Published on : 11/09/2022 – 00:31
The rains and storms of the rainy season regularly cause flooding. The populations therefore have their eyes riveted more than ever on the weather forecasts, in particular those of Riad Kawar, a cloud enthusiast. Several times a day, this meteorology enthusiast publishes a forecast bulletin and gives his advice on social networks, in particular on the Facebook group “La Météo de Riad”, where he is followed by more than 77,000 members.
With our correspondent in Dakar, Thea Olivier
« Showers and thunderstorm warning “. Even in the middle of the night, Riad Kawar does not hesitate to warn his community… Two hours later, lightning, thunder and heavy rain hit Dakar.
Forecasts made from the observation of clouds and satellite maps, explains this meteorology enthusiast. ” I need to go to the clouds, to the storms, to put myself generally live too, to familiarize people, to show them that it is true that there is sometimes a danger, but that it takes acceptance because these clouds are carriers of life. »
Although he says it does not replace official forecasts, around 30,000 new people have subscribed to his Facebook group since June, when the rainy season began. “ Populations are living through quite stressful scenarios, such as lately with big floods in the capital, people who are drowning in the middle of the city and immediately, they will want to know why they are going through all this. »
Its weather then takes an environmental turn by making the link with climate change.
In addition to raising awareness, Riad Kawar, director of the metallurgical industry Fabrimetal, is setting up a 2.5-hectare nursery below his factory in partnership with the NGO Océanium and the Senegalese agency for reforestation and the great green wall.
« The clouds are becoming increasingly rare, the rainy phenomena are also becoming increasingly rare. Or they are more and more violent. And all this is explained by harmful microclimates which are due to deforestation. And so the interest is precisely to be able to do our part in reforestation, in order to ensure that the rainy seasons are more pleasant and more abundant. »
Between 300,000 and 600,000 trees are born each year in this nursery in order to reforest the 14 regions of Senegal.
