Ncell helps in reducing loss of property through flood related SMS

Every year, Ncell has been contributing to reducing the loss of people’s property by sending SMS alerts about the risk of floods to the people living in places with high risk of floods and landslides. This year, after the start of the rainy season, Ncell has sent more than 4.4 million flood warnings via SMS in the last 2 months.

This year, the areas that have been notified through SMS are Narayani, Kankai, Bagmati, Babai, Rapti, Koshi, Karnali and the coastal areas of the main rivers and the surrounding communities. Ncell, under its Professional Social Responsibility (CAR), has been providing early warning since 2073 in collaboration with the Department of Water and Meteorology.

Under this early warning system collaboration between Ncell and the department, Ncell has been sending hazard warnings through SMS, especially during the rainy season. This early warning system informs people in the danger zone in advance to take their belongings and go to a safe place. Similarly, it helps the organizations involved in disaster prevention and response to do the necessary work in time. Even after the water level returns to normal, people in the area get information via SMS that there is no immediate danger.

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Ncell Jabbor Kayumov said, “Ncell is always committed to serving the Nepali people and community. We are pleased to be able to assist in mitigating floods and the loss of life that may result from them by leveraging our technical expertise and network access to provide timely flood warning.” This collaboration between Ncell and the department has become a shining example of how public-private partnership can do effective work for the masses.”

The Department of Water and Meteorology monitors the level of water in the river through its telemetry stations and provides different SMS content to Ncell based on its risk and accordingly Ncell immediately sends that information to Ncell customers in the designated risk area by SMS with shortcode 1155. 1155 is the toll free number of the Department of Water and Meteorology. By calling it, you can get free information about the water level in the river and the risk of flooding.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division of the Department of Water and Meteorology, since probably all households are within the reach of GSM mobile services, flood risk information through SMS has become one of the effective means of the early warning system.

The department thanked Ncell for their cooperation in this great work. According to the department, apart from public welfare in areas identified as risk areas, organizations involved in disaster risk reduction such as the National Emergency Operations Center are also sent such SMS alerts for necessary preparedness and response.

Last year, under the continuous cooperation between Ncell and the Department, Ncell issued more than 7.8 million such alerts to people living in flood-prone areas. This collaboration, which started in 2073, was signed by Ncell in 2075, making disaster preparedness more effective.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Ncell is always ready to serve the people and the community and the possibilities are being studied to implement early warning system in water and weather related disasters.

In order to further contribute to reducing the loss of human resources through the early warning system, the department has installed new telemetry equipment and expanded hydro meteorological stations and Ncell will continue to provide necessary connectivity facilities to such stations.

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