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1 February 2016 Knowledge Sharing for Disaster Risk Reduction: Insights from a Glacier Lake Workshop in the Ladakh Region, Indian Himalayas
Naho Ikeda, Chiyuki Narama, Sonam Gyalson
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Small glacier lakes are distributed in the Ladakh Range in northwestern India. This area has experienced several glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs) since the 1970s, damaging settlements along streams. To reduce GLOF risk through a knowledge-based approach focused on nonstructural measures, we held a workshop in May 2012 for residents of Domkhar Village in the northwestern part of the Ladakh Range. More than 100 villagers participated in the workshop, which conveyed useful disaster information to participants while enabling the researchers to understand local knowledge and beliefs about floods. A survey conducted 3 months later confirmed an improvement in residents’ knowledge of natural disasters. The researchers also learned useful lessons, such as the need to adjust the program design for diverse participants and the importance of clearly communicating disaster risks and supporting local residents’ attempts to incorporate new scientific knowledge into existing local knowledge. Challenges to implementing flood countermeasures in this area included problems relating to land use and emergency communications and the need for coordination of efforts by the government and local residents.

International Mountain Society
Naho Ikeda, Chiyuki Narama, and Sonam Gyalson "Knowledge Sharing for Disaster Risk Reduction: Insights from a Glacier Lake Workshop in the Ladakh Region, Indian Himalayas," Mountain Research and Development 36(1), 31-40, (1 February 2016). https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-15-00035.1
Received: 1 November 2015; Accepted: 1 December 2015; Published: 1 February 2016
KEYWORDS
disaster preparedness
disaster risk reduction
Glacier lake outburst flood
Indigenous knowledge
Ladakh
local community
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