“The installation of new automated weather stations and two sea level monitors in Tonga is expected to boost disaster preparedness and climate resilience in the kingdom.
“New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research helped install the equipment which was funded by a $US2 million Asian Development Bank Grant.
“Tonga's Director of Meteorology 'Ofa Fa'anunu said the country used to only have six manned stations to provide coverage for the entire island group.
“The 21 automated stations would improve coverage hugely.
"We are able to get more timely and more coverage information from all over Tonga, being able to pick up the parameters - things like damaging waves and damaging winds quite easily and more accurately from areas where we didn't used to have it is beneficial and a noted improvement from what we used to have."
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