A UNDP Advisor Puts Forward Flood Preparedness Strategies in Response to Climate Change
Amid warnings of the effects of climate change, flood maps and early warning systems could be introduced to make Kazakh people safer from future flood disasters, said Hubert Lohr, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) international advisor for water resources management in an interview with The Astana Times.
Crucial measures such as reconstructing flood defenses, creating risk maps, enhancing emergency response and communication systems, and ensuring infrastructure resilience are vital to bolster Kazakhstan's ability to manage natural disasters effectively in the future.
The widespread devastation caused by floods across six regions of Kazakhstan this spring, displacing hundreds of thousands of people, served as a stark reminder of the urgent necessity for disaster preparedness. Consequently, flood prevention strategies are now a top priority in Kazakhstan and will be further refined to address specific needs.
“My role here is to give technical advice,” said Lohr. “We analyze together with the Ministry [of Water Resources and Irrgation], with the UNDP, with experts in the country and discuss things: how they went in the past and what needs to be done in the next few years. The ministry has initiated a so-called Action Plan or a Water Concept that is quite comprehensive, I have to say. It’s not only addressing flood, it’s also addressing drought situation and water use efficiency.”(Source:astanatimes)
