Indigenious Ways of Forecasting Impending Natural Disaster/phenomena

For more than a decade now, I had been very active in various groups and institutions involved in local disaster preparedness and response studies. It was brought about by the current relevance of similar concerns perhaps globally, as the issues on climate change and global warming are currently in vogue. For the last several years, I had been giving trainings on the conduct of Search and Rescue Exercises, Information Campaigns on Disaster Preparedness, Typhoon Tracking Doctrine and the likes. For several instances also, I had spearheaded Exercises and Drills for similar purposes either singly or in partnership with other local Rescue Units of the Armed Forces, National Police Force, Coast Guard and Non-Government Organizations with common advocacies.

            Without downplaying the high importance of modern means of weather forecasting and the valuable role of sophisticated gadgets, I also developed an interest on some of the indigenous means of forecasting disaster or natural phenomena used by tribesmen and old folks for several centuries which I believe, can be worthy of study, aside from they can also be scientifically supported. No matter how crude, I found them interesting and quite worthy of appreciation even if just for the sake of knowing.

1. ANTS FOOD GATHERING AND STORING FORETELL THE COMING OF  

   THE RAINY SEASON.

                This is perhaps the most common notion which I think is universally accepted even in children’s story books and fables. The collective and synchronized movements which ant colonies do in their massive food gathering – cum – storing is highly indicative of the natural change in season which is about to occur within the following month or months. Their natural predisposition guides them to prepare for a time when food gathering will be extremely difficult for creatures like them. 

            2. DOMESTICATED CHICKEN AND DUCKS FLYING OVER HOUSES

               HERALD THE COMING OF A TYPHOON.

                By conjecture, I presume it is observed by way of frequency or the number of similar occurrences before old folks make their conclusion. This, together with observed mass migration of birds is considered omens of an impending inclement weather. On some level of scientific analysis, experts tend to explain that fowls have especially sensitive instinct for typhoons. That’s why, they have greater abilities to feel some change in air humidity, wind behavior, and overall abnormal occurrences in the environment.