LALITPUR: Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has said the government is fully committed to reinforcing, institutionalising and expanding anticipatory actions based on disaster preparedness, early warning systems and forecasting.
Addressing an inaugural session of a two-day national dialogue titled ‘4th National Dialogue on Anticipatory Action’, Minister Aryal expressed hope that the event would lay a foundation for new learning, innovative ideas, and stronger collaboration, ultimately contributing to the shared long-term goal of minimising human and physical losses in the disasters.
The event, organised by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), began today at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Khumaltar, Lalitpur. Minister Aryal expressed confidence that the dialogue would help enhance national disaster preparedness and response mechanisms.
Nepal remains a highly disaster-prone country. Landslides, droughts, fires, lightning, heat waves, extreme temperatures, cold waves, and weather-related epidemics account for a large proportion of disasters. These events have become more frequent and severe due to climate change, according to the Minister. “As a result, Nepal continues to suffer a significant loss of life and property,” the Minister said. He echoed the need for clear, evidence-based disaster forecasting, impact-based early warning systems, and well-defined action plans to make preventive actions more effective.
Executive Chief of the NDRRMA, engineer Dinesh Prasad Bhatta, said Nepal is affected by almost all types of disasters except tsunamis, highlighting the urgency of preparedness and response. He added that nearly 80 percent of disasters in Nepal are related to hydrology and meteorology.
UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Hanna Singer Hamdy, stated that anticipatory, forecast-based early actions promote learning and accountability, leading to continuous improvement in disaster response systems with each monsoon.
Similarly, Nepal Red Cross Society’s Director Buddhi Sagar Shrestha, ICIMOD Senior Advisor Arun Bhakta Shrestha, and Joint Secretary Amrit Shrestha shared their views on disaster risk reduction and anticipatory action during the event.
