Ncell, DHM come together to strengthen Early Warning System

KATHMANDU, JANUARY 11: Ncell and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) have collaborated to strengthen the Early Warning System (EWS) by expanding the coverage in both hydrological and meteorological disasters. Jabbor Kayumov, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Ncell, and Dr. Jagadishwor Karmacharya, Director General of DHM, exchanged the MoU yesterday amidst a programme organised in the capital.

As per the MoU, Ncell and DHM would work together to disseminate early warning alerts to the public covering 13 disasters triggered by hydrological and meteorological hazards. This includes the alerts for Flood, Flash Flood, Rainfall, Thunderstorm, Windgust, Landslide, Avalanche, Snowfall, Heatwave, Cold Weather, Forest Fire, Air Pollution and Tornado.

Speaking during the program, Dr. Karmacharya of DHM said, “The joint initiative is indeed a great example of grassroots-to-global action of putting the furthest-behind-first as envisioned in the recent UN’s ‘Early Warning for All’ initiative. This MoU is yet another milestone with the coverage of 10 additional meteorological hazards.” ” With the support from Ncell and related stakeholders, we have been able to connect with the most vulnerable communities, and thousands of lives have been saved over the years. ”

Similarly, Kayumov of Ncell, said, “We are proud to have this MoU in place with the DHM to further strengthen our Early Warning System extending our coverage to 13 hazards.  This is a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing the safety and well-being of the communities and people we serve,” adding,” This collaboration between Ncell and DHM is a great example of how public-private partnerships (PPP) can join forces to create a larger positive impact on our society which underscores our shared commitment to leveraging technology in enhancing the well-being of Nepal and Nepali people.”

Since 2016 Ncell has been disseminating flood early warning SMS alerts to people living in flood-prone areas, contributing to saving lives and properties from monsoon floods each year. Last year alone in 2023, the company disseminated over 9 million SMS alerts, pre-informing people from flood risk areas.