Abstract
Nepal is highly vulnerable to flood-related disasters which cause considerable loss of lives and property. The vulnerability of communities to flood-related hazards can be reduced by proper planning, preparedness, and responses using various structural and nonstructural measures. The community-based flood early warning system is one such tool that enables local communities to enhance their resilience to flooding risks. This paper highlights the efficacy of the community assessment of flood risks and early warning systems. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper evaluates the progress of a community-based flood early warning system implemented in the Ratu River—a small tributary of the Koshi River. The establishment of a community network in 2015 was instrumental in the dissemination of flood early warning information and in building local capacities to understand the risks and take timely action. The flood early warning resulted in awareness-raising, strengthened upstream–downstream linkages, and resulted in a greater willingness among communities to help each other prepare for flood disasters in the Ratu watershed.
Highlights
Nepal is highly vulnerable to different types of disaster due to its high relief, very high seismicity, fragile geology, steep mountain topography, deep and narrow river valleys with frequent mass wasting phenomena, highly concentrated precipitation occurring in four months (June–September) and accelerating rates of erosion [1]
Greater awareness of flood risk would lead to mitigation and preparedness, which helps to reduce the risk of the flood [41]
A total of eight training programs on the use of first aid (FA), the methods of community-based emergency response, the operation and maintenance of community-level flood risk management (FRM), design, implementation and management of the structural and nonstructural measures for flood risk management, and refresher training for FA, LSAR and mock drills were conducted for 1643 participants
Summary
Nepal is highly vulnerable to different types of disaster due to its high relief, very high seismicity, fragile geology, steep mountain topography, deep and narrow river valleys with frequent mass wasting phenomena, highly concentrated precipitation occurring in four months (June–September) and accelerating rates of erosion [1]. In the two decades from 1988 to 2007, Nepal recorded over 7000 fatalities and ranked 23rd among countries concerning natural hazard-related deaths [2]. Nepal ranks seventh for deaths due to floods, landslides and avalanches, and eighth for flood-related deaths alone [3]. The frequency and magnitude of flash floods are likely to increase as rainfall patterns become erratic because of climate change. In Nepal, 246 people were killed and properties worth more than USD. 8.2 million were damaged due to landslides and floods in 2016 [4]. The southern part of the country, known as the Terai, is highly prone to flash floods
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