Early Warning – establishing last mile connectivity: an experience from Nepal
Presented jointly by
Mercy Corps and Practical Action
Earlier days• Indigenous knowledge and
traditional practices – Looking at clouds– Color and smell of water– Animal’s behavior
10 years down the line….• Weather forecasting
– Max/min temperature– Probability of occurrence of rainfall– River data was available but not used for
forecasting purposes
• Glacier lake outburst information
• Tower based watch and warn system
2006 onwards• Improved tower based
watch and warn system
• River basin systems linking downstream communities withupstream river and rainfall stations
2006 onwards• Lead time was identified in
piloted areas
• Alternative communication and dissemination channel both at district and community level was formulated to reach the last mile in pilot areas
• Strengthen coordination with district authorities, DHM and other stakeholders
Current stage of EWS in Nepal
• Communities, local, district and national authorities started recognizing EWS as a key component for DRR
• EWS incorporated in local, district, and national level Disaster management plans
Current stage of EWS in Nepal …
• Government authorities have taken lead to draft National Strategy for Early Warning of Natural Disasters in Nepal
• DHM has actively contributed to develop EWS training manual
Current stage of EWS in Nepal …• Feasibility study for establishing more river
gauge stations by DHM
• Extension and expansion of telemetric system
• Web based flood warning services is available at www.hydrology.gov.np
Current stage of EWS in Nepal …• SMS services in piloted
areas
• Media engagement in warning services through local FM stations
• Communities proactively accessing information from upstream gauging stations
Real time experience in 2010• 19/20 July 2010 flood in Banke
• 24 August 2010 flood in Chitwan
DHM role
- On time warning service through phone, SMS to district authorities, communities and media
District level
- District authority called for an emergency meeting
- Security forces at alert
- Started preparing for response by checking stocks and resources for response
Real time experience in 2010 …Community level
- Used hand-operated siren and megaphones to ensure last mile connectivity
- EWS task forces mobilized community for safe evacuation
- Continued coordination with security personnel, district authorities and gauge readers at the upstream
EWS coverage in NepalNumber of river systems with gauge station 37
Number of meteorological stations 281
Number of district covered 12
Number of district level EWS committee 7
Number of VDC covered 98
Number of people trained in EWS 632
Number of CBEWS established 124
Number of EWS task forces 75
Material provided to the community for EWS
-Siren
-Hand-mike
-CDMA phone
74
129
46
EWS coverage in Nepal
EWS joint activities byDIPECHO partners
• Field testing of EWS training manual with all DIPECHO partners
• Implementation of EWS component by Action Aid Nepal, CARE Nepal, Oxfam
• EWS users’ workshop
Major challenges • Functional Disaster Management authority and
platform in Nepal
• Delay in adaptation of draft EWS strategy due to political vacuum
• Keeping community level EWS committee alive in case of less frequent disastrous event
• Last mile connectivity throughout the country
• Multi-hazard EWS approach
Ways forward• Replication of CBEWS in other river basin areas
• Piloting EWS for other hazards
• Technical capabilities
• Advocacy and lobbying with government authorities and other stakeholders
• Collaboration with DHM and other government departments for wider coverage and institutionalization
• Guideline for district and community authorities for establishment of community managed EWS
Food for thought• What should be the advocacy strategy for
ensuring last mile connectivity throughout the country?
• How to keep community level EWS committee alive in case of less frequent disastrous events?
• How to incorporate multi-hazard approach effectively in existing EWS?
• How to link next communities situated crossed the border facing same disasters