US Aid Cut Halts Nepal Disaster Warning Project
Summary
US aid cuts have halted the SERVIR-Himalaya project in Nepal, disrupting work on disaster risk monitoring and early warning systems for landslides and floods. Experts warn the region remains highly vulnerable as rising temperatures and glacier melt increase the danger of future calamities.
Key Points
- US government aid suspension has stopped Project SERVIR-Himalaya in Nepal, including work on flood inundation mapping and landslide forecasting.
- The project, run with NASA, USAID and ICIMOD, used satellite and local environmental data to monitor disaster risks across the Hindu Kush Himalayas.
- Former director Birendra Bajracharya said key monitoring tools, including a slope motion detection system, could not be completed because of the funding cut.
- Experts including Marco Tedesco warned that the Himalayas will continue to face rising risks from glacier collapse, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods.
