KATHMANDU, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali government on Thursday launched the flood resilience portal in Nepali language to provide a consolidated information gateway to public as part of risk reduction and management.
The portal www.floodresilience.net.np was launched here by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development in partnership with various organizations like International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Practical Action and Zurich Global Flood Resilience Program.
According to the government, the portal will timely inform the public about flood risks in flood-risk zones and will minimize the loss of property and lives. It is also expected to enable practitioners to access the most locally relevant flood risk reduction resources and inform resilience building activities with current good practices.
Addressing the launching ceremony, Nepali State Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Janak Raj Chaudhary focused on need of localized and contextualized knowledge in Nepal.
"Government of Nepal is committed to follow the SENDAI Framework and SDGs to mitigate disaster risks and reduce vulnerability in Nepal", minister Chaudhary was quoted in the statement issued by Practical Action.
In an effort to identify innovative and cost-effective ways to implement disaster risk reduction efforts at the community and national levels for resilience against flooding, Nepal government has been working with different actors at international, national to community level.
Nepal is ranked the 20th as the most multi-hazard prone countries in the world and 30th in terms of flood risks. Inundation along the river banks in the Terai plains every monsoon poses threat to lives and livelihood of many.
Only in the last monsoon, the massive flood, the biggest of its kind in decades affected 35 of the country's 77 districts affecting over 1.7 million people and leaving 134 dead.
The Nepali government has also recently formulated Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act which has deputed right, responsibilities and duties to central, provincial and local governments.
