Disaster Mitigation
in Asia

31 July 2006 
Issue No. 37

The Program for Hydro-meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE), funded by USAID/OFDA, commenced from October 2005. Through consultations with a number of ADPC partners, five project countries have been selected – Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam – for implementing demonstration projects in each country in a highly vulnerable city with recent history of hydro-meteorological disasters. Other components of the program consist of capacity building, risk management advocacy, networking and dissemination initiatives in the selected countries. The objective of the program is to contribute towards reduction of vulnerability of urban communities through enhanced preparedness and mitigation of hydro-meteorological disasters in South and Southeast Asia. The implementation of city demonstration projects are expected to continue during July to September 2006.

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES for July and August 2006:

• BANGLADESH - BDPC is continuing its implementation activities, especially the ward sensitization meetings. It sent a senior staff member for training on Community-Based Disaster Risk Management held in Thailand, July 17 to 28, 2006.

• PAKISTAN - AKPBS,P is continuing the implementation activities. It Disaster-based Risk Management Training on July 1 and 2, 2006. It also sent a staff member for training on Community-Based Disaster Risk Management held in Thailand, July 17 to 28, 2006. The .

• PHILIPPINES - CDP helped arrange a meeting on June 27, 2006 in Rosales, Pangasinan of Dagupan City's Technical Working Group (TWG) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration (PAG-ASA) Flood Control.PAG-ASA's Chief Engineer Ladislao and staff gave an orientation regarding flood flow, flood telemeter stations, and the relay of information from the stations to the concerned cities and municipalities. Chief Ladislao was able to suggest improvement on the TWG's design for flood markers. CDP hosted the project visit of Mr. Arambepola, taking him to the selected barangays, and meeting with Dagupan City officials. The work on the Disaster Information Management System has begun with an orientation on Geographic Information Systems and its application for flood evacuation route planning. CDP also participated in Dagupan City's Disaster Preparedness Day and Disaster Awareness Week, which included an Academic Olympics featuring Orations, a disaster preparedness slogan competition, and painting competition. The project was featured several times in the local radio station, local newspaper, and in an online newspaper of Philippine Canadian relations. To read the online article, click here: http://www.positivenewsmedia.ca/artman/
  publish/article_3734.shtml.

• SRI LANKA - Sarvodaya is continuing the implementation activities, especially setting up a hazard mapping activity with the National Building Research Organization. On July 14, Sarvodaya held a workshop on PROMISE for all Kalutara stakeholders.

• VIET NAM - CECI focused on finalization of PVA and baseline surveys and other preparation works for actual project implementation including revising materials used for training. The progress report was submitted in mid July for Component 1, including results of PVA, baseline surveys, reports on the Inception workshop and capacity assessment of local trainers. They are currently revising CBDRM material. For next month, the activities include a review and modification of the Project Implementation Project, establish district and wards committees and hold an orientation session for the district and wards committees.

A. FROM THE REGION

(1) Deadly tsunami, July 17, 2006, Indonesia

(based on the USGS report)

A major earthquake occurred 225 km (140 miles) NE of Christmas Island or 355 km (220 miles) S of Jakarta, Java, Indonesia at 2:19 AM MDT, July 17, 2006 (3:19 PM local time in Indonesia). The earthquake generated a tsunami wave that killed at least 525 people killed, injured 383 and destroyed many buildings. The tsunami wave heights where reported at 5.0 meters (m) at Pangandaran Beach, 3.0 m at Cipatuja, and 0.6 m at Christmas Island.

(2) Deadly typhoon, July 12 to 14, 2006, Philippines

(based on CNN and the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Tropical storm Bilis became a full-fledged typhoon with winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 150 kph. The typhoon killed at least nine people in the northern Philippines, dumped heavy rains and shut down schools and offices. Schools in six regions, including Baguio and the capital, Manila, were closed for a second day, while parts of Metro Manila were flooded. The hardest-hit area in the Philippines was Baguio City, 210 kilometers north of Manila. The National Disaster Coordination Council reported that a landslide killed a man, a series of landslides and flash floods drowned a 7-year-old girl and buried a 4-year-old boy, authorities said. Other casualties included a woman drowned in Ilocos Norte province, a mother and her children died when a tree collapsed on their shanty in Manila, and a 10-year-old boy drowned in Quezon City.

(3) Cyclone in Ratnapura District, July 3, 2006, Sri Lanka

(based on a brief report by Sarvodaya)

A cyclone hit Halpe and Pabahinna villages. It damaged 40 houses, and 4 of houses are completely destroyed by the cyclone in Balangoda in Ratnapura district.

(4) US$5 Million Grant Approved for Livelihoods of Tsunami-Affected Poor in India

ADB has approved a US$5 million grant to help fishing communities and others affected by the December 2004 tsunami in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, India, to restore and diversify their livelihood. Read the full story at:

http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/10243-India-livelihood/default.asp.

(5) Pilot Project Putting Piped Water on Tap for Urban Poor, Philippines

ADB has initiated in the Philippines a regional pilot project to ensure speedy delivery of piped in fresh water to urban areas using small-piped water networks. Read the full story at: http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2006/10235-Philippines-piped-water/default.asp .

B. CALLS FOR SUBMISSION

(6) Request for Submissions on Natural Disasters and Poverty

An upcoming issue of the "Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy" will focus on the relationship between natural disasters and poverty. The journal invites the submission of articles on this topic related to Hurricane Katrina, as well as other natural disasters, both domestic and international. All articles should be submitted on or before August 1, 2006. Additional information about the journal and submission guidelines can be found att: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/journals/poverty/. Questions should be directed to Wendy Heller at (317) 490-1666 or wrh7@law.georgetown.edu.

(7) 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Disaster Medicine. Tokyo, Japan: November 20-22, 2006

The theme of this conference is "Global Collaboration for Disaster Response." Topics include governmental and nongovernmental collaboration in major disasters, new technologies in disaster relief and management, responding to pandemic emergencies, and more. The deadline to submit abstracts is August 1, 2006. For further information, e-mail 8apcdm@covention.co.jp: http://www2.convention.co.jp/8apcdm/.

(8) 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Disaster Medicine. Tokyo, Japan: November 20-22, 2006

Under a cooperative agreement established with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) is pleased to offer the 2007 Professional Fellowship to provide an opportunity for practicing professional to gain greater skills and broader expertise in earthquake hazards reduction. The deadline to apply is September 5, 2006. More information on the fellowship is available on EERI's Web site at: http://www.eeri.org/home/fellowships_professional.html. Candidates may obtain an application form from EERI, 499 14th Street, Suite 320, Oakland, CA 94612; (510)451-0905; eeri@eeri.org; http://www.eeri.org/home/Profell_application.pdf.

C.   CONFERENCES AND COURSES

(9) Mitigating Violence Against Women in Disasters. Denver, Colorado: August 14, 2006

Organizer: University of Colorado Center on Domestic Violence. Topics addressed will include factors that put girls and women at increased risk in disasters, violence against women in disaster contexts internationally, lessons learned by previous disaster-impacted service programs, and why women and women's organizations are critical to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Participants may register by mail or e-mail, contact the University of Colorado Center on Domestic Violence at (303) 315-2743 or cdv@cudenver.edu.

(10) National States Geographic Information Council 2006 Annual Conference. Little Rock, Arkansas: October 1-5, 2006

This conference promotes efficient and effective government through the prudent adoption of geospatial information technologies. It includes a Federal Emergency Management Agency map modernization update. For further information, contact the National States Geographic Information Council; (443) 640-1075 x108; diane@ksgroup.org; http://www.nsgic.org/events/2006_conference.cfm.

(11) 2006 International Conference on Disaster Management and Human Security in Africa. Kakamega, Kenya: October 11-14, 2006

Organizers: Centre for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance at Western University College of Science and Technology, Kenya, and Coventry Centre for Disaster Management at Coventry University, United Kingdom. The objective of the conference is to encourage debate on issues of risk management and the disaster cycle, and policy and crisis management in the face of unforeseen disasters and emerging hazards on the African continent. To learn more, contact the Centre for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, Western University College of Science and Technology at cdmha2004@yahoo.com.

(12) The Ravage of the Planet 2006: First International Conference on the Management of Natural Resources, Sustainable Development, and Ecological Hazards. Bariloche, Argentina: December 12-14, 2006

Organizers: Wessex Institute of Technology, United Kingdom, and University of Siena, Italy. This conference is for researchers and professionals involved in ecosystems and environmental problems, as well as technology experts, policy makers, and social and political scientists, and initiate interdisciplinary discussion. For more information, contact Zoey Bluff, Wessex Institute of Technology; +44 (0) 238 029 3223; zbluff@wessex.ac.uk; http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2006/planet06/.

(13) An International Perspective on Environmental and Water Resources. New Delhi, India: December 18-20, 2006

Organizers: Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This conference will feature a wide variety of sessions related to water resources and the environment, such as 2004 Tsunami: Impacts on Water Resources and the Environment, and Socioeconomic Issues in Water Resources Development. For more information, e-mail ewri@asce.org;

 http://www.asce.org/conferences/india06/.

D.   USEFUL RESOURCES

(14) Cities Versus Agriculture: Revisiting Intersectoral Water Transfers, Potential Gains and Conflicts, by Molle and Berkoff

Water demand management, or making better use of the water we have-as opposed to augmenting supply-is increasingly proposed as a way of mitigating water-scarcity problems. This report examines the nature of urban water scarcity and studies commonly-accepted views, the relative importance of both physical and economic scarcity, and how cities secure funds for the development of their water infrastructure (or fail to do so). Water demand management, or making better use of the water we have-as opposed to augmenting supply-is increasingly proposed as a way of mitigating water-scarcity problems. This report examines the nature of urban water scarcity and studies commonly-accepted views, the relative importance of both physical and economic scarcity, and how cities secure funds for the development of their water infrastructure (or fail to do so). The report can be found

here: http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Assessment/Publications/
research_reports.htm.

(15) DFID Online Resources

The UK Department for International Development has online access to their publications. Visit their publications page and enter "disaster" as the keyword for the search engine; the publications page can be found here: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/default.asp. Visit their publications page and enter "disaster" as the keyword for the search engine. They also have an online resource for teachers, complete with lesson plans and posters. Enter "disaster" in the search engine and see what you can find.

(16) ESRI White Paper: GIS and Emergency Management in Tsunami Disaster

Environment Systems Research Institute (ESRI), makers of GIS software, prepared this white paper, "GIS and Emergency Management in Indian Ocean Earthquake/Tsunami Disaster," which addresses the utility of geographic information system (GIS) technology in support of the Indian Ocean tsunami relief efforts. The PDF of the document can be found here: http://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/gis-and-emergency-mgmt.pdf.

(17) Federalism after Hurricane Katrina

This publication aims at providing decision-makers with a range of options to consider for reducing losses associated with flooding. The report is found

here: http://www.urban.org/publications/311344.html.

(18) IBHS Water Damage Recovery Guide

The "Water Damage Recovery Guide" from the Institute for Building and Home Safety (IBHS) offers tips on handling a water-related catastrophe. The guide includes a damage inspection checklist for homeowners and business owners to use after suffering water damage, found here: http://www.ibhs.org/newsroom/view.asp?id=489.

(19) FEMA 526: "Earthquake Safety Checklist"

This booklet from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is designed to help individuals and families plan for and survive a major
earthquake. The PDF of the booklet can be found at: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/earthquake/pdf/fema-526.pdf.

(20) Growing Better Cities by Luc J.A. Mougeot

Throughout the developing world, municipal policymakers are waking to the fact that properly managed urban agriculture can make a major contribution to a city's food security. This book reviews the research experience of IDRC and its partners into the issues surrounding urban agriculture. It describes the growth of city networks in Africa and Latin America that focus on accommodating urban agriculture and improving the lot of urban food producers. It offers specific recommendations aimed at helping policymakers at all levels of government to maximize the potential of urban agriculture. Download the book

here: http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-95297-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html.

(21) ISDR-BIBLIO 1 - Tsunami

ISDR-BIBLIO is a bibliographic compilation of publications available at the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) System Library and related to a specific hazard or aspect of disaster reduction. The first edition is a catalog of major academic, technical, and scientific publications on tsunamis as well as reports produced by United Nations agencies. This is in commemoration of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Download the PDF of the bibliography

here: http://www.unisdr.org/eng/library/biblio/isdr-%20biblio-1-tsunami-2006.pdf.

(22) Shaping Livable Cities: Stories of Progress Around the World

Shaping Livable Cities documents real-world examples of successful efforts to promote sustainable and equitable development, and to make a particular community, city or group of cities healthier and better places to live. Download the book here: http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-98851-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html.

(23) U.S. National Response Plan update

The United States has updated its National Response Plan last May 25, 2006. The plan establishes a comprehensive all-hazards approach to enhance the ability of the United States to manage domestic incidents. The updates incorporate the experiences from hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita. To read the report

please go to: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0566.xml.

(24) WB Discussion paper on social protection

The has a paper on the role of social protection and the formation of a strategy against natural disasters. The link to the paper can be found here: paper.