The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) and telecommunication company Ncell have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strengthening communication for the early warning system (EWS) by expanding the coverage in both hydrological and meteorological disasters.

Under this extended MoU, Ncell and the DHM have joined hands to disseminate early warning alerts to the public covering 13 disasters triggered by hydrological and meteorological hazards, said Ncell in a statement on Wednesday.

This includes alerts for floods, flash floods, rainfall, thunderstorms, wind gusts, landslides, avalanches, snowfall, heatwaves, cold weather, forest fires, air pollution and tornados, the telecommunication company said.

Ncell CEO and Managing Director Jabbor Kayumov and DHM Director General Jagadishwor Karmacharya exchanged the MoU on Wednesday at a function at the Ncell office in Lainchaur, Kathmandu.

Karmacharya thanked Ncell for its flood early warning system initiative in Nepal since 2016.

"Disseminating alerts in the event of impending disaster has proven to be a lifesaver for the survivors. This joint initiative is indeed a great example of grassroots-to-global action of putting the furthest-behind-first as envisioned in the recent UN’s ‘early warning for all’ initiative," Karmacharya is quoted as saying. "This MoU is yet another milestone with the coverage of 10 additional meteorological hazards."

Kayumov also termed the signing of the MoU a milestone in the company's commitment to enhancing the safety and well-being of the communities.

"This collaboration between Ncell and DHM is a great example of how public-private partnerships (PPP) can create a larger positive impact on our society, which underscores our shared commitment to leveraging technology for the greater good in enhancing the well-being of Nepal and Nepali people," Kayumov said.

The early warning SMS alerts ensure that people get pre-informed about the risk and move to safe locations with their belongings, while organisations involved in disaster response and preparedness get time to act on time.

The company disseminated over 9 million SMS alerts pre-informing people from flood risk areas in 2023 alone, it said.