KATHMANDU: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has announced a detailed emergency action plan aimed at minimizing potential loss of life and property from disasters during the upcoming monsoon season.

The department stated that it will strengthen weather forecasting, flood forecasting, and early warning systems while ensuring round-the-clock (24/7) operations throughout the monsoon period.

Acting Director General Archana Shrestha said that both the Weather Forecasting Division and the Flood Forecasting Division will remain fully active 24 hours a day during the season.

According to her, regular three-day weather forecasts will be issued daily at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. In special situations, advanced warning bulletins will be released three to five days in advance. She added that risk-based color-coded warning maps will also be published to provide timely information about hazardous weather conditions such as heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and snowfall.

Shrestha further informed that real-time data collected from automated hydrometeorological stations across the country will be made publicly available through the department’s official website.

For flood risk reduction, the department will issue flood forecasts three days in advance for major rivers including the Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali, Bagmati, Babai, and West Rapti rivers.

For smaller rivers prone to flash floods, warnings will be issued two to six hours in advance. In the event of widespread flood risk across the country, forecasts may be issued up to five days ahead.

She also said that the SMS-based early warning system has been strengthened to ensure timely alerts reach local levels in identified risk areas. Free SMS alerts will be sent via Nepal Telecom and Ncell to residents in affected areas, local representatives, and concerned agencies.

The department will also operate a toll-free hotline (1155) throughout the monsoon season, providing flood-related information via 1155-2 and weather updates via 1155-1, available 24 hours a day.

In addition, bulletins and alerts will be regularly disseminated through the official website, social media platforms (X and Facebook), and email services.

To strengthen the early warning system, priority information will be shared with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, and the National Emergency Operation Center.

In special circumstances, public awareness will also be raised through press releases to ensure timely communication with the general public.

KATHMANDU: The hilly and Himalayan regions are generally cloudy in different parts of the country at present.

The Weather Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, stated that the hilly region of the Koshi Province, along with the Himalayan regions of Bagmati and Gandaki provinces, will be generally cloudy today.

The remaining hilly and Himalayan regions of the country will be partly cloudy, and the Terai region will have mainly fair weather.

There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at a few places in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the Koshi Province, as well as at one or two places in the Himalayan regions of Bagmati and Gandaki provinces, the Division mentioned.

Later tonight, the weather in Terai belt will be generally fair, while the Himalayan regions of Koshi and Gandaki provinces will be generally cloudy, and the hilly and Himalayan regions of the other provinces will be partly cloudy.

At present, there is a partial influence of feeble Western and local winds in Nepal, according to the Department.