Importance, Key Questions on Resilience and Managing Disasters in the Hindu Kush Himalayas

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1 Importance, Key Questions on Resilience and Managing Disasters in the Hindu Kush Himalayas International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Kathmandu, Nepal

2 Supports extensive irrigation systems International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Kathmandu, Nepal

3 HKH is the source of ten major river basins 210 million people in the HKH 1.3 billion people downstream 3 billion people benefit from food and energy

4 Basins support some of the most populated areas on the globe

5 Home to 4 of the 34 Global Biodiversity Hotspots, 60 Eco-regions, 488 Pas, and 330 Important Bird Areas

6 Major Questions on the HKH Region that needs to be addressed looking into the Future International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Kathmandu, Nepal

7 Drivers of change and impacts on resources and people Increased scarcity of drinking water Natural springs and water sources drying up Loss of productive lands Increased incidence of forest fires Habitat loss for wildlife and productive lands for domestic animals

8 Climate change impacts on cryosphere and future water availability

9 Sustaining mountain ecosystems and their services - green economy

10 Energy needs, hydropower and sustainable development of the HKH Huge Hydropower Potential >500,000 MW in the HKH Region

11 Water induced disasters Flood Landslide/Avalanche Famine Water rel. Epidemic Drought Flash floods result in higher mortality rates Jonkman, 2005

12 Poverty, vulnerability and food security

13 Gender in sustainable mountain development including out-migration Migration

14 The Himalayas are prone to disasters International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Kathmandu, Nepal

15 Cumulative disaster event Disaster statistics from Hindu Kush Himalayan region The region has had an average of 76 disaster events each year. On average, more than 36,000 people are killed and 178 million affected each year due to natural disasters in the region. Source: EM-DAT The OFDA/CRED International Disaster Database

16 Water-related hazards Flood Landslide/Avalanche Famine Water rel. Epidemic Drought Flash floods result in higher mortality rates Jonkman, 2005

17 Transboundary floods have greater impact on lives and property Globally, 10% of all floods are transboundary, and they cause over 30% of all flood casualties and account for close to 60% of all those displaced by floods. Bakker, 2006

18 Lack of information, little preparation 9 April 2000: Landslide blocked the Yigong River, a tributary of the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) River Outburst on 10 June 2000 created a huge flash flood of up to 1.26x10 5 m 3 /s Extensive damage, but no casualties in China In India, heavy causalities - 30 dead - >100 missing - >50,000 homeless - damage of USD 22.9 million

19 Data sharing can save lives and property 1 month after landslide 2.5 months after landslide After landslide dam outburst Data sharing agreement developed between India and China in June 2004: Landslide blocked the Pareechu River in Tibet (upper reaches of Sutlej River) Lake volume - 79,180,000 m 3 Chinese authorities communicated to their Indian counterparts well before and when the breach occurred 56 villages along the Sutlej from Kinnaur to Bilaspur were identified as at risk The dam burst on 25 June 2005 The direct cost of flood damage was an estimated USD 200 million There were no human casualties because of prior communication from the upstream country

20 Lessons learned from disasters Data gaps End-to-end information systems Proper infrastructure planning Overarching need for transboundary cooperation

21 Data gaps Monitoring station distribution High-altitude monitoring stations are sparse Limited transboundary data sharing

22 Designing end-to-end flood information system

23 Regional cooperation to share data: Global WHYCOS framework To improve basic observation activities, strengthen international cooperation, and promote free exchange of data in the field of hydrometeorology

24 HKH-HYCOS: Setting up monitoring stations and establishment of real-time flood information systems Making Information Travel Faster Than Flood Waters Establishment of a Regional Flood Information System in the HKH-Region - Timely exchange of flood data and information through an accessible and user friendly platform HYCOS is a vehicle for technology transfer, training, and capacity building

25 High-tech, low-cost early flood warning system in Bangladesh using a wireless sensor network

26 Low-tech, low cost, community-based flood early warning system in Assam Flood Early Warning System AL6M Flood Gauge Control Unit Rain Gauge Manufactured by Sustainable Eco Engineering Pvt. Ltd Patan, Lalitpur -16, Nepal

27 ICIMOD s state-of-the-art MODIS receiving facility helps provide timely data for various applications, including early flood and fire detection MODIS receiving facility MODIS images are used for national and regional level mapping including rapid response mapping after a flood event. Visit to visualize MODIS image.

28 Conclusion Need for end-to-end information systems Hi-tech to low-tech Science to government to community Infrastructure planning Identify risks and vulnerabilities Mountain specific planning Transboundary information sharing Sharing mechanisms Underpinned by regional cooperation

29 Thank you