Climate Hazard Warning in Kish: Media Urged to Take Three Steps Seriously Before Crisis Hits

A specialized workshop on climate change hazards and the El Niño phenomenon in Kish stressed the need for targeted media communication before, during, and after weather events, an approach aimed at boosting citizen preparedness and reducing potential damage from heavy rainfall and strong winds.

According to the report of Ambassador Arjan of Kish, the Director of Kish Marine Accident Prevention Association emphasized the necessity of preparation against the dangers caused by climate change and said: Media and virtual space activists should play an effective role in increasing public awareness and reducing possible damages by producing and publishing educational and warning content in three stages before, during and after the occurrence of atmospheric phenomena.

Mehyar Khosravi said in the specialized workshop "Dangers of Climate Change, El Nino and Climate Crises" which was held in the Kish International Convention Center with the presence of media members and content creators of virtual space, he said: This workshop was held with the aim of improving preparedness against climate risks, investigating the El Nino phenomenon and creating coordination in the production and dissemination of content related to these risks.

He stated that knowledge of atmospheric and climatic phenomena is particularly important, along with preventive measures, and added: awareness alone is not enough and what is more important is to transform public awareness into preparation and timely action to reduce risks.

The Director of Kish Marine Accident Prevention Association emphasized the necessity of planning to face weather accidents in the stages before their occurrence, when they occur and after their end, and stated: In this way, educational and practical content should be produced and published according to different conditions in order to minimize the gap between awareness, preparation and effective action.

Referring to the El Nino phenomenon and its possible consequences for Kish Island, Khosravi said: El Nino is a large-scale climate phenomenon that does not directly affect Kish, but its indirect consequences can be seen in the form of heavy rains, strong winds, and the occurrence of atmospheric disturbances; Therefore, preparation for facing possible conditions should be on the agenda from now on.

Referring to the possibility of flooding of roads and damage caused by heavy rains, he pointed out: If significant rains, strong winds and atmospheric instability are predicted, it is necessary for the people, officials and media to manage the situation and reduce possible consequences with necessary coordination and preparation.

The director of the Kish Maritime Accident Prevention Association also emphasized the necessity of citizens and rescue services to be prepared in the face of weather conditions with orange and red warnings and said: the content needed for public information and warning should be prepared in advance and be published in accordance with the conditions at the right time through the media and social networks.

Stating that the media and cyberspace activists have an important role in preventing accidents, Khosravi added: Providing information before the occurrence of weather hazards can familiarize citizens with possible dangers and necessary measures. Widespread and timely dissemination of practical content provides the basis for increasing public preparedness and reducing the gap between awareness and action.

Referring to the importance of awareness measures in reducing accidents, he said: We believe that effective information and training can reduce the probability of accidents by more than 70%. Kish Island also faces 30 types of hazards that must be identified, investigated and followed up.

Khosravi considered heavy rain and wind as the most important weather hazards of the island and said: Experience has shown that after rains of more than 50 mm in Kish, water flows form and the flow of water can cause problems. Also, wind blowing at a speed of more than 60 km/h has the capacity to cause damage.

The director of the Kish Maritime Accident Prevention Association further emphasized the necessity of avoiding exaggerating the possible dangers of the El Nino phenomenon and said: "When faced with atmospheric phenomena, what is important is to pay attention to the official weather warnings in yellow, orange, and red levels and to know the appropriate measures for each warning level." Compliance with safety recommendations before the occurrence of the phenomenon, when it occurs and after the end of the dangerous situation, can be effective in the correct management of the crisis.

He considered the accuracy and correctness of meteorological information, preparedness against atmospheric hazards, responsible publication of warnings and the link between public awareness and timely action as requirements of incident management and emphasized the necessity of simultaneous attention of people, responsible institutions and media to this issue.

In the end, Khosravi pointed out the role of media and social networks in promoting public awareness and noted: the expansion of media activities and information about atmospheric hazards provides the basis for better understanding of risks and greater preparedness of citizens and can play an effective role in making the right decisions and taking timely measures when accidents occur.