ICT In Disaster Management

The season of monsoon has begun. It is a double-edged sword for South Asian region. The season brings much-needed rains for agriculture in the region, but it also causes floods and landslides. In Nepal, where most of the arable land are devoid of irrigation facilities, monsoon is indispensable for farmers to grow crops for food. At the same time, rain-fed swollen rivers sweep away bridges and destroy critical infrastructure, cutting settlements off the schools, hospitals, markets and other critical resources. The rains also inundate or wash away farmlands, raising the issue of food security. Inundation and flood force people out of their houses and seek refuge in higher ground.