Changing flood patterns in the Hindu Kush Himalayas are challenging early warning systems and disaster preparedness efforts. The region faces multiple threats, including riverine floods, glacial lake outburst floods, and avalanches.
South and East Asia account for 70% of the world’s 1.81 billion people exposed to flood risks, according to a 2022 World Bank study. Despite embankments, flood protection measures, and rainfall warnings, communities remain vulnerable to increasingly unpredictable disasters. Incorporating indigenous knowledge into scientific early warning systems could help strengthen local preparedness.
Source: Down To Earth