Myanmar is vulnerable to several natural hazards, such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, tsunamis and landslides. Rainfall induced flooding, is a recurring phenomenon across the country. From 1990 to 2008, Myanmar has been impacted by 21 disasters. Among these disasters, floods have been the most prevalent. The flash flood which occurred on 25 October 2011 killed 106 people and washed away 2,123 houses, more than 26,000 persons lost their houses and belongings. The great cost of floods in property damage and loss of human life in Myanmar necessitates the close monitoring of floods and their potential impact. This project will help the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Myanmar to strengthening the current hydrological data observation network and improve the flood monitoring systems and flood information processing to provide accurate, reliable, timely flood-related information and timely warnings for assisting government and communities to respond to flood events so that losses due to flood can be minimized and preventive actions can be taken. The proposed project is implemented from June 2012-December 2014 under meteorological component of Theme 5 of the overall project ?Disaster Risk Reduction Initiatives on National and Regional Level in Asia? which is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ADPC.

1. Scoping, gap-priority needs assessment and planning for strengthening the current hydrological data observation network system. 2. Flood monitoring ? Data collection, quality check and analysis. 3. Developing methodology for flood forecasting with additional methods to enhance capacity.

1. Select a vulnerable pilot basin for enhancing existing flood monitoring and warning network of DMH. 2. Assess the gaps and identify the needs in technical capacity of DMH and planning for strengthening the current hydrological data observation network system. 3. Improve methodology for flood monitoring, analysis and forecasting with additional methods to enhance capacity including flood risk mapping. 4. Coordinate with works being performed by other international agencies for enhancing the Myanmar flood monitoring network in order to avoid duplication of efforts. 5. Use lessons learned in the pilot basin to provide strengthened flood warning services throughout Myanmar.

Myanmar