Asia has more than its fair share of natural disasters, and floods account for 40 per cent of the natural hazards affecting the region. Every year, floods cause colossal loss of lives and properties, which severely setback the development process. The recent climate change, global warming, rapid urbanization and socio-economic disparity are making the world, particularly Asia, vulnerable to floods. The need to combat the perennial problem of floods and resultant destruction has been at the forefront concern for most Asian nations, which calls for a proactive approach in establishing disaster risk reduction regime for safer and sustainable development.

The International Training Course on Flood Disaster Risk Management in a changing climate (FDRM) has been designed to achieve the goal of creating flood resilient society. With rich experiences in providing similar courses for natural disaster mitigation at international level, ADPC provides a model training experience in this course by integrating study materials, case studies, audio visual tools, field visits and interactive learning strategies. The course also presents flood preparedness and mitigation experience from severely affected countries like Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka and many other continents such as Africa.

By completing the FDRM, participants will learn how to:

• Discuss dynamics of flood risk in a changing climate
• Evaluate the extent of flood risk and vulnerability and assess the capacity to response
• Develop comprehensive strategies for flood risk management in a changing climate
• Apply climate smart structural and non-structural measures for flood risk mitigation
• Develop preparedness and response plans for effective flood risk reduction
• Integrate flood recovery programs with flood risk management strategies
• Address cross-cutting issues in flood risk management

FDRM course offers an integrated approach to the development of flood risk reduction strategies, which enables a holistic view of flood risk and required measures for flood risk reduction. The course combines a unique blend of theoretical knowledge and practical exercises from international and local flood risk management experience. The course is divided into seven modules as follows:

MODULE 1: Introduction to Integrated Flood Risk Management

• Basic concepts and terminologies in disaster risk management
• Hydro-meteorological hazards, their formation and predictability
• Flood disaster situation in Asia
• Natural catastrophes occurrence in Asiaand the globalnature and causes of floods and secondary hazards
  
  

MODULE 2: Climate Change and Impending Flood Risk

• Concept of climate change and global warming
• Climate change and flood vulnerability challenges in implementing flood risk reduction interventions under challenging circumstances of climate change
• Developing climate outlook/scenario and finding option for adaptation toclimate change

MODULE 3: Flood Risk Assessment

• Basic principles and aspects of flood assessment
• Process of flood vulnerability and capacities assessment
• Process of flood risk assessment
• Community-based flood risk assessment

MODULE 4: Flood Risk Mitigation

• Concept and importance of flood plain management for flood risk mitigation
• Tools for flood plan management
• Climate smart structural interventions and its importance on flood risk mitigation
• Flood-proofing in a multi-hazard environment
• Integrated watershed management in a changing climate: a non-structural intervention for flood risk mitigation
• Urban and rural development planning for flood risk reduction
• Public awareness and capacity building for flood risk reduction

MODULE 5: Flood Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning Process

• Flood disaster preparedness framework
• Flood Contingency Planning Process
• Flood forecasting and early warning systems
• Flood emergency management
• Flood evacuation process
• Flood search and rescue

MODULE 6: Flood Recovery Planning & Implementation

• Concepts of flood recovery planning & implementation
• Flood damage and need assessment
• Guidelines for sustainable recovery programs

MODULE 7: Crosscutting Issues

• Economics of flood risk management
• Financial tools for flood risk reduction
• Relevant issues on trans-boundary, governance and gender

Note: The above contents are shown for guidance only. ADPC’s ongoing course improvement process may lead to some changes in topics and structure.

This course is particularly useful for those concerned with the flood disaster risk management. It is open to all countries. Participation of decision makers, decision-makers, elected and appointed national and local administrators, the development and planning authorities, water engineers and flood control professionals, officials in urban planning, housing, public works, and water resource and management is especially encouraged. The course is of a certain benefit to private land developers, personnel from emergency response, UN, and other international agencies, or NGOs working on disaster mitigation. As course participants come from a diverse range of countries and organizations, and the class size is limited to 30 persons, ADPC accepts nomination on a “first come, first served” basis provided the applicant meets the requirement.