Multi-hazard risk: Rs 81 billion needed to implement early warning system

Kathmandu- It is estimated that the cost of promoting the multi-hazard early warning system will be around Rs 81 billion 40 million and 80 thousand (US$ 614 million).

This cost is required to implement the government strategy to integrate the multi-hazard early warning system with the goal of minimizing the potential loss of property due to various disasters and making the early warning system effective.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has said preparations are being made to organize the multi-disaster early warning system and it has made a preliminary estimate that it will cost more than Rs 81 billion to update the system.

According to the Authority, preparations are being made to promote a multi-disaster early warning system with the goal of providing early warning of future disasters and assisting in increasing the response capacity to reduce potential risks. Despite the development of early warning system in Nepal related to floods, landslides there is no provision for early warning of other natural disasters in Nepal.

For the first time, the government is starting preparations with the goal of enhancing disaster response capacity by installing early warning system on multi-disaster scenarios. Anil Pokharel, the executive head of the authority, has informed that the estimated cost for the next seven years will be Rs 81 billion.

“After the development of flood forecasting in Nepal, there are multiple examples of saving many lives and preventing the loss of millions of property. But the effective system for getting prior information about natural disasters such as landslides, lightning, forest fires, floods, cold waves, avalanches, windstorms, hailstorms, and air pollution was not developed so far,” he said.

Since the loss of property is increasing due to these disasters, we have aimed to develop an early warning system to reduce the possible damage caused by such multi-catastrophic events. He said that discussions are being held with relevant stakeholders for the development of a multi-disaster early warning system with the goal of reducing the human and economic losses caused by all kinds of disasters.

The NDRRMA chief informed that the information collected from the multi-source information system will be provided in the local language so that it could be understood by the general public.