July 2006 Issue No 22

Memorandum of Understanding between ADPC and WHO Regional Offices of WPRO & SEARO, Bangkok, Thailand (23 June)
An MOU was signed between ADPC and WHO through its WHO Regional Office for Southeast Asia (WHO SEARO) and WHO Regional Office for Western Pacific (WHO WPRO) on the Public Health and Emergency Management in Asia and the Pacific (PHEMAP) programme to strengthen national capacities for managing health risks of emergencies in the WHO Southeast and Western Pacific regions.

The MOU aims to:

1. enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes of health human resources at national, sub-national and community level by offering a range of training course and capacity building activities;

2. promote and facilitate regional collaboration and national coordination in health emergency management through the development and implementation of formal and informal networks and other activities;

3. contribute to capacity building in other regions and countries by offering PHEMAP initiatives.

Regional Consultation on Emergency Preparedness and Response:
From Lessons to Action, Bali, Indonesia (27-29 June)
Mr. Jonathan Abrahams, Team Leader of ADPC’s Public Health in Emergencies (PHE) team attended the regional consultation meeting to review the current activities in tsunami-affected and non-tsunami-affected countries. Specifically, the consultation meeting focused on multi-sectoral/agency coordination, community empowerment and capacity building. Discussions led to the evaluations conducted on tsunami response and recovery activities, preparedness and response for other emergencies, further steps to take lessons to action for rehabilitation efforts and capacity building-a view of stakeholders and finally, strategy for intensified capacity building for emergency preparedness and response based on benchmarks. The regional consultation was in partnership with WHO Regional Office for Southeast Asia.

Business Contingency Plan for Pandemic Avian Influenza
Bangkok, Thailand (29 June)
ADPC’s Public Health in Emergencies (PHE) team attended the one-day meeting on Business Plan for Pandemic Avian Influenza in Bangkok. The objective of the meeting was to stimulate Thai business sector to prepare contingency plan to deal with crisis, especially pandemic avian influenza. The meeting discussed minimizing possible expected social and economy damages and suggestions for business sector to continue operation even in severe pandemic situations. The organizers of the meeting were Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS), APEC Business Advisory Council, Ministry of Public Health and WHO.

Coastal Risk Analysis of Tsunami and Environmental Remediation
Bangkok (30 June)
ADPC was invited to be a member of the working group of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation’s (DDPM) new project, “Tsunami Evaluation System and Tsunami Warning System in Thailand”. The scope of the DDPM project is very similar to ADPC’s Disaster Management Systems (DMS) team’s Coastal Risk Analysis of Tsunamis and Environmental Remediation (CRATER) project, therefore, the DMS team was invited to present the outcomes of the CRATER.

Adapting to Climate Variability and Climate Change: Flood forecast
products now available through CFAB 2 project, Bangladesh (2-11 July)
With the availability of flood forecast products for Bangladesh through the Flood Forecast Technology for Disaster Preparedness in Bangladesh (also known as CFAB II), a senior technical expert from ADPC's Climate Risk Management team was on a mission to Dhaka and other flood-prone districts to ensure that these products are available to various institutions. The CFAB discharge forecasts for two locations (Hardinge Bridge and Bahadurabad) will be incorporated into a flood forecast model currently used by the Flood Forecasting and Warning Center of Bangladesh, Water Development Board. The flood forecasts for key locations within Bangladesh will be made available to the stakeholders from 3 July 2006. CFAB II is implemented with funding support from the USAID mission in Bangladesh and CARE.

During the visit, pilot locations for the project were also selected, site profiling activities was conducted, and finalization of memorandum of understanding with Bangladeshi institutions, who expressed interest in collaborating with ADPC in implementing this project was also undertaken. The technical expert will also present the activities under CFAB II in the Disaster and Emergency Response (DER) group meeting on 5 July at the UN Common Conference Room, IDB Bhaban, Dhaka. The meeting will be attended by representatives from government agencies and several international and nongovernmental organizations.

Adapting to Climate Variability and Climate Change: Enhancing Community Resilience to Natural Disasters in Southeast Asia, Vietnam (6-11 July)
A delegation from ADPC, led by A.R. Subbiah, Director of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team was on a mission to Hanoi and Quang Tri, Vietnam to initiate start-up activities under the DANIDA-funded “Enhancing Community Resilience to Natural Disasters in Southeast Asia” project. Activities during the mission included 1) discussion of project implementation plan for 2006-2007 and the corresponding work plan; 2) constitution of working groups for the project at the national and local levels; and 3) preparation of local level implementation plan for Quang Tri-the project pilot site-with provincial, district, and commune authorities.

Delegation from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Royal Thai Government visit ADPC (6 July)
A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Royal Thai Government visited the ADPC office. ADPC warmly welcomed Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Dr. Krit Kraichitti, Director-General, Dr. Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Director-General, Mr. Peerasak Chantavarin, Deputy Director-General, Miss Angsana Sihapitak, Director, Mr Sethapan Krajangwongs, Counsellor and Miss Mattanee Kaewpanya. They were given an overview on “Establishing End-to-End Tsunami Early Warning System within a Multi-Hazard Framework in Indian Ocean and South East Asia”. They were also briefed on over-all ADPC programs, projects and activities.

Regional Multi-Hazard Early Warning system:
Developing Coastal Community Resilience Guidebook, USA (11-17 July)
Working as Program Integrator for the US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) program, a senior representative from ADPC's Climate Risk Management team will represent ADPC in the Coastal Community Resilience (CCR) meeting on CCR Guidebook Development in Hawaii, USA. With the broad goal of agreeing on the elements of coastal resilience and ways of implementing CCR initiatives in the near future, the meeting is expected to result in the development of content materials and toolbox for the first draft of the CCR Guidebook. In addition, the meeting agenda includes planning for future national-level activities for getting feedback on the draft CCR Guidebook. The preliminary CCR guidebook will be shared with the regional and national level experts and partners for comments in late August this year.

Regional Multi-Hazard Early Warning System: 10 countries to participate in ADPC-facilitated regional early warning meeting, Bangkok (12-14 July)
ADPC, in partnership with the Royal Thai Government, and with support from the Danish International Development Agency, US Agency for International Development, and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, will convene a meeting on “Regional Cooperation on Early Warning for Preparedness and Mitigation of Natural Hazards.” The meeting will bring together the 10 countries that committed to participate in the ADPC-facilitated regional multi-hazard early warning arrangement namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

UNEP’s Environmental Recovery Program (12-13 July)
ADPC conducted a session on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Environmental Management under UNEP’s “Environmental Recovery Program to support Environmental Information for Early Warning” in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

Adapting to Climate Variability and Climate Change: Projects to demonstrate livelihood adaptation to climate change, Bangladesh (15 -19 July)
A senior technical expert from ADPC's Climate Risk Management team will be in Dhaka and Rajshahi, Bangladesh to visit the demonstration sites under the Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change project and to identify additional adaptation options for field demonstrations during the next season. The field demonstration activities are being implemented by CRM in partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Bangladesh’s Department of Agricultural Extension.

Adapting to Climate Variability and Climate Change: Documentation of community-based flood forecasting system, Philippines (17-21 July)
A senior technical expert from ADPC's Climate Risk Management team and Anthony Lucero, a meteorologist from PAGASA-the Philippine national meteorological agency will be on mission to Dumangas, Iloilo, Philippines to document the processes and mechanisms involved in setting up the community-based flood forecasting system in the municipality. Dumangas has been an important ADPC partner since 1998 and is one of the pilot demonstration sites for the ongoing USAID-Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance-funded “Climate Forecast Applications for Disaster Mitigation” program. The team will also meet Iloilo’s Provincial Agricultural Officer to give him a briefing of the Climate Field School program that has been pilot tested in three sub-districts in Indramayu District, West Java, Indonesia in 2003 and replicated in other sites. Their mission will wrap up by visiting the neighboring province of Antique to collect rainfall data, which will be used for PAGASA’s tool development activities under the CFA program.

Regional Multi-Hazard Early Warning System: Exchange students
from USA visit ADPC (17-18 July)
A senior representative from ADPC's Climate Risk Management team will give a presentation about the US IOTWS program to 25 students from the United States who will be visiting Thailand under the Partnership for Youth (P4Y) in Building Disaster Resilient Communities-an international exchange program for US and Thai students. The Partnership for Youth Program will bring U.S. and Thai high school students together to form a Blue Ribbon Panel that will study the role of youth in building disaster-resilient communities. The students will meet with US and Thai experts in disaster preparedness and relief as well as government officials and civic leaders responsible for disaster management to examine best practices and to explore comparative governance, civic participation, and accountability in disaster response and management. P4Y is a collaborative undertaking of the East West Center, Hawaii, PDC, and Civic Mosaic program. It is being supported by the U.S. State Department as part of its Linking Individuals, Knowledge, and Culture Initiative.

ADPC signs MoU with NECTEC, Bangkok (21 July)
ADPC will sign an MoU with the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC), Thailand Science Park that will be followed by a press conference. Among other activities, the Emergency and Education Communication Vehicle Project (E2CV) will be highlighted.

Landslide/Flashflood Study, Thailand (20-23 July)
Mr. NMSI Arambepola, Director of ADPC’s Urban Disaster Risk Management will lead a team from UDRM to Mae Hong Son province to study the impacts of the landslide and flash floods.

Regional Multi-Hazard Early Warning System:
ADPC to participate in the development of Tsunami Institute (25 July)
As Program Integrator for the US IOTWS program, Mr. A.R. Subbiah, Director with a senior technical expert of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) will represent ADPC for the development of the Tsunami Institute meeting. The meeting will discuss the curriculum for training professionals who will be involved in running a tsunami early warning system. Preliminary course works cover an array of topics including tide gauge management, tsunami, DART platform management, and inundation modeling. US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) will participate in the meeting.

Regional Multi-Hazard Early Warning System: ADPC to coordinate national-level Coastal Community Resilience activities in India and Sri Lanka (July-August)
A senior technical expert of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team will be on mission to Tamil Nadu, India and Colombo and Southern Sri Lanka in late July and mid-August, respectively to coordinate national level activities in connection with the Coastal Community Resilience (CCR) project under the US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System program (IOTWS). During the mission, he will develop dialogue with local stakeholders and conduct planning of country activities under the CCR project. Preparatory activities for upcoming national workshops and collaborations with local stakeholders will also be carried out. In India, the CCR program is being undertaken in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the US Agency for International Development mission in Chennai. Mr. A.R. Subbiah is expected to participate in the mission to India. In Sri Lanka, Indra Ranasinghe, the US IOTWS national coordinator for Sri Lanka, will assist in this mission. Significant collaboration for CCR activities will be made with the UNDP Sri Lanka, Disaster Management Center, and other partners.

Regional Multi-Hazard Early Warning System: ADPC to assess disaster risk management policy and institutional framework, Sri Lanka (6-12 August)
A senior technical expert of ADPC's Climate Risk Management (CRM) team will be on mission to Sri Lanka in order to conduct an assessment of Sri Lanka’s disaster risk management policy and institutional framework. The assessment is expected to identify gaps and possible interventions through the US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System program (IOTWS) program. This activity follows the secondary review of existing resources on Sri Lankan policies and institutional arrangements, which is being conducted between 3-31 July, and will be based

Forthcoming Activities

Workshop on Damage and Loss Estimation for Recovery Planning (9-11 August)
Under the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV)-The SNV project, a workshop on Damage and Loss Estimation for Recovery Planning is planned in collaboration with the State Government of Tamil Nadu, India.

Community workshop Philippines
(9-13 August)
Mr. NMSI Arambepola, Director of ADPC’s Urban Disaster Risk Management team is scheduled to participate in the community workshop in Dagupan city, Philippines. Discussion on course development and Training on Governance and DRM is also planned.

Meeting with partners Dr. Gonzales University of Philippines, National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) and National Disaster Coordinating Council, Office of Civil Defence (NDCC/OCD) under the Asian Program for Regional Capacity Enhancement for Landslide Impact Mitigation (RECLAIM) project is also planned.