Early warning system essential in multi-disaster risk reduction

Kathmandu, July 30: Stakeholders have emphasized on the need for early warning system to help reduce weather-related multi-disaster risk.     

At a consultation organised by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) various speakers said that an early warning system (EWS) is necessary to minimize damage as weather-related disasters have been increasing of late.     

On the occasion, Director General of the Department, Kamal Ram Joshi, said that early warning is necessary in a country like Nepal with a complex topography, where the risk of water and weather-related multi-disasters created by climate change and its effects is increasing. “An early warning system is necessary to minimize the human and economic losses that may occur from such disasters,” he said.     

Deputy Director General, Suman Kumar Regmi, said that to make the early warning system effective it is necessary to improve the importance of monitoring and forecasting, the need for available resources, technology, infrastructure, institutional capacity and service expansion in a timely manner.     

Joint Secretary of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Arjun Kumar Bam, said that a reliable early warning system will not only reduce the impact of natural disasters but also play an important role in protecting the lives and livelihoods of communities.     

UNDP's Climate Change and Resilience Program Analyst Deepak KC said that Early Warning for All campaign launched at the initiative of the United Nations will help identify the gaps in the EWS and determine the necessary programs.     

The Early Warning for All campaign aims to protect all citizens of the world from early warning services by 2027.     

Meteorologist Shanti Kandel said that due to the early warning system damage caused by floods has been reduced in recent times and that an early warning system is also necessary for other multi-hazards.(RSS)