Sirens installed in Talgaun to provide early warning of floods

Manang. The Human Development and Community Services Center (HDCS) has installed a flood warning siren in Talgaun, Naso Rural Municipality-1, to protect the residents of the coastal area of Marsyangdi River from natural disasters. They are happy to say that after installing sirens in Talgaun at a cost of Rs. 2.6 million in collaboration with the rural municipality and HDCS, the local people will be saved from disasters.

On Asad 1, 2078 BS, there was heavy rain in Manang. The floods that came with the rain made many locals on the banks of the Marsyangdi River homeless. The villagers were forced to live under tents for a long time after the floods damaged them. The floods caused the most damage to Talgaun of Nason Rural Municipality-1. According to Minrasi Gurung, ward chairperson of Nason-1, there are 63 families in Talgaun.

As the settlement is located along the banks of the Marsyangdi River, most of the houses here were flooded. The residents of Talgaun, who have lost millions of rupees in repeated floods, are happy that they will now be informed before a disaster strikes. Ward Chairman Minrasi Gurung expressed happiness, saying that after the installation of sirens, the villagers will be able to sleep peacefully during the rainy season.

## An early warning siren has been installed to protect Talgaun, which borders Lamjung, from disasters, informed Shobha Thakuri, a psychosocial consultant at HDCS. According to her, a device placed in the water tap of Nason-8 will measure the water level in the Marsyangdi River.

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##The siren will start sounding as soon as the automatic device indicates that the Marsyangdi River has crossed the danger level, Thakuri said. The siren has been placed so that it can be heard throughout Talgaun. He mentioned that arrangements have been made to send danger signals through mobile SMS along with the siren.

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##Even if the electricity supply is cut off or the internet is shut down, the villagers will be informed about the danger through Katuwal. Thakuri informed that arrangements have been made to move to a safe place. Coordination has been made with the Marsyangdi Youth Club in the local village to use the local football field for the safe place.

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## Even during the previous inundation, the water had not reached the surface of the water in that place. After the siren was installed, a one-day training on primary psychosocial support was also provided to local public representatives, mothers’ groups, youth club officials, police and health posts, and local residents.