Disaster Mitigation
in Asia

31 Mar 2010
Issue No. 78

The Program for Hydro-Meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE), funded by USAID/OFDA, commenced from October 2005. 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. Components of the program consist of capacity building in hydro-meteorological disaster risk reduction, risk management advocacy, networking and dissemination initiatives, and city demonstration projects in selected countries. Six cities highly vulnerable to hydro-meteorological disasters were selected for implementing demonstration projects on disaster mitigation by urban communities from 2006 to 2009 – Chittagong (Bangladesh), Hyderabad (Pakistan), Jakarta (Indonesia), Dagupan (Philippines), Kalutara (Sri Lanka), and Da Nang (Viet Nam). The program is now being implemented in Jamalpur (Bangladesh), Pasig (the Philippines), and Matara (Sri Lanka).

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES for March to April 2010:

• BANGLADESH – The PROMISE BD focused on Mitigation and Preparedness sub-activities. The project team visited Jamalpur Municipality from 14 to 17 March to conduct preliminary meetings with the most vulnerable communities to identify the strategies for contribution from each community. The communities visited were: Char Nao Bhanga (Ward 1), Rashidpur (Ward 10), and Tangorpara and Char Ramnagar (Ward 12). Almost all families in each community are willing to contribute to flood mitigation activities through both labor and funds. Basic socio-economic information was also gathered during the meetings as baseline data for efforts towards mitigating disaster impacts on livelihood. The team had a preliminary discussion with Dhaka Ahsania Mission as a potential NGO partner for implementing the livelihood improvement project. Jamalpur Pourashava council formally allocated a space in its premises for what is intended to be the Emergency Operations Center (EOC); it currently has information boards that display the roles and responsibilities of Pourashava Disaster Management Committee (PDMC) and ward level flood risk and resource maps, Pourashava land use map, etc. Finally, an OFDA monitoring mission composed of Rob Friedman, Regional Advisor for South Asia, and Liza Mantilla, Senior Information Officer visited Jamalpur on 22 March for progress reporting meetings at the community level and at the Pourashava. Next month’s activities include a meeting of the Jamalpur Pourashava Technical Working Group (TWG) for PROMISE, finalizing the livelihood disaster mitigation proposals and the CBOs to sustain them, and a flood DRR action planning workshop.

• PHILIPPINES – After much preparation by the Pasig City TWG for PROMISE, Barangay Santolan in Pasig City was the first pilot community to receive the PROMISE CBDRRM Training (community-based disaster risk reduction and management). The training was on March 18- 19, 2010. There were 40 participants representing the different sectors of the community. BDCC members attended the training. The participants appreciated the training and gave the PROMISE Team a good grade in the evaluation. The participants were able to make simple hazard maps and action plans. The PROMISE experience in Dagupan and Pasig was enriched and shared in two key networking events in the Philippines. The PROMISE Philippines partner Center for Disaster Preparedness participated and helped facilitate the national consultation of AADMER (ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response) on March 2. The purpose of the consultation was to generate awareness and discussion over the work plan of AADMER among national disaster management agencies, NGOs, technical agencies, and local governments. Mr. Ritchie Angeles represented Pasig City at the event. After the consultation, the Training Learning Circle launched the book Integrating Gender into CBDRM. Finally, CDP participated in the education cluster meeting last March 23 to discuss guidelines for displacement camps. The experience of PROMISE areas Dagupan and Pasig cities in camp management and emergency of the Typhoon Ketsana and Parma helped in improving the said guidelines. The work for next month will focus on the conduct of CBDRM training.

• SRI LANKA –PROMISE SL held a workshop on March 2 to present the City Hazard Map and a draft Action Plan that was compiled based on the series of community workshops recently conducted for all 15 wards of Matara City . Matara city officials headed by the Mayor, community leaders, chairmen of the citizen committees who participated in the ward-level hazard mapping attended the workshop in order to review the hazard map and action plan, and set the priority actions for DRR and mitigation activities for implementation. The Mayor of Matara Mr. Upul Nishantha, PROMISE Project Manager Mrs. Padma Karunaratna, Capt. Saman Balasooriya, DMC District Coordinator for Matara, and Mr. Piyal Ganepola and Mr. Dammika Mahendra of the Asia Foundation facilitated sessions of the event. Mr. Rohan Cooray of ADPC, Mr. Kishan Sugathapala and Mr. Dayan Munasinghe of the Human Settlements Division of the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) presented the hazard and risk profile of the Matara city. Community members and city officials actively participated in reviewing and verifying hazard levels and ranks of their respective wards. Next month, PROMISE SL will focus on writing the Hazard, Vulnerability, and Capacity Assessment Report, on the analysis of the disaster mitigation aspects of the City Land Use Plan, and the mitigation activities to be implemented through citizens’ committees.

 A. From the Region

(1) ADPC Mourns the Sudden and Untimely Passing of David Hollister

Dave Hollister, the former Deputy Executive Director of Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), and his beloved son, Tom Hollister, passed away in a tragic car accident, in Tallahassee, Florida, United States on 13 March 2010. All ADPC staff, especially those who worked with him and had vivid memories of him, and colleagues from the region are shocked by Dave’s sudden and untimely death. Dave worked with ADPC from 1992 to 2002, the last three years of which he served as the Deputy Executive Director following the establishment of ADPC as a regional foundation. He was Director of Regional Programs at ADPC since 1999 and mentored several multi-year, multi-country programs. He formulated and led the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP), one of ADPC’s largest regional programs implemented in 9 countries – Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka from 1995 to 2005.  Share your memories and thoughts about Dave, and read what others have written, here: http://www.adpc.net/condolence/Default.asp. 

(2) Record drought in Viet Nam
(based on reports by IRIN)

A nationwide drought has dried up riverbeds, sparked forest fires and threatens the Mekong Delta, one of the world's richest agricultural regions.  By March, water levels of the Mekong River are at an almost 20-year low, due to an early end of the rainy season ending early and a sharp drop in water flow upstream.  Salt water intrusion from the South China Sea related to the drop in the water table has caused salinization as far as 60 km up river.  The northern provinces are also facing a forest fire risk, and lowered river transport and fishing as the Red River’s waters recede and sand dunes emerge. 

(3) Food security warning over El Niño raised in the Philippines
(based on a report by IRIN)

El Niño is a weather phenomenon in which warmer water from the western Pacific Ocean flows towards the east, disrupting atmospheric systems, and shifts rainfall to the east, leaving the countries in the west prone to drought.  The El Niño phenomenon has been related to major crop loss in such staples as rice and corn, as well as tobacco and other high value commercial crops.  Crop damage has exceeded US$239 million since the phenomenon started a heat wave across much of northern Luzon Island and parts of the central Visayas region in late December; the agricultural sector of northern Luzon was already affected by Typhoons Ketsana and Parma last year.  The government has responded by setting up a Task Force to deal with the crisis, entering into import contracts for rice as a short-term measure, installing additional irrigation pumps, cloud-seeding, and monitoring for infestations and diseases.

B. Calls for Submission

(4) Call for applications: UN-HABITAT Urban Youth Fund

Youth-led organizations in developing countries working to improve the lives of young people and their communities can now seek financing for their projects through the UN-HABITAT Urban Youth Fund. The Fund will provide grants for innovative projects that promote employment, good governance, shelter and secure tenure.  Only applicants aged 15-32 from cities in developing countries can qualify for a grant. Support will be provided primarily for those working to improve slum conditions and to raise opportunities for young people growing up in poverty. Projects encouraging gender equality or involving partnerships with the government or the private sector are particularly welcome. Small development initiatives are eligible for grants of up to USD 5,000, and larger projects up to USD 25,000.  For details, go to:
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=7955&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0.

C. Conferences and Courses

(5) Change Management for Achieving Continuous Water Supply (24/7) for all in Urban Areas – Hyderabad, India: 5-9 April 2010

The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) is organizing a five day training program on at ASCI Hyderabad. This Program is aimed to enhance knowledge and skills of senior officials of urban local bodies/water utilities in moving towards 24-hour water supplies. The program provides a balanced integration of technical, financial, social, institutional and managerial aspects in achieving continuous water supply for all in urban areas. The program is supported by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India under Centre of Excellence initiative.

(6) 9th Regional Training Course on Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction for Cities – Bangkok, Thailand: 10-21 May 2010

Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC).  The course is designed to impart greater understanding of the causes and effects of earthquake and collateral hazards, primarily focusing on mitigating such impacts in order to reduce damage and loss of lives with sustained development.  The designed course is a blend of principles, concepts, case studies, and hands-on experience of seismic risk reduction strategies.  Please contact: Mr. Amit Kumar, tedadpc@adpc.net.  The brochure is available at the following link:
http://www.adpc.net/v2007/Downloads/2010/Mar/EVRC-9_Brochure%202010.pdf. 

(7) 9^th International Training Course on Public Health in Complex Emergencies (PHCE-9) – Bangkok, Thailand, 12 - 24 July 2010

Organizer: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC). The PHCE training course is a two-week residential course that focuses on critical public health issues faced by NGO/PVO personnel working in complex emergencies. The goal of the course is to enhance the capacity of humanitarian assistance workers and their organizations to respond to the health needs of refugees and internally displaced persons affected by these emergencies. For inquiries, contact Ms. Janette Lauza-Ugsang, janette@adpc.net or log on to:
 http://www.adpc.net/v2007/Programs/PHE/PROGRAMS/PHCE/Default-PHCE.asp.

D. Useful Resources

(8) Sri Lanka: Political and Economic Update (Sri Lanka)

http://mms.adb.org/e-Notification/url.asp?ID=18714&DOCID=19854 

(9) Report: Shaping Climate Resilient Development: Framework for decision making, Economics of Climate Adaptation Working Group, 2009

http://www.mckinsey.com/App_Media/Images/Page_Images/Offices/
SocialSector/PDF/ECA_Shaping_Climate%20Resilent_Development.pdf 

(10) Case study: Supporting community-based emergency response at scale: innovations in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, ALNAP 2010

The case study examines the innovative grants dispersal process and information sharing mechanisms put in place in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, which struck Myanmar in 2008.  It describes how appropriate support for local civil-society interventions following a rapid-onset emergency can enable very fast and responsive relief at scale.  To download, go to:
http://www.alnap.org/resource/5790.aspx. 

(11) Report: Progress on sanitation and drinking-water 2010 update, WHO/UNICEF 2010

This report provides the most recent data for drinking-water and sanitation, along with the implications and trends these new data reveal for reaching the basic sanitation and safe drinking-water MDG target.  To download, go to: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/
9789241563956/en/index.html. 

(12) Safer Homes, Stronger Communities: A Handbook for Reconstructing after Natural Disasters, World Bank 2010

This is a handbook that tries to provides guidance to relevant policy-makers, project managers and World Bank staff in making decisions on how to reconstruct disaster-affected housing and communities, particularly on issues related to housing and community development, infrastructure, environmental management, disaster risk reduction, and public finance.  To download, go to: http://www.housingreconstruction.org/housing/. 

(13) This month in Asia’s disaster history

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 8.4 on 2 March 1933 occurred about 290 km (180 mi) off the coast of Honshu along the Sanriku coastline.  Most of the casualties and damage were caused by the large tsunami that was generated – about 5,000 houses were destroyed. Maximum wave heights of 28.7 m (94 ft) were observed at Ryori Bay, Honshu.  Accounts of death range from 2000 to 6000.  Even though a major tsunami had already hit Sanriku in 1896 (see the June 2009 issue), and there are historical records of tsunamis affecting Sanriku all the way to 1611, there were no significant measures developed against tsunamis.  When this tsunami hit, modern engineering technology was already available, and these two events can be said to be the beginning of the global awareness of the tsunami phenomenon.  It sparked scientific research into the relationship between earthquakes, waves, and harbor characteristics.  The local governments played a central part in installing tide embankments, breakwaters, trees and escape roads. The local government also distributed a booklet describing precautions against the danger of tsunami and how to evacuate to safety.  After the 1896 tsunami, some villages that were destroyed were rebuilt on the same site, and were subsequently destroyed by the 1933 tsunami.  Some houses and entire settlements were relocated to higher grounds on terraced slope, and escaped the destruction of the 1960 tsunami that originated from Chile.  To learn more about this tsunami, go to:

• USGS Historic earthquakes entry: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/events/
  1933_03_02.php

• Tohoku University tsunami site: http://www.tsunami.civil.tohoku.ac.jp/hokusai2/topics/TU-UW/2002/ippan/tsunami-e.html

• Failure Knowledge Database entry on the 1896 Meiji Sanriku tsunami: http://shippai.jst.go.jp/en/Detail?fn=0&id=CA1000616&

• 1966 report on men’s preparedness in Sanriku coast: http://ir.library.tohoku.ac.jp/re/bitstream/10097/
  44873/1/AA0045945066165.pdf