Every year on October 13, the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction was celebrated around the world. For Moldova, this issue is of particular importance as the country is highly vulnerable to various natural risks, including droughts, floods, as well as earthquakes, which cause significant damage.
According to UNDP climate scenarios, the average temperature in the Republic of Moldova is expected to increase by 2-3 °C by 2050, leading to more acute climatic events and, consequently, an increase in the frequency and magnitude of climate-related disasters. Therefore, the country cannot fail to respond to such challenges.
As the Ministry of Environment notes, the strategy offers a holistic vision and clear lines of action, from strengthening institutional and local capacities to integrating risk reduction measures into public policy. Thus, it is no longer just an emergency response, but a systematic approach based on forecasting and planning.
The Ministry is developing the Strategy Implementation Program, which will define specific actions, clear deadlines and defined responsibilities. Guided by these strategic directions, the Ministry has moved from the planning stage to the stage of concrete actions. Thus, in recent years, together with subordinate structures, a number of practical measures aimed at reducing the consequences of natural disasters and strengthening response and prevention capacity have been implemented.
An example is the State Hydrometeorological Service, which has automated meteorological, hydrological and agrometeorological data collection processes. This modernization enables accurate and timely information to be obtained throughout the country, water levels to be monitored and early hydrological warnings to be issued, thereby reducing potential flood damage.
New, state-of-the-art agrometeorological stations also facilitate early detection of dry periods. This data is essential for transmitting warnings to farmers, helping them to plan agricultural operations and protect crops.
Another important step has been taken by the National Agency “Apele Moldovei”, which has cleared about 70 kilometers of inland rivers over the past four years. Cleared riverbeds help increase water retention capacity during periods of intense precipitation, reducing the risk of overflows, uncontrolled water accumulation and damage to homes or agricultural land.
In parallel, 105 km of protective dams were reinforced along the Prut and Dniester rivers – a crucial protection measure for settlements located in areas at risk of flooding.
At the same time, Apele Moldovei is using the latest GPR – modern equipment that allows scanning of dams and protective dams. It provides an accurate assessment of the condition of hydraulic structures, identifying cracks and breaches, as well as enabling preventive works to be carried out if necessary.
