KATHMANDU, JULY 31
The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening early warning systems and community-based emergency preparedness against glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in Nepal's Khumbu region, following the destructive flood that hit Thame village in August 2024.
The project, titled Early Warning and Community-Based Emergency Response Preparedness for GLOF Resilience in Thame and Downstream Villages, is supported by the American Himalayan Foundation (AHF) and implemented in partnership with the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality (KPLRM) and the Cryospheric Society of Nepal (CSN).
Announcing the initiative at an inception workshop in Kathmandu, SPCC presented findings from last year's GLOF event, which caused significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods in Thame, though no human casualties were reported.
The project will deploy automatic weather stations, siren systems, hydrological sensors, and SMS-based mass alert mechanisms to improve early warning capacity. It also plans to establish village-level Community Response Teams, conduct localized disaster training, and map evacuation routes in high-risk areas.
"This project has been designed in full consultation with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, following internationally recognized guidelines on community-based early warning systems," said Pasang Ngima Sherpa, SPCC Program Coordinator.
Experts from ICIMOD, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), and the Ministry of Forests and Environment highlighted the urgent need for improved data collection, gender inclusion, and alignment with Nepal's Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPA) to address growing climate risks in the Himalayas.
Notable speakers included Dr. Pasang Yangjee Sherpa from the University of British Columbia, Member of Parliament Sonam Gyalzen Sherpa, and KPLRM Acting Chairperson Tashi Lhamu Sherpa, all of whom emphasized the importance of locally led, scientifically informed disaster preparedness to protect mountain communities.
Participants also recommended establishing dedicated communication platforms, designating safe zones in schools and monasteries, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of early warning systems through proper maintenance and training structures.
Other technical presentations were delivered by Tshering Sherpa (SPCC CEO), Tenzing Chogyal (ICIMOD), Dawa Sherpa (CSN). Similarly, Neera Shrestha Pradhan (ICIMOD), Nirakar Thapa (DHM), and Himal Siwakoti (Ministry of Forests and Environment) also commented on the project.
Nepal remains among the world's most vulnerable countries to climate-induced disasters, with the Khumbu region-home to some of the highest glacial lakes-increasingly at risk of sudden and devastating outburst floods.
