{"id":57890,"date":"2025-10-29T19:26:41","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T13:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=57890"},"modified":"2025-11-12T15:51:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T10:21:59","slug":"early-warning-systems-himalayas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/29-10-2025\/early-warning-systems-himalayas","title":{"rendered":"Early Warning Systems in the Himalayas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Himalayan region often referred to as the Third Pole, needs robust Early Warning Systems (EWS) to tackle rising climate-induced disasters amid inadequate disaster preparedness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rising Vulnerability of the Himalayas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to a report, out of 687 disasters that occurred in India between 1900 and 2022, nearly 240 were concentrated in the Himalayan belt.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Himalayas are warming<strong> 0.15\u00b0C\u20130.60\u00b0C per decade<\/strong>, faster than the global average, making the region increasingly unpredictable and prone to extreme weather events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NASA\u2019s data shows that between 2007 and 2017, over 1,100 landslides occurred in the Himalayan region.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need for Early Warning Systems (EWS)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>EWS can monitor and predict<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-07-2025\/glof-preparedness-india\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/28-07-2025\/glof-preparedness-india\">glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)<\/a>, landslides, snowstorms, and cloudbursts<\/strong> in the Himalayan region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Real-time data enables <strong>evacuation, rescue planning, and disaster management<\/strong> at both community and administrative levels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integration of EWS into mountain governance can <strong>strengthen local resilience <\/strong>and <strong>reduce economic losses<\/strong> from recurrent disasters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in Setting up EWS in the Himalayas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Geographical Complexity: <\/strong>The Himalayan arc spans over 2,400 km, encompassing varied terrains, elevations, and climatic conditions, making uniform monitoring difficult.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure and Connectivity Issues:<\/strong> Many valleys remain beyond the reach of mobile networks and satellite connectivity, complicating data transmission.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Indigenous Technology: <\/strong>India lacks low-cost, weather-resistant, easy-to-install EWS systems that can be locally maintained.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Institutional Gaps: <\/strong>Coordination between scientific institutions, local governments, and disaster response agencies is weak.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Funding for research and field-level implementation is limited.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low Community Involvement:<\/strong> Local communities, often the first responders during disasters, are rarely trained or included in monitoring or response mechanisms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Role of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in EWS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>AI-based models can<strong> transform live data from multiple sensors into predictive warnings<\/strong>, helping local authorities make informed decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Satellite monitoring and remote sensing can track glacier movements<\/strong>, rainfall intensity, and temperature anomalies, though high costs remain a concern.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Drones<\/strong>, while useful for localised mapping, face limitations in windy and high-altitude terrains.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integration of AI, ground-based sensors, and community networks<\/strong> can offer a hybrid, scalable solution suited to the Himalayas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Indian Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ministry of Environment recently funded an <strong>AI-assisted hailstorm EWS<\/strong> for apple <strong>orchards in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh,<\/strong> capable of sub-kilometre alerts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Projects like the <strong>National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/29-09-2021\/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/29-09-2021\/national-disaster-management-authority-ndma\">National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)<\/a><\/strong> frameworks encourage the integration of technology and community preparedness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Develop Indigenous, Low-Cost EWS:<\/strong> Promote locally manufactured, weather-resistant systems for easy deployment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community-Based Disaster Management:<\/strong> Train local populations to maintain and operate EWS and respond effectively to alerts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Data Integration and AI Use:<\/strong> Combine satellite data, ground sensors, and AI-driven models for accurate and timely warnings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transboundary Cooperation: <\/strong>Since Himalayan rivers and glaciers are shared by multiple countries, regional data-sharing and coordination are vital.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy and Funding Prioritisation:<\/strong> The central and state governments must treat Himalayan disaster resilience as a national priority, with dedicated funds and institutional focus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/energy-and-environment\/setting-up-early-warning-in-the-himalaya-poses-unique-challenges\/article70197326.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Himalayan region often referred to as the Third Pole, needs robust Early Warning Systems (EWS) to tackle rising climate-induced disasters amid inadequate disaster preparedness.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>Rising Vulnerability of the Himalayas<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">According to a report, out of 687 disasters that occurred in India between 1900 and 2022, nearly 240 were concentrated in the Himalayan belt.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Himalayas are warming 0.15\u00b0C\u20130.60\u00b0C per decade, faster than the global average, making the region increasingly unpredictable and prone to extreme weather events.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">NASA\u2019s data shows that between 2007 and 2017, over 1,100 landslides occurred in the Himalayan region.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/29-10-2025\/early-warning-systems-himalayas\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":57902,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/10\/early-warning-systems-himalayas.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57890"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57890\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57946,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57890\/revisions\/57946"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}