Nepal seeks mountain-specific early warning systems after devastating flood

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has called for mountain-specific early warning systems, better cross-border data sharing and predictable climate financing, saying existing mechanisms are inadequate to protect vulnerable communities from climate-induced disasters. “In the early minutes of a disaster, our early warning system sent millions of SMS, and downstream communities did receive localised warnings, but it wasn’t enough,” he said, referring to shortcomings exposed by recent disasters.

He said mountainous countries such as Nepal face particular difficulties in forecasting and responding to climate-related disasters because of challenging terrain, inadequate observation infrastructure and the cascading effects of glacial and hydrological hazards. Khanal called for better monitoring of high-altitude areas through real-time telemetry systems, satellite-based remote sensing and cryosphere monitoring adapted to complex mountain environments.