About ClimatCheck

ClimatCheck · CERC

ClimatCheck, the free climate alert for Uvira, Fizi and Kalemie

ClimatCheck warns residents and authorities of heavy rain, strong wind, storms and floods, before they come or as soon as they come. The service is free. ClimatCheck (Climate Monitoring Centre) is a public-interest institution (Établissement d’Utilité Publique), a subsidiary of CERC (Centre de Recherche sur l’Anti-Corruption).

Get the alertsReport a disaster

  • 15 minforecasts read again
  • 10 minlightning seen by satellite
  • 2 at mostmessages a person a day
  • 3 languagesFrench, Swahili, English

How it works

  1. 1

    Forecasts

    Every 15 minutes, ClimatCheck reads the forecasts of several weather models (Open-Meteo, OpenWeather, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute) at five points around each town and commune. It keeps the highest figure: one alert too many is better than a flood nobody announced.

  2. 2

    Satellites

    Rain that has fallen is measured by two satellites, NASA’s (IMERG) and the Japanese agency JAXA’s (GSMaP). The two are compared at every run and the higher counts. Europe’s MTG satellite (EUMETSAT) sees lightning every 10 minutes. Other satellites follow the level of Lake Tanganyika (Hydroweb) and bush fires (NASA FIRMS).

  3. 3

    Residents

    Residents report floods, damage and dangers on the website, in the app or by WhatsApp. Two flood reports within six hours trigger an alert, even if no forecast announced it. Volunteers also read rain gauges every morning.

  4. 4

    Alerts

    When the risk is high, ClimatCheck sends a clear message with what to do, by WhatsApp, SMS, e-mail and in the app, in French, Swahili or English.

  5. 5

    Follow-up

    Reports go to the authorities concerned. Anyone can follow on the website what was received, handled and solved.

The alert rules

  • Two messages at most per person per day: the 6:00 message, which covers all your places, then one urgent message if needed.

  • Urgent: what is happening now (strong wind, reported flood, thunderstorm with lightning within 15 km) or the highest level. These go out at any hour.

  • A lower risk found after 6:00 waits for the next morning’s message.

  • A place’s alerts go to its registered residents and its authorities.

What ClimatCheck cannot do

  • A forecast is not a certainty. Some alerts will not be followed by rain, and a local storm can come without being forecast.
  • There is no weather radar in the region and very few ground stations. That is why the readings of residents and volunteers matter so much.
  • Always watch the sky and follow the authorities’ instructions. In danger, take shelter without waiting for a message.

Who we are

ClimatCheck (Climate Monitoring Centre) is a public-interest institution (Établissement d’Utilité Publique), a subsidiary of CERC (Centre de Recherche sur l’Anti-Corruption), a Congolese organisation working for transparency and good governance.

Your data

Your data is used only to send you the alerts and to handle your reports. ClimatCheck data is not open; it can be shared on request with organisations, researchers and funders.

Management

  • Dalili BitamalaDalili BitamalaChief Product Officer
  • Heri BitamalaHeri BitamalaFounder & Chief Innovation Officer
  • Jules Karago ChrispinClimate Supervisor – Uvira

Go further

Sources and credits

Forecasts
Open-Meteo (ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France, NOAA models…), OpenWeather, MET Norway.
Satellite rain
NASA GPM IMERG; GSMaP data by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Lightning
EUMETSAT, Meteosat Third Generation (Lightning Imager).
Lake level
Hydroweb (CNES, LEGOS).
Fires
NASA FIRMS.
Forests
Global Forest Watch (University of Maryland/Hansen).
Past climate
ERA5 (Copernicus).
Territory boundaries
geoBoundaries.