Disaster Mitigation: Programs That Work

Zarrin T. Caldwell and Megan Quill
OneWorld US

Mon., Oct. 17, 2005

The U.S. Geological Survey calculates that economic losses worldwide from natural disasters in the 1990s could have been reduced by $280 billion by investing just one-seventh of that sum in disaster risk reduction. © Farooq Burney / IFRC

Governments and citizens alike are aware that disasters cannot always be avoided, yet disaster prevention and risk reduction programs remain largely under-funded (see article on �Global Trends�). Such programs do not always require large monetary investments, but, rather, foresight, commitment, and innovation. Notable examples exist from institutions in the public health, education, environment, and non-profit sectors, among others, and come out of both developed and developing countries. Below are some brief case studies of communities and organizations that have been at the forefront of changing how we deal with disasters.

Organizations like the Hunger Project maintain that the most effective way to deal with disasters is to empower local people before disaster strikes. In this spirit, they worked with over 40,000 trained volunteers who ensured that people in remote areas of Bangladesh had access to food, clean water, and dry shelter during severe flooding in 2004. Hunger Project epicenters set up in Malawi had diversified crops and established food banks and, thus, saved lives when the country was struck by famine in 2002. Click here for their report on long-term projects in disaster management.

Located in one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world, Nepal is regarded as one of the most disaster-prone countries in the region. Serious damage is caused by floods during the monsoon season and earthquakes are a major concern. Rapid population growth, poor land-use planning, precarious settlement patterns, and inadequate enforcement of building codes compound these natural hazards. To better prepare for possible disasters, the American Red Cross is building the capacity and volunteer base of the Nepal Red Cross Society, pre-positioning critical relief supplies and rescue equipment, drilling water points, training people in basic first aid and rescue techniques, and helping the general public to identify and advocate for safer building practices. To date, preparedness and response plans are in place and have been practiced in 10 wards; volunteers in wards are ready to administer first responder services in the aftermath of an earthquake; and, there is increased access to information for the general public on what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Click here for more information on the disaster preparedness programs of the American Red Cross.

The earthquake in Bam, Iran in 2003 caused the loss of 30,000 lives and some 85% of houses and buildings were destroyed. Since the earthquake, the disaster office of the U.N. Centre for Regional Development, based in Japan, has taught community builders how to design earthquake-resistant homes that also take Iran�s culture and construction methods into account. A two year project on �Reducing Vulnerability of School Children to Earthquakes� was also launched in January 2005 by this same office. Some 12,000 schoolchildren are benefiting from this program, which includes activities like assessing seismic vulnerability, retrofitting schools, and raising awareness among the student population about disasters. Click here for more.

Modeling Earthquake Damage © U.N. Centre for Regional Development

Building a proposed high-tech tsunami detection system in the Indian Ocean may be a great idea, but also an expensive and long-term project. In the meantime, countries in this region are already applying lessons about the pivotal role that local communities can play in early-warning. In late March 2005, a powerful undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra. Within minutes, a network of government officials and community leaders were summoned into action to evacuate people from vulnerable coastal areas. In southern Thailand, civilians and police roused sleeping residents and ushered them to safer ground. In Sri Lanka, temples rang bells, village networks sprang into action, and the police went from house to house to get people to evacuate. Click here for the full version of this story published by Inter Press Service.

Poorly planned and mismanaged recovery efforts can even lead to a sort of secondary disaster, where goods are wasted, aid misdirected, and lives compromised. Latin American and Caribbean countries have joined efforts to ensure that these problems are addressed. Under the auspices of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), these countries have formed the Emergency Supply Management system known as SUMA. It�s a computerized supply management system that better coordinates humanitarian relief. Information on incoming aid is obtained at point of entry, such as at airports, maritime ports, or terrestrial borders. Here, aid is sorted and classified, with needs prioritized for affected populations and existing gaps identified. In operation since 1992, SUMA currently has more than 2,500 trained volunteers globally and is included in the curriculum of several universities. It has become a model for dealing with humanitarian aid in time of disaster. More details can be found at PAHO's Web site.

Rebuilding communities after disasters would be facilitated if the poor had more access to insurance. The Provention Consortium�a global coalition of governments, international organizations, academic institutions, the private sector and civil society organizations dedicated to reducing the impact of disasters in developing countries�has been looking at the challenge of developing sustainable insurance and risk transfer schemes in hazard prone areas and making coverage accessible to the poor and �uninsurable.� Click here for a project fact sheet and more information.

An organization called the All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI)�founded by an Ashoka fellow�focuses on community-based disaster risk reduction. Its work attempts to bridge the gap between policy, practice, and research and to link local communities more effectively with international humanitarian agencies. Among other tasks, it has undertaken participatory risk mapping in 60 communities�to not only build safer shelters for victims, but also to promote safer building practices. With a special emphasis on the poor, the AIDMI encourages local self-reliance and sustainable long-term recovery and has reached almost 12,000 beneficiaries. Training programs include discussions about moral and ethical responsibilities to help the most vulnerable in disaster-affected communities. Click here for more.

Using technology is one means to improve coordination of disaster response. Here, FEMA specialists work in Louisiana. © U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

After having suffered from repeated flooding and losses, Lenoir County in North Carolina made a commitment to reduce their risks and proactively incorporate floodplain management planning into their community. A report from FEMA notes, �Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as the technical foundation for their flood plain management planning, local officials developed and utilized relevant databases and tracking functions to produce graphical images to aid in planning, implementing, and tracking a comprehensive floodplain management program.� GIS was used to identify susceptible structures, to create demographic profiles of the floodplain, and analyze land for conservation. State and local governments have worked closely with FEMA to gradually remove residential structures from the floodplain. Click here for more information on this initiative.

For a good overview of best practices for disaster reduction in Asia, check out this report from the Asian Disaster Reduction Center.

The U.N. Development Program offers some best practices and lessons learned in disaster mitigation.

And, how can you better prepare for a disaster? Click here for tips and articles on disaster preparedness.