CHAUTARA, MAY 24
Four years ago, when Indrawati river roared louder than usual, Rina Syangbo didn't wait. She rushed instantly.
Flood memory that killed 25 people remains still fresh. That year 842 houses were destroyed in Melamchi Municipality and two other rural municipalities-- Helambu and Panchpokhari Thangpal-- which includes Rina's village.
Twelve houses were swept away in her village Yangri. But noone died in monsoon related disasters. Their traditional knowledge and oral warning networks worked out effectively.
For decades, locals in Helambu and Panchpokhari Thangpal simply depended on traditional, informal preparedness systems- such as local observations of river behavior and word-of-mouth alerts. These methods reflected deep local resilience although they lacked scientific accuracy, technological support, and structured coordination.
Today, however, the situation has changed significantly. The integration of real-time weather monitoring, localised SMS alerts, and community mobilisation has made early warning system scientific, coordinated, and more effective in saving lives.
No sooner the rain crosses a certain limit, cell phones buzz with alert and people act instantly. Locals like Rina have adopted resilient community practices in recent days.
"It's easier to inform locals these days," said Rina, "We are using new technology to localized SMS alerts to keep locals fully informed on disaster risk."
From Vulnerability to Vigilance
The introduction of the Landslide Early Warning System (LEWS) in the aforementioned local governments of Sindhupalchok, in 2023, further built on existing experiences and knowledge of Flood Early Warning System.
Practical Action in collaboration withAustralia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and technical support from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) and Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has equipped local governments. Their locals are trained and mobilized for effective early warning system.
By combining Automatic WeatherStations (AWS) and rainfall-triggered SMS alerts with grassroots engagement, the villagers who once relied on traditional way of warning such as river sounds now rely on each other and timely alerts.
LEWS aims at saving the lives of the people living in risk region. But along with science and technology, it is equally important forthe community to understand the system for their benefit and prompt action. Organisationslike Practical Action are working to make locals aware on early warning system. For this, they have collaborated with Community Disaster Management Committees(CDMC), which volunteers to take early actions following the early warning.
Nirmala Dhital, whose house is surrounded by landslides from two sides, is now working as a CDMC member of Tipeni. Dhital, who witnessed 2021's landslide for the first time, is now on a mission to save people. Use of technology has encouraged her to move ahead.
"That time, communities lacked a formal landslide early warning system and were not aware about the necessary technology, communication channels, ororganised community structures," she recalled those days.
Nirmala coordinates local response teams, as a member of Early Warning System, which now exist in every flood and landslide risk areas. These teams are entrusted with different responsibilities such as early warning dissemination, search and rescue, and first aid.
Sindhupalchwok, a hilly district bordering with Kathmandu, is reeling from one disaster to the next. The 2015's earthquake that killed more than 3000 people destabilizing the fragile landscape. That triggered deadly landslides. Later, glacial lake outburst flood displaced hundreds of locals residing along the river banks.
Since the disaster keep hitting poor people integrated efforts are put together. To tackle this woman are coming to the front.
Women on the Frontlines
Women have been unexpected leaders in this story of change. Sunita Shrestha, a resident of Bhote Namlang, questioned the LEWS interventions and its significance earlier. "I have livedhere for nine years and nothing bad happened," she said. But over time, signs of land slipping were seen and her doubts were cleared. "I noticed trees starting to tilt unnaturally and the soil in the field shifting in strange ways," she recalled seeing clear signs of land movement that madeher rethink her initial doubts.
Sunita, also the treasurer of local CDMC,oversees bamboo planting project along landslide prone areas. This is a part of the project's emphasis to seek nature-based solutions. "The bamboo helps hold the soil together," she explained. With over 450 bamboo saplings planted, her community is responding to disaster as well as saving themselves from all the probable risks.
Locals are trained to respond post-disaster situation. Lila Maya Khatri is one among many women assigned to handle first aid in case locals are hit by disasters. "Previously, we had no idea how to tend to injuries," she said, "Now, I can handle first aid easily."
Other locals are involved in preventing disasters in many ways: using dozers to divert waters, acting upon areas prone to slope failure, planting trees and other methods.From being fearful to being prepared to face the disaster, they have come a long way winning their own pessimistic beliefs about disasters.
Bridging Gaps, Building Trust
Still, challenges remain. Mobile network outages continue to disrupt the delivery of SMS alerts in many high-risk areas. "Our mobile signal barely works here," Bhakta Khatri, CDMC chairmanof Tipeni complained. In such cases, people like Hari Bahadur Danuwar step in. As coordinator of the Early Action Task Force in Danuwar Basti, Hari walks around the community to aware them about disasters. "If you are not alert, nothing works," he stressed.
Inclusivity is also central to the success of this transformative community initiative. From Sharmila Khatri, who depends on her fourth-grade daughter to read alert messages, to Subarna Danuwar, who listens to FM radio due to his visual impairment, communities have developed multi-layered strategies to ensure no one is left behind. These individuals are part of the task forces within CDMC.
And when it comes to communicating risk, the community doesn't wait for top-downinstructions. "I call 1155 and tell them about our area," said Saraswoti Sonar of Helambu. She then shares updates with neighbours, especially prioritising elderly, pregnantwomen, and those with limited mobility.
Despite these successes, sustainability is a question. Community engagement and efforts areperfectly aligned but the government ownership is still needed.
In Helambu, Chairperson Nima Gyalzen Hyolmo acknowledges challenges to tackle disasters. "The local government has to contribute Rs 100,000 per person for reconstruction," he stated. "But people refuse to leave their ancestral land even when it is risky."
His frustration is evident, "Experts say relocate, but locals say they won't go. What can we do?" JanaramSyangbo, a CDMC chairperson from Yangri, acknowledges the difficulty of the government's relocation plan as people are deeply connected to their land, livelihood and way of life.
In Panchpokhari Thangpal, CDMC member Sujan Shrestha noted a "positive shift in the municipality's awareness and support," including paying the local gauge reader by local government and taking ownership of the AWS station. But long-term budget commitments remain unclear.
The Road Ahead
Transformation is undeniable. "Prior to the initiative, we did not have a formal landslide early warning system in place." said Nirmala, who uses Viber, Facebook, and direct calls tospread alerts among villagers. After the 2021 Tipeni landslide, she helped lead coordination efforts and risk-mapping exercises. "Everyone has a role now. We're no longer waiting. We act,"she said.
In Dalit Basti, families like those of Sukmaya Sonar remain deeply rooted to their land, despite the dangers. But she recognises the value of task forces and safe evacuation plans.
The early warning awareness has also planted seeds of long-term resilience. In Danuwar Basti,Gamala Danuwar's village, a women-run nursery is generating income and awareness. "We grow seasonal plants and other plants that prevent landslides, and we want to sell them outside too," she said.
As another monsoon season nears, the people of Sindhupalchok are not traumatized by fear at all.
From gauge readers to everyday mothers like Rina Syangbo, who help evacuate children to safety, these communities have become models of what is possible when information, infrastructure, and initiative come together.
Early warning systems may start with a rainfall gauge, but they only work because people like Rina, Bhakta, Sunita, and Nirmala carry the message forward, and support DHM in making thesystems functional and strong. The resilience of these hills is not built on technology alone, but on the efforts and voices that rise with the rain.
"We are fully prepared to save precious life by informing the locals vulnerable to disasters," said Rina.
