Back to news
2 Jan 2015 | News

Promoting regional efforts to reduce flood vulnerabilities

ICIMOD, in collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), organized the eighth Regional Steering Committee (RSC) meeting for the HKH-HYCOS project.

1 min Read

70% Complete
Inauguration of the newly established FABKA secretariat in Kathmandu. ICIMOD, 2019.

This final SRC meeting of the current phase was held from 22 to 24 September 2014 at the ICIMOD headquarters in Kathmandu. Participants from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan as well as the WMO, Government of Finland, Finnish Meteorological Institute, ICIMOD, and international experts reviewed the project progress and endorsed a project proposal for the next phase, focusing on delivering lifesaving flood warning messages to vulnerable communities.

The HKH-HYCOS project is working to establish a regional flood information system in the HKH region in close collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the six regional partner countries namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. More specifically, the project seeks to reduce flood vulnerability in the Indus and Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna river basins by minimizing loss of lives and livelihoods. To that end, it works to strengthen regional cooperation for sharing flood data and information among the member countries. The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Finland

1. Participants of 8th Regional Steering Committee Meeting for the HKH-HYCOS project
The project has upgraded 37 hydromet stations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan. These stations can now automatically observe rainfall and water level measurements. The project has established web-based regional and national flood information systems for sharing real-time data and information for reducing risks. The project is also piloting a regional flood outlook model using Mike 11 hydrological software. Apart from real-time hydromet data from the 37 stations upgraded by the project, freely available rainfall forecast data is being inputted into the flood outlook model to add value and improve accuracy of the model. In order to sustain the initiative, the project has focused heavily on enhancing partner organizations’ technical capacity in flood forecasting and communication, and sought public private partnerships, especially with telecom operators, for disaster risk reduction.
In view of the imminent funding shortage between the end of the current phase and the next phase, RSC members have committed to supporting some of the project activities through their national budget.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

RELATED CONTENTS

Continue exploring this topic

Third UIBN–AC Meeting discusses data gaps in Upper Indus basin research

The UIBN–AC Meeting was primarily held to recap previous meetings, discuss the progress made by the country chapter’s Technical Working ...

DFID and ICIMOD Come Together for Cleaner Bricks in Nepal

Nepal’s Clean Brick Initiative has been consolidated by the signing of an accountable grant arrangement between the 

13 Dec 2017 News
ICIMOD Provides Technical Support to Farmers during Agri-Flori Fair in Bhutan

ICIMOD shared a stall with the Bhutan Youth Cooperative (BYC) where they demonstrated bio-briquette technology and promoted the ICIMOD Knowledge ...

30 Jun 2017 News
Regional Training on Hydrological Modelling in the Hindu Kush Himalaya

FutureWater, in collaboration with ICIMOD, developed the SPHY model which is flexible in scale, includes cryosphere, mountain hydrology, lowland hydrology, ...

9 Aug 2017 Himalica
Regional Conference on Mountain Agriculture Kicks Off in Kathmandu, Nepal

He said, "Some messages coming out of the Himalica experience are very clear. Improving farmers', especially women farmers', access to ...

13 Feb 2017 Himalica
Adopting Climate Resilient Practices on Cardamom Farms in Himalica Pilot Villages in Taplejung, Nepal

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Environment Conservation and Development Forum (ECDF) organized a training for ...

29 Jun 2015 News
ICIMOD research stations damaged by Nepal Earthquake 2015

  Langtang Valley has been the focus of intense glaciological, meteorological, and hydrological fieldwork over the past four years as part ...

Greening Barren Land: Facilitating Irrigation and Agricultural Activity in Upper Hunza, Pakistan

WWF-Pakistan plans to experiment with solar pumps and hydro ramp pumps, and install drip irrigation equipment and sprinkles to pump ...