𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬

…𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒔

By Kezang Choden

According to the World Bank, Early Warning Systems (EWS) are designed to predict and provide timely information about potential hazards, helping communities and organizations take preventive measures to reduce their impact. EWS are built on four key components- risk knowledge and analysis, monitoring and forecasting, dissemination and communication, and response capability, according to Yore et al. (2023). Digital technology is transforming these systems by delivering accurate and actionable information to at-risk populations. Their success depends on understanding community vulnerabilities and tailoring information to local needs.

Hydro meteorological services, which monitor weather and water conditions, play a critical role in predicting and communicating weather-related risks. The World Bank’s Hydromet and EWS unit, through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, has invested more than $1 billion across nearly 120 projects to modernize these services worldwide. In the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the World Bank supported the development of a decision support system for anticipatory action based on the MOBILISE platform.

This platform uses a range of digital tools to gather and analyze data from various sources, including vulnerability databases, sensor networks, hazard models, crowd-sourced reports, and satellite imagery. The system helps decision-makers reduce climate risks and improve multi-hazard forecasting and early warning capabilities. The MOBILISE platform also includes secure data-sharing features and interactive dashboards that enhance coordination among agencies involved in disaster risk management.

Sri Lanka, which faces increasing weather-related disasters, may lose up to 1.2 percent of its annual GDP by 2050 due to climate change, according to the World Bank (2019). In Kalutara District, the MOBILISE system, as part of the Living Lab initiative, supported emergency response during the 2024 monsoon floods and landslides. It provided real-time guidance and collected feedback to improve both technical systems and communication with communities. The Living Lab served as a platform for coordination among government agencies, emergency services, and other key stakeholders, strengthening the country’s capacity for early warning and disaster response.

Karma Dupchu, Director General of the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), said that the centre currently operates Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) Early Warning Systems along the Punatsangchhu, Mangdechhu, and Chamkharchhu river basins. These systems play a crucial role in providing timely alerts to communities living downstream, helping to reduce the potential impacts of sudden floods triggered by melting glaciers and lake bursts. According to Dupchu, the GLOF Early Warning Stations function similarly to Automatic Water Level Stations, transmitting real-time data to the respective control rooms and the central database every 15 minutes. This constant monitoring allows the system to detect any abnormal rise in water levels, ensuring that early warnings can be issued promptly.

He added that the stations are strategically located along major rivers and at the outlets of potentially dangerous glacial lakes within each basin. Their placement is designed to provide sufficient lead time for authorities to issue alerts to downstream communities and activate emergency response measures when water levels begin to rise. In addition to these automated systems, NCHM also operates basic flood early warning mechanisms based on manual observation and communication along the Thimchhu, Parochhu, and Ammochhu rivers. These traditional methods remain vital for local monitoring, particularly in areas where automated systems have not yet been installed.

The NCHM continues to enhance Bhutan’s early warning capabilities by integrating digital technologies, improving data sharing between agencies, and conducting community awareness programs. These efforts aim to strengthen national preparedness and safeguard lives and livelihoods against the increasing threat of glacial lake outburst floods caused by the changing climate.

“All EWS in the country are currently facing financial constraints in implementing more advanced systems and are seeking international funding support for infrastructure improvements,” Dupchu said. He explained that while existing EWS have proven effective in providing timely alerts, the need for modernization has become increasingly urgent due to changing climate patterns and the growing risk of disasters such as flash floods, GLOFs, and landslides. The lack of sufficient funds has limited the ability to upgrade equipment, expand network coverage, and integrate cutting-edge technologies like satellite-based monitoring and real-time data transmission.

He emphasized that strengthening EWS is vital to enhancing national resilience and safeguarding communities living in vulnerable areas. International partnerships and financial support are seen as key to advancing Bhutan’s early warning infrastructure and ensuring that local systems remain robust, reliable, and capable of addressing emerging climate-related challenges.