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Asian          Where globally? We currently plan to work in seven countries in Asia: Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Lao PDR, Nepal, and Cambodia.

Urban        Where locally? Cities and other urbanizing areas represent opportunities to reduce disaster vulnerability in the built environment during the development process

Disaster     Which types? The program focuses on natural disasters of all kinds, including floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides as well as technological and industrial disasters.

Mitigation  How? Through disaster mitigation, that is, by reducing the impact that hazard events have on human settlements through activities which decrease vulnerability.

Program     What is the scope? ADPC works through local partner institutions to conduct mitigation projects, share information and network, and promote training and professional development in disaster management.

The Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) is a four year program designed to respond to the need for safer cities. The ultimate goal of the program is to reduce the natural disaster vulnerability of urban populations, infrastructure, lifeline facilities, and shelter in targeted cities in Asia.

The program strategy takes a three-tiered approach:

1) National demonstration projects in each of the target countries will serve to provide a working example of urban hazard mitigation. In a selected urban area in each country, a hazard or set of hazards will be assessed, followed by the design and implementation of appropriate disaster mitigation measures.

2) The Information dissemination and networking component aims to help build public and private networks as a forum for exchanging information and experience on urban disaster management, with the goal of replicating successful hazard mitigation practices from the demonstration projects throughout the region.

3) Policy seminars and training provide an opportunity to further institutionalize hazard mitigation practices through seminars for national level decision makers, as well as by using an in- country and regional "train the trainers" approach to passing on technical skills via a core curriculum in hazard assessment and mitigation. Courses will be offered by in-country partner institutions and on a distance leaming basis.

Following are the national demonstration projects planned under the AUDMP:

* The Philippines - floods in Naga City and earthquakes and volcanoes in San Carlos;

* Indonesia - earthquakes in Bandung, West Java;

* India - technological & industrial hazards in Calcutta and Baroda;

* Sri Lanka - landslides in Ratnapura;

* Nepal - earthquakes in Kathmandu Valley;

* Lao PDR - fires and other urban hazards in Vientiene; and

* Cambodia - floods in vulnerable school districts;

In the future, the AUDMP may also set up projects in Bangladesh, Mongolia, and Central Asia.

Working on a similar project? Have comments and questions about the AUDMP? Let us hear from you!

For additional information about the AUDMP, please contact Senior Manager David Hollister at (66 2) 524-5381 or Urban Information Manager Erika Lund at (66 2) 524-5364; Email : audmp@ait.ac.th.

Note: Core ftmding for the AUDMP comes from USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). Additional funds will come from ADPC itself, collaborating institutions in target countries, and other development agencies. The program is managed by the USAID's Regional Housing and Urban Development Office in Jakarta, Indonesia (RHUDO/ Jakarta) and is implemented by ADPC in Bangkok, Thailand.