Govt developing disaster information management system

Kathmandu : The Ministry of Home Affairs is working to develop a comprehensive and integrated Disaster Information Management System for the purpose of information-based disaster risk reduction and response.

According to the MoHA, the DIMS will help all agencies coordinate with one another to carry out disaster management activities in a faster, easier and more effective manner. “The DIMS will be used as a common platform in disaster management,” it said.

A letter sent by the MoHA to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration read that the replica of DIMS would be used by all provincial governments and local levels for internal information management and transmission of external information.

“Once the DIMS is put in place, the provincial and local levels need not develop separate information system. It will also save time and resources,” the MoHA said. The DIMS will assist all three tiers of government in sharing early warning information, risk mapping, warehousing of search and rescue materials and emergency operation, and maintain records of disaster-related incidents.

The MoHA said it would give final shape to the DIMS by the end of March and bring it into use after holding discussion with provincial and local levels and other stakeholders.

As many as 275 persons, including 123 females, were killed and 2,491 injured in various disasters throughout the country during the period from mid-April to mid-October.

According to statistics of National Emergency Operation Centre at the Ministry of Home Affairs, a total of 5,179 families were affected by the disasters which completely destroyed 1,559 houses and damaged 1,178 others. Estimated loss caused by the disasters is around Rs 2.61 billion.

Landslide emerged as the deadliest disaster in terms of casualties during the period. As per the statistics, as many as 814 cases of fire were reported during the period and they destroyed property worth around Rs 2.34 billion. Fires topped the chart in terms of loss of property.

According to Nepal Disaster Report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, as many as 40,037 people lost their lives, 79,702 were injured and 5,947,268 families affected as a result of disasters between 1971 and 2016. The average annual deaths are 890. Women, children and people in vulnerable situations were disproportionately affected.