Disaster Mitigation
in Asia

31 October 2006
Issue No. 40

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 planning and development of city interventions and of training programs to be delivered in each country by the PROMISE partners should be the main focus from October to December 2006.

PROMISE Activities for October and November 2006:

• BANGLADESH - BDPC staff and partners attended the Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction training course, the Working Group Meeting in Manila, and the study trip in Dagupan. BDPC is continuing the ward sensitization meetings, and the formation of ward disaster risk management committees.
• PAKISTAN - AKPBS,P staff and partners attended the Working Group Meeting in Manila, and the study trip in Dagupan. AKPBS,P is finalizing the analysis of the September rainfall data. Hazard mapping and vulnerability assessment was continued in the study areas. The CBDRM material was translated into the local language (Urdu) and the same is being used in community meetings for awareness at mass level. Networking meetings continued with the Taluka Municipal Officer (Latifabad) and with community groups in Ali Abad and Latifabad No. 2. The meeting was to give an orientation on basic disaster concepts, and the purpose and objectives of PROMISE project. Four (4) volunteers from these two communities were identified who will be later trained as medical first responders.
• PHILIPPINES - CDP staff and partners attended the Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction training course, and the Working Group Meeting in Manila. CDP and Dagupan City's Technical Working Group hosted the Dagupan Study Tour of Promise partners (ADPC and USAID) and country coordinators from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Viet Nam. The study tour was to the eight pilot communities (barangays) who each presented different outputs/ activities done for PROMISE-Philippines. The presentations included a skit of the community's preparedness before and after the start of PROMISE-Philippines, vulnerability and risk assessments, hazard maps, preparedness plans, early warning plans, response plans, and evacuation plans. CDP and the TWG conducted the final screening of small-scale mitigation project proposals from the pilot barangays. CDP had a meeting with Dr. Rhodora Gonzalez, Department Chair for Geodetic Engineering at the University of the Philippines. The meeting was to discuss the Disaster Information Management System (DIMS) for Dagupan and the possibility of having her students next semester help Dagupan City in encoding and enhancing it the system. CDP also promoted the PROMISE-Philippines project to other institutions like the Technical Assistance Organization (TAO), Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), Tear Fund and HEEDS, the upcoming Avian Influenza Forum, and the Children and Disaster Risk Management Forum. Promotion was done as lectures or on-site orientation. Activities for next month include a second meeting with Dr. Gonzalez on the DIMS, giving away the flood markers to communities for installation, public awareness activities, and the start of implementation of small-scale mitigation measures.
• SRI LANKA - Sarvodaya staff and partners attended the Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction training course, and the Working Group Meeting in Manila. Sarvodaya is continuing the hazard and vulnerability mapping, with ten communities already in the process of mapping. The ten communities are also developing their respective emergency response plan and mitigation plan. Awareness raising meetings were held in four additional communities. Their partner the National Building Research Organization, has collected primary and secondary data for the hydrological modelling. These activities are expected to continue into the next month.
• VIET NAM - CECI staff and partners attended the Governance and Disaster Risk Reduction training course, the Working Group Meeting in Manila, and the study trip in Dagupan. CECI hosted a visit by Mr Tom Dolan, OFDA officer-in-charge from Bangkok, and Ms Brett Jones from USAID Hanoi on 12 October, and an important visit of the US Ambassador in Vietnam, Mr Micheal Marrine on 18 October 2006. The delegations visited some key project areas, had a talk to local partners as well as beneficiaries from the project, and attended an orientation session for a local ward committee for storm and flood control and a training class on house reinforcement techniques. The orientation was held in the Dong No section of the Hoa Xuan ward where 63 of 66 houses were damaged by the typhoon 06 (international name Xangsane). Thirty-three participants attended, mostly the local masons and other community members; participants had the opportunity to share experiences and learn good building practice to be better prepared for the next typhoon. The CBDRM training manual was sent to the city authority for their approval, and the conduct of the training will be the main activity for November.

(1) Floods displaced 60,000 in Sri Lanka, 28 October 2006

(following text taken from South Asian Media Net; for complete story go to: http://www.southasianmedia.net/index_story.cfm?id=335440&category=Frontend&Country=SRI%20LANKA)

Saturday, Oct. 28 - Floods, landslides and water logging due to heavy rain during the last few days have displaced more than 60,000 people all over the country. The Kalutara District in the south has taken the brunt of the impact with over 25,000 people displaced by Friday. Six persons were killed and about 150 houses were destroyed or severely damaged, with two main rivers, Kaluganga and Kelani Ganga reaching spill level by Friday. The tributaries of the two rivers were also recorded as overflowing.

(2) Bangkok in desperate race to ward off new inundation from Cimaron, 31 October 2006

(based on reports from The Nation, http://www.nationmultimedia.com)

The Royal Irrigation Department is rushing to drain water out of water-retaining fields in Central Thailand in preparation for heavy rains expected to be brought on by approaching Typhoon Cimaron. The irrigation department has diverted huge volumes of floodwater from Thung Phraya Banleau to lower-lying Thung Phra Pimol on the west bank of the Chao Phya between Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani. Water-course levels in Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, and Nakhon Pathom were expected to rise by as much as one metre as a result. Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said water diversion was underway in preparation for high tides in the Gulf of Thailand between November 6 and November 10 and rains from Cimaron (Oct. 31, "Bangkok in desperate race to ward off new inundation").
The economic damage caused by severe floods in several parts of the country since late August is estimated to have totalled Bt17 billion so far, according to the Bank of Thailand (Oct. 22, "Damage is estimated at Bt17 bn"). It has affected 3,169,571 people in 46 provinces, 16 of which were still submerged. Over 100 people were killed, the estimated losses are at Bt334.2 million (Oct. 21, "Floods cause widespread stress"), and over 428,000 people have fallen ill due to water-borne diseases (Oct. 31, "428,000 people fell ill because of floods").
The first bout of flooding took place from August 27 to 31, followed by the September 9-12 floods, the September 18-23 floods, the September 24-26 floods, October 1-3 floods, October 23-25 high tide. .

(3) Xangsane Consolidated Assessment

(based on the original report found here: http://www.ccfsc.org.vn/DMU_En)

From October 2 to 9, a joint assessment team visited 12 communes in Viet Nam in the three provinces most heavily affected by Typhoon No 6 (international name Xangsane), namely Da Nang, Quang Nam and Thu Thien Hue. The team used direct and indirect observation and participatory approaches (group discussions, meetings and household visits) to get data from families. Secondary information collected included reports and baseline data. On 1 October, the typhoon entered Viet Nam packing strong winds at over 137 km/h and rains that cut power and caused widespread devastation and disruption. 1.3 million people are reported to be affected. Total estimated loss is 10,375 billion VND (USD 650 million). Reports from the Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control (CCFSC) on losses incurred in the 15 indicate that 69 people died and two are missing. Huge damage to infrastructure included roads, bridges and electricity posts, as well as to trees and the environment in general. Sunken and damaged boats numbered at 878. In all affected provinces approximately 19,736 houses were collapsed and drifted and 273,744 were damaged or flooded. The joint assessment team included representatives from Viet Nam Government Departments, UN agencies, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGO), local authorities and local communities.

(4) Disasters of January to June 2006

(based on the 6 October 2006 issue of CRED Crunch)

The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) reported that the first semester of 2006 has a significant number of recorded flood disasters, with a total of 113 floods representing an all-time high of 65% of all natural disasters. The first semester average for 1996 to 2005 was 58 floods, representing an average of only 36.5% of all natural disasters.
The disaster that caused the most deaths was the May earthquake in Indonesia, killing 5778 people. The landslide that occurred in the Philippines last February came second with 1112 deaths, and the May typhoon that hit Viet Nam was third.
The disaster that affected the most number of people was the flooding in China from May to June, affecting 12 million people. The floods in Bangladesh last June was in 7th place with 500000 people affected. The typhoon that hit the Philippines in June was in 8th place.
The disaster that caused the most damage was the May earthquake in Indonesia that wrought 3.1 billion US dollars worth of damage. In third place was the typhoon that hit the Philippines in June that caused 645 million US dollars worth of damage.
To view the other data and to read the original article, please visit the CRED publications website at: http://www.em-dat.net/publications.htm.

(5) Call for Papers: Living the Information Society

The Philippine ICT Researchers Network through the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines is hosting an international conference on "Living the Information Society: The Impact of Information and Communication Technologies on People, Work and Communities in Asia" on April 23-24, 2007. The goal of the conference is to support the growth of an Asian community of researchers and practitioners doing work on the effects (social, cultural, psychological, economic, etc.) of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the region. The event is co-sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). E-mail abstracts by November 15, 2006 to research.ict@gmail.com. For inquiries, please send email to research.ict@gmail.com.

C.   CONFERENCES AND COURSES

(6) Community Based Disaster Risk Management. Bangkok, Thailand: January 22 - February 2, 2007

Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The CBDRM course provides an opportunity for practitioners to learn essential skills, acquire tools and obtain knowledge on "how to" design and implement programs for reducing disaster risks and vulnerability and building community capacity to promote a 'culture of safety.' For more information, please contact the Training Resource Group, ADPC; tedadpc@adpc.net.

(7) Disaster Management Course. Bangkok, Thailand: May 14-June 1, 2007

Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The purpose of this course is to provide comprehensive disaster management knowledge and skills to professionals working in disaster management, development, and donor agencies. For inquiries, contact the Training Resource Group, ADPC; tedadpc@adpc.net; http://www.adpc.net/trg06/trg_home.htm.