Saving lives and property — The fight against yearly flash floods

Floods and flash floods are major natural hazards in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

They are catastrophic to vulnerable riverside communities, particularly during the monsoon season.

Floods can be disastrous even in small rivers and tributaries. The frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events and natural hazards in the region is increasing with climate variability and change.

The problem

In the HKH region, there are gaps in relaying early warning information to communities that are most vulnerable which increases potential damage to life and property in case floods or other disasters occur.

The solution

A properly designed and implemented early warning system can save lives and reduce property loss by increasing the lead time for communities to prepare and respond to floods at the ground level (UNEP 2012).The Community Based Flood Early Warning System (CBFEWS) is a system designed to disseminate information about incoming floods to vulnerable communities downstream through a network of key stakeholders that can include communities, government bodies, social mobilizers, volunteers, and NGOs.

The CBFEWS is based on simple and low-cost technology to allow sustainable operation by vulnerable communities.

Here is how this works

Source of early warning

Early warning information comes from individuals or organizations that generate a risk message and send it to the concerned authorities and vulnerable communities. The caretaker is the main source of information.

Recipients of early warning

Warning recipients are nodal persons downstream who are part of the communication network. These nodal persons receive the warning message from different channels (e.g. directly from the source, such as a caretaker or other concerned authorities) and instantly communicate it to at-risk households.

Early warning message

The warning message from the source to the intended recipients could be textual (SMS), verbal/audio (siren, telephone, megaphone), or visual (flag, sign). Warning messages should be concise, understandable, consistent, and tailored to the specific needs of the intended recipients.

Communication channel

A communication channel is a network of people created for information dissemination. An efficient and reliable communication network is important for CBFEWS to function properly.

This system enables flood vulnerable individuals, communities, and organizations to prepare and take action to reduce loss of lives and property.

The implementation

CBFEWS was first implemented in 2010 in pilot projects along the Jiadhal and Singora rivers

The piloted system was based on a simple, open-wire-based immersion instrument to detect water level and generate warnings for dissemination downstream.

Newer versions of the system have now been deployed in different countries in the HKH region enabling a transboundary early warning system.

Results

The early warning systems are now installed in various places in Afghanistan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

The CBFEWS has helped save many lives and prevented the loss of property for the most vulnerable since it was first deployed in 2010.

The effectiveness of this system is upheld by testimonies –

“On 5 September 2013, the District Disaster Management Authority in Dhemaji, Assam, India, deployed a national disaster response force to affected downstream areas of the Jiadhal River upon receiving early warning. In Dihiri, Assam, communities were able to save assets worth USD 3,300 during the same flood event. ICIMOD had provided seed money for the locally manufactured instrument. The project’s impact in the field was acknowledged by the UNFCCC when it presented ICIMOD, Aaranyak, and SEE with the Momentum for Change: 2014 Lighthouse Activity Award in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) category.”

“A CBFEWS was established in Sherquilla for the Gilgit River in June 2017. On 3 August 2017, at 4:30 am, the CBFEWS generate a siren that woke up 2,800 people in the 350 households of Sherquilla. Within an hour, the community had moved about 2,000 heads of livestock and precious belongings to safety before the floods entered the village.”