REGIONAL GLACIAL LAKE OUTBURST FLOODS (GLOFs) RISK REDUCTION IN THE HIMALAYAS INITIATIVE: Update for December, 2008

by: Amber Masud

REGIONAL UPDATE:

 The e-discussion on GLOF Risk Mitigation concluded after more than a month of intense and informative discussion and knowledge sharing. The Consolidated Reply of the e-discussion can be accessed here.

 The e-discussion was initiated and hosted on DRM Asia Community of Practice and concurrently run on national networks like Solution Exchange DRM India and Bhutan, Disaster Preparedness Network (DP-Net), Nepal and Pamirtimes in Pakistan. Bi-weekly summary of responses and updates were shared on international networks like CPR Net, Energy & Environment Net, DIPECHO-ICIMOD network.

 The e-discussion was accessed by more than three thousand participants through the various communities of practice and knowledge networks. The two themes under the e-discussion were;
1. Key issues, challenges and approaches towards GLOF risk mitigation
2. Community approaches for GLOF risk mitigation; with a special focus on Early Warning Systems and land-use planning practices.

 Among the various strings of discussions that have been dealt with under the above themes, some of the important ones, are on better understanding of probability of occurrence of GLOFs, hazards posed by them, mitigation strategies adopted by the scientific community, ‘non-structural’ or sociological approaches adopted to mitigate GLOF risks, feasibility and sustainability of approaches at the community level, early warning systems and mainstreaming of GLOF risks in developmental planning in downstream valleys.

 As part of an exercise to bring together all stakeholders to share and learn from the field and discuss research work, a two day regional workshop on GLOF Risk Mitigation will be held on January 20-21, 2009 in Paro, Bhutan. This workshop will be attended by Senior government functionaries and officials, UN officials, Journalists, NGO functionaries and Research Scientists from the four project countries; India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan, and from UK, Switzerland and Thailand. The workshop aims at providing a platform for discussion on the subject and policy inputs to the countries in the region as to how GLOF risk reduction can be factored into development projects and community level contingency planning.

 A movie on Glacial Lakes Outburst Floods has been produced and would be screened at the Regional GLOF Risk Mitigation workshop at Paro, Bhutan.

 IEC and visibility materials from the Regional GLOF Risk Reduction project were exhibited at a disaster exhibition, organized by National Disaster Management Authority, at Islamabad on December 16-17, 2008 at Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad.
 Posters on the causes, triggers and the impact of GLOFs (for community and schools) are being prepared in Urdu
 The Baseline Assessment Report on Community Based Disaster Preparedness has been finalized.
 IEC materials like caps, posters, bags, brochures etc have been distributed in the project areas, among relevant stakeholders.
 Information boards on GLOFs have been designed and are being installed at the project sites.
 Awareness raising activities are being planned for the communities, especially school children.
 Discussions being held with Karakorum International University for experience sharing and presentation of project activities.

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