The Maldives Meteorological Services (MET) has acquired a Doppler weather radar, used to precisely locate and calculate the motion of rain.

Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim said at the inauguration ceremony that the state had spent MVR 6.1 million in establishing the radar system.

The Minister said that the radar can monitor a radius of 250 kilometers and expressed confidence that it would serve to deter damage caused by heavy showers and turbulent weather.

He further said that a Doppler weather radar was in use back in 2008 as well, although the radar was damaged shortly after the state had then acquired it.

Heads of the MET service and the Environment Ministry, along with their staff, were at the inauguration event.