2016 ICT4D Conference

In Nepal, each year floods and landslides cause deaths of about 300 people and economic loss of over 1 billion NPR on average. Floods in Kailali had claimed lives of 26 people in 2008. Similarly, in Kanchanpur, flood took the lives of 14 people in 2008 and 3 in 2009. After EWS came into function in Kailali in 2009 with a collaborative effort of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), community disaster management committees, local government and non-governmental organizations, there have been deaths of 1 person in 2009 and 3 in 2014 due to flood. Similarly, in Kanchanpur, official records mention the death of 2 persons only after establishment of EWS in 2011. DHM's records show the magnitude and scale of rainfall and river level after EWS establishment is at least similar and even larger compared to the records prior to EWS establishment. This is supported by community and district authorities' opinion.
In the recent years, to add value to CBEWS, the use of GIS based scientific models for hazard/vulnerability mapping; telemetric systems to monitor real time rainfall and river levels; use of media, websites, android mobile applications, software like frontline and voicent to send group text and voice messages to target groups have been introduced in Kailali and Kanchanpur. Thus, despite majority of area being Flash Flood prone, EWS has shown a huge potential for genuine, cost-effective and meaningful means to avoid human and material loss due to flooding.