DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority is developing a multi-hazard early warning system to improve alert mechanisms in disaster-prone areas. This system aims to anticipate threats from landslides, earthquakes, floods, and other natural calamities, ensuring that local residents are warned in advance.
Vinod Kumar Suman, SDMA secretary, announced the launch of the ‘U-Prepare’ scheme. “Under the U-Prepare scheme, contacts will be established with organisations involved in disaster management and early warning agencies. These agencies will only be compensated for their services when they provide accurate and timely information. The objective of this system is to ensure that we can minimise in a disaster,” Suman said.
“A system equipped with modern technologies is being developed in the state. This system will be implemented under the World Bank-funded U-Prepare scheme,” he added.
In Uttarakhand, landslides, floods, and cloudbursts during the monsoon season result in significant loss of life and property every year.
The Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation on Thursday released its report on the Char Dham Yatra, titled ‘Pathways to Pilgrimage’. Anoop Nautiyal, founder of SDC, said, “This year’s Char Dham Yatra has seen 261 fatalities across all four shrines and Hemkund Sahib. Among these, 249 deaths were due to medical reasons, while 12 were attributed to natural disasters.”