THE ASIAN URBAN DISASTER MITIGATION PROGRAM (AUDMP) - AN OVERVIEW Asia is the most disaster prone region in the world. With rapidly increasing concentration of population, economic activity, infrastructure and critical facilities, Asian cities represent even greater vulnerability to disasters. By the turn of this century it is estimated that at least thirteen cities around the world, that are prone to natural hazards, will have a population in the 10-25 million range. Of these, nine are in Asia! Disaster management experts all over the world believe that the current pattern of urban development does not give due consideration to disaster vulnerability. This is making cities more and more unsafe. The Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) is a six-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 is managed by ADPC with core funding support from United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (US-OFDA). At present, the AUDMP covers selected cities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Philippines and Sri Lanka. The program takes a three-tiered approach, which comprises National Demonstration Projects; Information and Networking; and Training, Resource Materials and Continuing Education (TRMCE). TRAINING FOR URBAN DISASTER MITIGATION Under the TRMCE component, ADPC is developing five courses on different aspects of urban disaster mitigation. The Urban Flood Mitigation course is one of these five courses. These courses are being delivered by ADPC at the regional and national levels in collaboration with the member institutions of the Asian Disaster Mitigation Training Network (ADMIT) which is a network of training institutions from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Philippines, and Indonesia. The ADMIT Network was established by ADPC in 1999. TRAINING ON URBAN FLOOD MITIGATION Damage from floods has been increasing in most countries in Asia. Of all the natural hazards, they are the most destructive because they occur most frequently. Floods are excessive accumulations or flows of water which result from heavy rainfall, cyclones, snow melt, high tides or other causes, such as dam burst, embankment failure. Although flooding is primarily a natural phenomenon and occurs from time to time in all rivers and natural drainage systems, human interventions such as deforestation, poorly developed land drainage systems, greater agricultural land use and rapid urbanization have exacerbated the occurrence and severity of flood disasters. Mitigation offers the best and most cost-effective approach to deal with floods. The Urban Flood Mitigation (UFM-1) course has been designed with a view to support flood mitigation initiatives in the Asian cities. COURSE PURPOSE To improve knowledge on the causes of flooding; risk analysis, mapping and flood policy; assessment of flood damages; and to provide information on flood mitigation measures and their advantages and disadvantages. To develop administrative, managerial and professional skills in the practice of urban flood hazard mitigation. To raise level of awareness of the necessity of integrating urban flood hazard mitigation measures in the urban planning and management processes. To motivate participants to initiate actions for flood risk analysis, implement mitigation measures, and analyze the status of flood risk and mitigation measures in the cities. To learn from successes and failures by mutual sharing of experience among participants and with resource persons. COURSE CONTENTS Flood Issues and Urban Concerns Nature and Causes of Flood Flood Risk Survey Report Preparation Flood Risk Analysis Damage Assessment and Failure Analysis Flood Hazard Mitigation Flood Protection Measures Structural Flood Proofing Flood Preparedness Flooding and Infrastructure Urban Growth and Invasion of the Wetlands Affordability and Costs of Mitigation Measures Disaster Locations and Hazard Mapping Flood Mitigation Policy Search Flood Mitigation Programming Program Appraisal and Project cycle Field Visit to Mitigation Works LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS All teaching and course materials are in English. It is essential that participants are fully conversant in English. PARTICIPANTS This course is particularly useful for those concerned with reduction of vulnerability to floods in urban areas. It is open to all countries in Asia-Pacific region. The targeted audience of the course is: Administrators and Officials from Provincial and City Administrations; Development and Planning Authorities. Water engineers and flood control professionals National level ministries, departments and institutions dealing with urban planning, development, housing, infrastructure, public works, utilities, water works and drainage, water resources planning etc. Private sector: corporations, builders and infrastructure developers, re-insurance agents. Elected representatives from cities and towns. Emergency response agencies and emergency planners. Relief and rehabilitation agencies. UN agencies and international organizations. NGOs working on disaster mitigation, especially on flooding mitigation ELECTRONIC FORUM ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB To promote pre and post course learning ADPC has established a special electronic forum on Urban Disaster Mitigation on the World Wide Web at http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th/forum. This forum facilitates the pre course orientation of interested and registered participants and post course serves as an ongoing mechanism for communication between ADPC, the course participants and resource persons. COURSE FEE STRUCTURE The course fee for the course is US$2,000 per participant. Costs of books and materials are included in the course fee. Course fee should be paid by money transfer/international demand draft (DD) in advance or by cash at the time of course registration. Kindly confirm your mode of payment. ACCOMMODATION All participants will stay at the AIT Center during the course. The room rate is US$30-35 per night for single room and US$15-20 per person for shared accommodation. Participants who prefer to stay in single rooms should inform ADPC in advance. SCHOLARSHIP A limited number of partial scholarships may be available to deserving candidates from national government organizations or national NGOs paying from their own budgets. Applications for such support will be considered subject to confirmation of payment of 80% of the fees. APPLICATIONS Interested persons can apply directly but, preferably be nominated by their employers, sponsoring governments, NGOs and private organizations. Applicants should complete the application form or send a letter of inquiry to ADPC which should include the following: Name, address, telephone, fax and email. Organizational affiliation. Resume, stating job title, present responsibilities and past experience. A statement of reasons for attendance. How training relates to professional responsibilities. Letter of support from employer. Confirmation regarding payment of fees by your sponsoring organization. The deadline for receiving applications is 30 June 2000. In consideration of course efficiency and effectiveness, seats are limited to 30 participants. ADPC will keep applicants informed once their nomination is accepted. RESOURCE PERSONS Resource persons are selected experts from International Organizations, Educational and Research Institutions, National and Local Governments, Water Resource Specialists, Flood Hazard Mitigation Specialists and ADPC.

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center Established in 1986, ADPC is the lead regional resource center dedicated to disaster reduction for safer communities and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC works with governments, NGOs and communities of the Asia and Pacific region to strengthen their capacities in disaster preparedness, mitigation and response through professional training, technical assistance, regional program management and information and research. ADPC vision: disaster reduction for safer communities and sustainable development Contact Address The Training and Education Asian Disaster Preparedness Center Asian Institute of Technology P.O.Box 4 Klong Luang Pathum Thani 12120 Thailand Tel: (66 2)5245363/5245362 Fax: (66 2)5245350/5245360 E-mail: tedadpc@ait.ac.th Home Page: http://www.adpc.ait.ac.th