188
J. Fluixá-Sanmartín et al.
infrastructure and settlements are located within the range of potential GLOFs, the
risk emanating from glacier lakes has to be addressed.
As a major element of an integrated risk management strategy, Early Warning
Systems (EWSs) represent a viable and promising nonstructural tool for mitigating
climate change-related risks (Bulmer and Farquhar 2010; Huggel et al. 2010). It
prevents loss of life and reduces the economic and material impact of disasters. To
be effective, EWS needs to actively involve the communities at risk, facilitate public
education and awareness of risks, effectively disseminate messages and warnings,
and ensure there is constant state of preparedness (ISDR 2006).
Four main interlinked elements of an EWS can be identified (ISDR 2006): (i)
Risk Knowledge through the collection and analysis of data concerning hazards and
vulnerabilities, evacuation routes, etc.; (ii) Monitoring and Warning Service, at the
core of the system, for predicting and forecasting hazards, and for continuously monitoring hazard parameters, which is essential to the generation of accurate warnings
in a timely fashion; (iii) Dissemination and Communication, for warnings must reach
those at risk using predefined national, regional, and community appropriate communication systems; and (iv) Response Capability where education and preparedness
programs play a key role.
EWSs in high-mountain contexts are highly complex systems (Frey et al. 2014;
Schneider et al. 2014). On the one hand, they have to include monitoring sensors and a
communication network for data and voice. On the other hand, they have to establish
clear procedures, define institutional responsibilities and response measures, and
most importantly involve local stakeholders to ensure that adequate actions are taken
according to different warning levels.
In this paper, the main features of the EWS implemented in the Carhuaz region
and the relevant lessons learned from the project are presented.
16.2 Study Region
The Cordillera Blanca, in the tropical Andes of Peru (Fig. 16.1), supplies water to
many towns and cities located in the valley of the Callejon de Huaylas. It is however
also a source of hazards due to the occurrence of ice and rock avalanches, and ensuing
GLOFs which have been historically threatening the population of this area (Carey
et al. 2012). More recently, in April 2010, an overflow of the glacial lake “Laguna
513” (Huaraz, Ancash) was caused by the impact of an avalanche of rock and ice,
which in turn triggered a flood wave that transformed into a debris flow that impacted
downstream areas reaching the city of Carhuaz. Fortunately, nobody was seriously
injured, but damage to property was considerable.
This mountain range has a glacier coverage of more than 500 km
2 (Racoviteanu
et al. 2008), which accounts for about 25% of the world’s tropical glaciers. The glacial
lake “Laguna 513” (4428 m a.s.l., 9° 12
45
S, 77° 33
00
W) formation started in
the early 1970s by filling a basin that was uncovered by the shrinking Glacier 513,
and several smaller lake outbursts took place in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, the
J. Fluixá-Sanmartín et al.
infrastructure and settlements are located within the range of potential GLOFs, the
risk emanating from glacier lakes has to be addressed.
As a major element of an integrated risk management strategy, Early Warning
Systems (EWSs) represent a viable and promising nonstructural tool for mitigating
climate change-related risks (Bulmer and Farquhar 2010; Huggel et al. 2010). It
prevents loss of life and reduces the economic and material impact of disasters. To
be effective, EWS needs to actively involve the communities at risk, facilitate public
education and awareness of risks, effectively disseminate messages and warnings,
and ensure there is constant state of preparedness (ISDR 2006).
Four main interlinked elements of an EWS can be identified (ISDR 2006): (i)
Risk Knowledge through the collection and analysis of data concerning hazards and
vulnerabilities, evacuation routes, etc.; (ii) Monitoring and Warning Service, at the
core of the system, for predicting and forecasting hazards, and for continuously monitoring hazard parameters, which is essential to the generation of accurate warnings
in a timely fashion; (iii) Dissemination and Communication, for warnings must reach
those at risk using predefined national, regional, and community appropriate communication systems; and (iv) Response Capability where education and preparedness
programs play a key role.
EWSs in high-mountain contexts are highly complex systems (Frey et al. 2014;
Schneider et al. 2014). On the one hand, they have to include monitoring sensors and a
communication network for data and voice. On the other hand, they have to establish
clear procedures, define institutional responsibilities and response measures, and
most importantly involve local stakeholders to ensure that adequate actions are taken
according to different warning levels.
In this paper, the main features of the EWS implemented in the Carhuaz region
and the relevant lessons learned from the project are presented.
16.2 Study Region
The Cordillera Blanca, in the tropical Andes of Peru (Fig. 16.1), supplies water to
many towns and cities located in the valley of the Callejon de Huaylas. It is however
also a source of hazards due to the occurrence of ice and rock avalanches, and ensuing
GLOFs which have been historically threatening the population of this area (Carey
et al. 2012). More recently, in April 2010, an overflow of the glacial lake “Laguna
513” (Huaraz, Ancash) was caused by the impact of an avalanche of rock and ice,
which in turn triggered a flood wave that transformed into a debris flow that impacted
downstream areas reaching the city of Carhuaz. Fortunately, nobody was seriously
injured, but damage to property was considerable.
This mountain range has a glacier coverage of more than 500 km
2 (Racoviteanu
et al. 2008), which accounts for about 25% of the world’s tropical glaciers. The glacial
lake “Laguna 513” (4428 m a.s.l., 9° 12
45
S, 77° 33
00
W) formation started in
the early 1970s by filling a basin that was uncovered by the shrinking Glacier 513,
and several smaller lake outbursts took place in the 1980s. In the early 1990s, the