The devastation caused by the floods in Nepal could not have been stopped, but the havoc caused by the floods could have been prevented if Nepal had a better early warning system. Nepal is now going to rectify this mistake; Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has started installing new warning systems on the China border. These include seismic sensors, remote cameras and VSAT. VSAT is a satellite link system, so that even if the mobile network and communication system collapses during a disaster, the connection is not lost and people get timely information. If people had received timely information, then perhaps thousands of people would not have lost their lives.
The flash flood in Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River has claimed 1,100 lives so far. More than 4,500 people are still missing. This is because Nepal’s early warning system completely failed. These systems were designed to monitor the gradual rise in river water levels. They were unable to provide warning of the flood caused by the sudden collapse of a glacier. By the time the flood alert reached the public within minutes, four hydrological monitoring systems had been destroyed. Disaster alert messages were later sent to approximately 600,000 people, but by then, the devastation had already occurred. Reuters reports that landslides are still possible, and the disaster could repeat itself. Therefore, Nepal’s top priority is to establish a warning system on the China border.
A 40-minute delay claimed thousands of lives
Reports, citing Nepali officials, claims that the warning messages were sent with a 38-minute delay. This is because officials didn’t realize until much later that the warning system had failed. In fact, the warning systems Nepal had installed were essentially monitoring stations that provided warnings of rising river levels.
The flood caused by the glacier break caused the first damage to these four stations. The report states that the flood reached the trans-border region at 8:32 am, but the public warning was issued at 9:13 am. This means there was a gap of approximately 40 minutes, by which time hundreds of people had already lost their lives.
What is VSAT?
VSAT stands for Very Small Aperture Terminal. It is a satellite-based communication system. Warning centers typically transmit data via mobile towers, fiber networks, or the internet. However, these networks are often the first to be affected by landslides or floods. VSATs connect directly to satellites. This allows disaster information to be transmitted from one location to another even if mobile towers or internet lines are destroyed.
How do seismic sensors and remote cameras work?
The early warning system Nepal is installing will include VSATs, seismic sensors, and remote cameras. These seismic sensors will provide information on ground tremors, rock slides, or potential landslides, while remote cameras will monitor glaciers, lakes, and rivers in high altitude areas. The information obtained will be transmitted to authorities via VSATs, enabling timely disaster control efforts. These systems are being installed along the China border because glacier bursts and cloudbursts often occur at higher altitudes, and the water pressure from there is reflected in lower Nepal.
Place is being searched by helicopter survey
Nepalese officials are conducting helicopter surveys of the high altitudes of the Himalayan region where these monitoring devices will be installed. Experts are keen to install these devices as soon as possible because experts fear the Himalayan region is becoming unstable, potentially leading to landslides and glacier lake outbursts, which could pose a risk to people living in lower areas.
Nepal wants more data than China
Following the disaster, the Nepalese government has also demanded real-time information sharing from China. Nepal maintains that glacier-related hazards have been occurring in the high altitude regions of Tibet, and that it is China’s responsibility to inform Nepal about these risks. Following the August 26 disaster, China shared satellite images and other data with Nepal, though officials believe this is insufficient. They believe China should develop an early warning system that automatically sends information about such disasters across the border.
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