Lalitpur, July 6

Stakeholders have emphasised the need for sector-based weather prediction system to save lives and property during natural disasters.

Participants of a ‘National Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Strengthening Flood Early Warning System in Nepal’ today stressed on sector-based weather forecasting system.

Programme Director at Lutheran World Relief, Narayan Gyawali, said people lost their lives in natural disasters annually due to lack of early warning system.

“As many as 14 people could have been saved from Hudhud cyclone’s effect in 2014, but lack of weather information led to their death,” he said, adding, “The agriculture sector, which is the backbone of the country’s economy, also faces the same problem.”

Peak trekking season in Nepal was affected in the aftermath of cyclone Hudhud as a series of avalanches, landslides, heavy downpour coupled with snowstorm killed 24 people in the aftermath of the cyclone.

Director General at Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Rishi Ram Sharma said, human loss from Hudhud was the result of lack of information.