FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE EXPERIENCES OF NEPAL FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE EXPERIENCES OF NEPAL © Practical Action, 2016 No use of this publication can be made for resale or other commercial purpose without prior permission of Practical Action. ISBN: 978-9937-9065-3-1 Design and Print Print Communication Pvt. Ltd. Tel: 01-4241355, Kathmandu, Nepal Forewords Flood Early Warning System (EWS) is one of the key programmes implemented by Practical Action in Nepal since 2002. With around one and half decades of experience, the system has developed from piloting and grown to the current status effectively saving lives and properties across many communities. Practical Action is engaged with the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) , Government of Nepal for the establishment of community based flood EWS in eight major river systems (Kankai, Koshi, East Rapti, Narayani, Seti (Pokhara), West Rapti, Babai and Karnali) in Nepal. Moreover, technical support have been provided to scale out the system to other rivers in the country and in establishment of cross border flood EWS between Nepal and India. We have realised, there is a need of EWS in South Asia regional scale as the disasters are not limited within the political boundary. To make this happen, there is a need for strategic coordination and collaboration between and among the nations, and advancement of technologies to meet the needs. Besides flood, the EWS is equally essential for other hazards like landslides and earthquake both at national and regional levels. However, flood EWS will remain a focus programme of Practical Action in South Asia and in Nepal. In addition, watch and warn to ICT based system, upstream – downstream linkages for EWS, collaboration with DHM, relevant government line agencies and partner organisations in the region for technical advancement, expanded geographic coverage, capacity development and support in policy formulation need further strengthening in the system in coming days. I acknowledge my colleague Gehendra Bahadur Gurung, Head of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change for preparing manuscript of this publication based on his decade of experience on flood EWS in Nepal. I highly appreciate technical review, inputs and feedbacks to this document by Dr. Dilip Kumar Gautam. I thank my colleague Sumit Dugar for preparing updated river basin maps, and Upendra Shrestha and Archana Gurung for editing and arranging this publication. This publication captures long standing experiences of Practical Action and hope that it will be useful for other practitioners who are interested and engaged in EWS for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). Achyut Luitel South Asia Regional Director Practical Action FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE III Contents Forewords .............................................................................................................................iii Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................v Chapter 1: Understanding the Early Warning System .............................................................1 Chapter 2: Rivers and Floods in Nepal ..................................................................................7 Chapter 3: History of Community Based Flood Early Warning System in Nepal .....................15 Chapter 4: Flood Early Warning System in Practice .............................................................27 Chapter 5: Future of EWS and Its Sustainability ....................................................................39 References ..........................................................................................................................47 IV FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE Abbreviations a.m. ante meridiem LDRMP Local Disaster Risk Management Plan APF Armed Police Force MoFALD Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local BCM Billion Cubic Metre Development CBEWS Community Based Early Warning System MoHA Ministry of Home Affairs CBS Central Bureau of Statistics MoPE Ministry of Population and CDO Chief District Officer Environment CDMC Community Disaster Management NDRF National Disaster Response Committee Framework DAO District Administrative Office NEOC National Emergency Operation Centre DDC District Development Committee NGO Non-Government Organisation DDRC District Disaster Relief Committee NPC National Planning Commission DEOC District Emergency Operation Centre NPR Nepalese Rupees DHM Department of Hydrology and Meteorology NRCS Nepal Red Cross Society DIPECHO Disaster Preparedness of European NSDRM National Strategy for Disaster Risk Commission Humanitarian Organisation Management DMC Disaster Management Committee p.m. post meridiem DPNet Disaster Preparedness Network PVA Participatory Vulnerability Assessment DPRP Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan SMS Short Message Services DRR Disaster Risk Reduction SoHAM Society of Hydrology and Meteorology DWIDP Department of Water Induced Disaster SOP Standard Operation Procedure Preparedness SP Superintendent of Police EWS Early Warning System SWC Social Welfare Council FM Frequency Modulation UNISDR United Nations International Strategy GIS Geographic Information System for Disaster Reduction GLOF Glacial Lake Outburst Flood VDC Village Development Committee HEC-RAS Hydrological Engineering Centre’s River VDMC Village Disaster Management Analysis System Committee IPCC Inter-governmental Panel on Climate VDMP Village Disaster Management Plan Change VHF Very High Frequency LDMC Local Disaster Management Committee WECS Water and Energy Commission LDO Local Development Officer Secretariat FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE V VI FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE CHAPTER 1 Understanding the Early Warning System Early Warning has been defined as “the set of elaborates that “a people-centred early warning capacities needed to generate and disseminate system necessarily comprises four key elements: 1) timely and meaningful warning information to Risk assessment and knowledge; 2) Risk Monitoring enable individuals, communities and organisations and Warning; 3) Risk Information Communication threatened by a hazard to prepare and to act and Dissemination; and 4) Capacity building for appropriately and in sufficient time to reduce the response. The expression, “end-to-end warning possibility of harm or loss” (UNISDR, 2009). This system” is also used to emphasise that warning definition is also upheld by IPCC (2012). systems need to span all steps from hazard detection to community response. The definition captures a broad range of hazards. Therefore, it looks a bit abstract and speaks at macro A community based Early Warning System (EWS) level. Some words like timely and meaningful are keeps the community at the centre; reaching its relative. The definition might be further elaborated benefits, reducing loss and damages to individuals to accommodate additional scope, for example, and the organisations. early warning does not only reduce the possibility of harm or loss but in practice it reduces both the Figure 1 shows the basic elements of EWS. absolute harm and loss of lives and properties if the However, the elements need further elaborations. hazard occurs as predicted. The ultimate aim of early The Risk Assessment and Knowledge needs warning is not only reducing the “possibility” but it communities and stakeholders’ participation. The is also reducing the “real” loss and harm. UNISDR communities and the stakeholders should be aware Figure 1: Four elements of effective early warning system Risk Assessment 1 and Knowledge Risk Monitoring and 2 Warning Capacity Building for Response 4 Risk Information 3 Communication and Dissemination FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PRACTICE 1 Table 1: Checklist of four elements of effective early warning systems Risk Assessment Risk Monitoring and Risk Information Capacity Building and Knowledge Warning Communication and for Response Dissemination Systematically collect data and Develop hazard monitoring and Communicate risk information Build national and community undertake risk assessments early warning services and early warnings response capabilities • Are the hazards and the • Are the right parameters • Do warnings reach all of • Are response plans up to date vulnerabilities well known? being monitored? those at risk? and tested? • What are the patterns and • Is there a sound scientific • Are the risks and the • Are local capacities and trends in these factors? basis for making forecasts? warnings understood? knowledge made use of? • Are risk maps and data • Can accurate and timely • Is the warning information • Are people prepared and widely available? warnings be generated? clear and useable? ready to react to warnings? Source: UNISDR (2006) of the risk. This element is the foundation of the fourth element, Capacity Building for Response, the EWS that shapes the activities to be undertaken capacity should be viewed beyond local level which under the other three elements. In the case of the is also needed at subnational and national level second element, Risk Monitoring and Warning, it authorities and stakeholders to understand, respond is beyond hazard monitoring focused more around and manage the implications. risk monitoring. Because monitoring does not limit to hazard, it includes monitoring of risks due The response is a coordinated effort between to hazard. If hazard is not going to result in any local, sub-national and national authorities or disaster or does