Speakers in a function here said early warning systems can help the people of flood prone areas reduce loss of life and properties during the emergency.

“Due to the geographical location the people of four upazilas- Sundarganj, Sadar,   Fulchhari and Saghata ones face repeated floods every year creating untold sufferings to them. If the people of flood prone areas are made aware about early warning system , the amount of losses would undoubtedly reduce. Taking this view, the community people of the flood prone areas and other stakeholders are being informed through flood forecasting messages over mobile phone to check the losses.

In this context, the identifying gaps in existing multihazard early warning systems can make effective more in reducing amount of losses”, they also said.

They made the comments while they were addressing a consultation workshop on identifying gaps in existing multihazard early warning system at the conference room of SKS Inn located at Radhakrishnapur area, a suburb of the district town, this noon.

RIMES, an intergovernmental institution for building capacity in the generation and application of user relevant early warning, arranged the workshop under the project of Child Centered Anticipatory Action for Better Preparedness of Communities and Local Institutions in Northern and Coastal areas of Bangladesh being implemented by Save the children in partnership with SKS Foundation with the financial support of German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) Multi hazard Anticipatory Action Initiatives in Bangladesh.

Deputy Director of local government division here Md. Shariful Islam attended the function and addressed it as the chief guest and executive engineer of department of public health engineering district livestock officer Shayhan Ali, district livestock officer AbdurRazzakdistrict primary education officer Nobez Uddin and deputy director of department of women affairs here Nargis Jahan spoke at the event as the special guests while district relief and rehabilitation officer Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman presided over the ceremony that was moderated by project manager Md. Jalal Uddin.

In the function, the participants being divided into four groups identified the gaps and gave their recommendations to make the early warning systems operative and successful.

Earlier, the power point presentations were done by senior project officer of RIMES Tanjilur Rahman and sub divisional engineer of Flood Forecasting Warning Center of Bangladesh Water Development Board ParthoProtimBorua.

A good number of multistakeholders including journalists coming from all upazilas of the district attended the workshop.