssociate professor of the TSU Faculty of Geology and Geography Vadim Khromykh during a speech in Laos
TSU Geoportal aroused great interest among the guests,
and they invited Tomsk scientists to hold a workshop in Laos. At the Laos
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, the university’s geographers and
hydrologists have shown the capabilities of the Geoportal, which have recently
expanded through the use of 3D models based on drone surveys. The parties also
discussed what work needs to be done to ensure accurate mapping of flood zones.
“TSU scientists
held a master class with role-playing elements for their Laotian colleagues,
where they modeled the process of monitoring water resources using the example
of three river basins of the large tributaries of the Mekong ... With the head
of the Ministry Sommad Folsena (university staff) discussed further areas of
cooperation. As a result, a memorandum on cooperation with TSU was
prepared", - the press service reports.
It was previously reported that in 2016 TSU signed a
memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Science and Technology of
Laos, which implies the creation of a university research station in Laos, with
the help of which scientists can study the climate and nature of this country.
© предоставлено пресс-службой Томского госуниверситетаThe Mekong river in Laos