Dhaka: Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has embarked on a progressive initiative to deliver flood forecasts to residents in flood-prone regions via toll-free SMS (short message service).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the BWDB has made strides in disseminating flood warnings through toll-free SMS, with a letter already sent to Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL) to facilitate this service. This move aims to assist individuals in remote areas, many of whom lack smartphones and internet access, by providing critical flood-related information directly to their mobile phones.
Partho Protim Barua, sub-divisional engineer at BWDB’s Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (FFWC), highlighted the necessity of forming agreements with mobile phone operators to implement the SMS service. Discussions with these operators are currently ongoing. The goal is to ensure that flood forecasts reach marginalized communities in flood-affected areas, enabling them to prepare and reduce the impact of floods.
In 2021, BWDB officially launched a digital flood forecasting system to mitigate disaster impacts. This system, developed in collaboration with a2i, Google, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, sends ‘push notifications’ to residents in flood-prone areas from three days to three hours before a flood event.
Initially piloted in the Brahmaputra and Padma catchments across 14 districts in June 2020, the digital system now operates in 55 districts. FFWC officials report that flood situations are monitored via 127 stations, with advance flood warnings being issued at 55 stations. The system’s capacity allows for SMS notifications to be sent to those in flood risk zones, depending on the predictive capability.
BWDB collaborates with Google, utilizing its topographical data to enhance flood mapping and send ‘push flood notifications’ to vulnerable populations. Flood warnings are also accessible via Google Maps and Google Feed. The joint efforts of BWDB, a2i, Google, and Red Cross societies ensure that flood warnings reach marginalized populations swiftly.
Flooding remains a frequent challenge in Bangladesh, historically causing significant losses. Notable floods occurred in 1951, 1987, 1988, 1998, and during the 2007 South Asian floods. However, Bangladesh’s government has been praised globally for its comprehensive infrastructural and non-infrastructural measures to manage and mitigate flood impacts.