Most Downloaded International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction Articles
1. Probability assessment of flood and sediment disasters in Japan using the Total Runoff-Integrating Pathways model
Goro Mouri | Daigo Minoshima | Valentin Golosov | Sergey Chalov | Shinta Seto | Kei Yoshimura | Shinichiro Nakamura | Taikan Oki
Abstract: To address many of the problems faced in hydrological engineering planning, design, and management, a detailed knowledge of flood event characteristics, such as flood peak, volume, and duration is required. Flood frequency analysis often focuses on flood peak values and provides a limited assessment of flood events. To develop effective flood management and mitigation policies, estimation of the scale of potential disasters, incorporating the effects of social factors and climate conditions, is required along with quantitative measures of flood frequency. The Japanese flood risk index, the flood disaster occurrence probability (FDOP), was established based on both natural and social factors. It represents the expectation of damage in the case of a single flood occurrence, which is estimated by integrating a physical-based approach as a Total Runoff Integrating Pathways (TRIP) model with Gumbel distribution metrics. The resulting equations are used to predict potential flood damage based on gridded Japanese data for independent variables. This approach is novel in that it targets floods based on units of events instead of a long-term trend. Moreover, the FDOP can express relative potential flood risk while considering flood damage. The significance of the present study is that both the hazard parameters (which contribute directly to flood occurrence) and vulnerability parameters (which reflect conditions of the region where the flood occurred), including residential and social characteristics, were shown quantitatively to affect flood damage. This study examined the probability of flood disaster occurrence using the TRIP model for Japan (J-TRIP), a river routing scheme that provides a digital river network covering Japan. The analysis was based on floods from 1976 to 2004 associated with flood inundation and sediment disasters. Based on these results, we estimated the probability of flood damage officially reported for the whole region of Japan at a grid interval of 0.1 degrees. The relationship between the magnitude of the rain hazard expressed as the probability of exceedance and the probability of flood damage officially reported was expressed as an exponential function by equalizing the whole region of Japan based on excess probability. Moreover, the probabilities of flood damage occurrence according to social factors and changes in climate conditions were also examined. The probability of flood damage occurrence is high, especially in regions of high population density. The results also showed the effect of the dam maintenance ratio on extreme flooding and flood damage frequency. The probability of flood damage occurrence was expected to increase during extreme weather events at the end of this century. These findings provide a sound foundation for use in catchment water resources management.
2. Safety and security target levels: Opportunities and challenges for risk management and risk communication
Abstract: This paper reviews a selection of target levels for safety and security in order to identify their common properties. It is accompanied by a brief investigation of several key terms used in risk management. Risk management is used as an umbrella term for the various research areas dealing with multiple hazards, impacts types and measures for dealing with them. The paper draws upon examples and experience from the wider field of disaster risk research and civil protection. A concept which identifies the common properties and content of risk management goals in general is then devised. Normative implications and challenges in applying risk management goals and the use of terminology are discussed. Finally, two main future research areas are briefly outlined: the role and responsibility of the researcher or observer, and the ways of making use of risk management goals in risk communication. This paper provides fundamental information on examples of risk management goals, common properties and risk communication as compiled for and used by certain national authorities in civil protection in Germany. However, its findings may also be useful for fellow researchers within the disaster risk, climate change, vulnerability and resilience community, and for practitioners in the field of risk, and crisis or emergency management. The future applications of these findings will be useful, especially when developing risk management goals for specific user groups and different levels of analysis.
J. Richard Eiser | Ann Bostrom | Ian Burton | David M. Johnston | John McClure | Douglas Paton | Joop van der Pligt | Mathew P. White
Abstract: Understanding how people interpret risks and choose actions based on their interpretations is vital to any strategy for disaster reduction. We review relevant literature with the aim of developing a conceptual framework to guide future research in this area. We stress that risks in the context of natural hazards always involve interactions between natural (physical) and human (behavioural) factors. Decision-making under conditions of uncertainty is inadequately described by traditional models of 'rational choice'. Instead, attention needs to be paid to how people's interpretations of risks are shaped by their own experience, personal feelings and values, cultural beliefs and interpersonal and societal dynamics. Furthermore, access to information and capacity for self-protection are typically distributed unevenly within populations. Hence trust is a critical moderator of the effectiveness of any policy for risk communication and public engagement.
4. Advance prediction of the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake: A missed opportunity for disaster preparedness
C. Davis | V. Keilis-Borok | V. Kossobokov | A. Soloviev
Abstract: There was a missed opportunity for implementing important disaster preparedness measures following an earthquake prediction that was announced as an alarm in mid-2001. This intermediate-term middle-range prediction was the initiation of a chain of alarms that successfully detected the time, region, and magnitude range for the magnitude 9.0 March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The prediction chains were made using an algorithm called M8 and is the latest of many predictions tested worldwide for more than 25 years, the results of which show at least a 70% success rate. The earthquake detection could have been utilized to implement measures and improve earthquake preparedness in advance; unfortunately this was not done, in part due to the predictions' limited distribution and the lack of applying existing methods for using intermediate-term predictions to make decisions for taking action. The resulting earthquake and induced tsunami caused tremendous devastation to north-east Japan. Methods that were known in advance of the predication and further advanced during the prediction timeframe are presented in a scenario describing some possibilities on how the 2001 prediction may have been utilized to reduce significant damage, including damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant, and to show prudent cost-effective actions can be taken if the prediction certainty is known, but not necessarily high. The purpose of this paper is to show how the prediction information can be strategically used to enhance disaster preparedness and reduce future impacts from the world's largest earthquakes.
5. A localized disaster-resilience index to assess coastal communities based on an analytic hierarchy process (AHP)
Pedcris M. Orencio | Masahiko Fujii
Abstract: The increased number of natural hazards due to climate variability has resulted in numerous disasters in developing countries. In the Philippines, these are expected to be more common in coastal areas. The common approach to mitigate disasters in this area is to enhance the inherent capabilities of local communities to reduce the effects. Thus, this study proposed an index for a disaster-resilient coastal community at the local level. The composites of the index were determined through a process of prioritizing national-level components of a risk-management and vulnerability-reduction system. The process followed a Delphi technique, wherein 20 decision makers in Baler, Aurora, the Philippines identified criteria and elements that can be used to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities using paired comparisons for the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results showed that the environmental and natural resource management, sustainable livelihood, social protection, and planning regimes were very important and represented ≥70% of the overall weights of criteria subjected to comparisons. These criteria and their elements represented the local-level outcome indicators of the composite index for a disaster-resilient coastal community, which was measured using a weighted linear average (WLC) approach to both outcome and process indicators. The index could be used by local governments as a tool to facilitate meaningful disaster-risk reduction and management.
Magnus Hagelsteen | Per Becker
Abstract: Although capacity development has been identified as the means to substantially reduce global disaster losses, it is a challenge for external partners to facilitate the development of sustainable capacities for disaster risk reduction in disaster-prone countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate potential gaps between how leading professionals approach such capacity development and guidelines found in available theory. The analysis of data from thirty-five qualitative semi-structured interviews reveals that there are gaps between theory and practise, as well as between the practitioners, in all seven elements identified in available theory. There is ambiguity regarding terminology, different views about the meaning of local context, ownership and capacity assessment, as well as contradicting opinions of the role and responsibilities of external partners. Focus is on training individuals, while other requisites are often ignored, and there is a general lack of understanding of what results to assess and how to monitor and evaluate projects.
Mohammed Shariful Islam | Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan | Shamim Mahabubul Haque
Abstract: The coastal areas of Bangladesh are disaster prone. Along with natural hazards there are persisting local hazards (e.g., salinity, river bank erosion) in the coastal parts. An approach to disaster reduction strategy, therefore, varies here highly with other areas and also with other disasters. Disaster risk that comes from hazard, vulnerability and local capacity can only be applied here if the assessment addresses socio-political aspects as well. In this study we identified prevailing hazards including the ones which are particularly important for the study area. All hazards are then assessed based on local vulnerability and coping capacity. Participatory appraisal has been taken into account to understand the level of devastation of the disasters. All these qualitative aspects are then categorized to fit in mathematical model of disaster risk estimation. A GIS based approach of multi-criteria analysis has been applied to incorporate the spatial factors in the index. Therefore, the final output is enumerated for each land parcel (locally called mouza) where spatial variability is represented and shown on maps. There are 11 identified hazards in the study area which have association with 11 social factors of vulnerability. The disaster risk index (DRI) also takes account of three geographic factors of vulnerability that are aggregated with the social factors to calculate a reliable DRI. The aggregated outcome is finally validated with historical data of disaster occurrences in the study area and found significant correspondence.
David Alexander | Ian Davis
9. Landslide risk management—A brief overview and example from Sweden of current situation and climate change
Yvonne Andersson-Sköld | Ramona Bergman | Magnus Johansson | Erik Persson | Lars Nyberg
Abstract: Landslide risk is a function of the probability of the event and its consequences. Previous research has shown that preventive measures to reduce the risk are preferred over reactive measures but, especially in developing countries, rarely undertaken. A contributing factor is the lack of evidence that preventive measures pay. This study includes a brief overview of landslide risk management in general and an investigation of the present risk management situation in Sweden based on interviews in 11 municipalities complemented with interviews in Norway. The result shows that climate change has become part of the general awareness and started to be taken into account in the municipal spatial planning. Landslide susceptibility maps and databases are useful tools in the complex spatial planning. The results indicate that the application of landslide susceptibility and risk maps as previously applied for preventive measures and spatial planning in the landslide prone area Göta älv river valley have been cost effective. Improved documentation and more active communication among different stakeholders would, however, contribute to more effective landslide management.
10. Disaster recovery and business continuity after the 2010 flood in Pakistan: Case of small businesses
Ali Asgary | Muhammad Imtiaz Anjum | Nooreddin Azimi
Abstract: Conducted six months after the 2010 flood in Pakistan in nine severely impacted districts, this study explores the impacts of this flood on small businesses and factors that influenced their disaster recovery. Findings show that ninety percent of the sample businesses re-opened six months after the flood, but majority of them were operating with loss, while only a small number is at the same level or better off. Average monthly sale, past disaster experience, dependency on water, dependency on transportation, personal saving, damage to business facility, damage to shelf items/inventory, disruption in supply chain, damage to lifelines, knowing the recovery priorities, family and friends support, staff engagement and involvement in the recovery had significant impacts on the recovery time. The results suggest that provision of minimum government and non-governmental supports can enhance the speed, quality and sustainability of the small businesses disaster recovery.
Syed Ainuddin | Jayant Kumar Routray
Abstract: The development literature on hazards and disasters indicates a visible paradigm shift from hazard assessment to vulnerability analysis and building community resilience. This shift has taken place just after the Kobe Earthquake in 2005, which necessitated the formulation of Hyogo Framework of Actions, the global framework for disaster risk reduction. One of the goals of this framework is to build the resilience of the communities prone to hazards and disasters. The objective of this paper is to analyze and review the frameworks on community resilience in the context of hazards and natural disasters and propose a community resilience framework for an earthquake prone area in Baluchistan, based on the findings of an extensive research carried out on vulnerability and resilience assessment. A household questionnaire survey was conducted among 200 residents of Quetta city, using random sampling method. Based on the findings, the paper has proposed a new community resilience framework, which can be used for upgrading the community preparedness, awareness, and finally leading to community resilience at the local levels.
Jonas Joerin | Rajib Shaw | Yukiko Takeuchi | Ramasamy Krishnamurthy
Abstract: This article compares the resilience of two communities in Chennai, India, to climate-related disasters. The selected communities have similar exposure to natural hazards (cyclones and river-based floods due to their close proximity to the sea. Both areas are predominantly residential. Results from a household survey, assessing the physical, social and economic resilience of individuals through a Climate-related Disaster Community Resilience Framework (CDCRF), reveal that people living in the vicinity of rivers and canals are at higher risk from impacts (damages on house, diseases) of floods compared to others. However, despite their experience to past flood-related disasters, they have not been able to enhance their coping capacity due to their limited adaptive capacity. Thus, their resilience is limited to absorb, manage and bounce back future climate-related disasters (particularly floods). In collaboration with other stakeholders, mainly the Corporation of Chennai (Municipality), community-driven participatory solutions are concluded to have beneficial effect in enhancing the resilience of communities to climate-related disasters.
13. The double bind of poverty and community disaster risk reduction: A case study from the Caribbean
Idelia Ferdinand | Geoff O’Brien | Phil O’Keefe | Janaka Jayawickrama
Abstract: Disaster risk reduction (DRR) at the community level is usually addressed by forming community based disaster organisations and training persons in disaster management courses. The focus is mainly on the response phase of a disaster, but understanding the overall impact of disasters requires a more comprehensive approach.This paper assesses the level of vulnerability and Community DRR capacity in four Windward Island communities. This assessment is based on a questionnaire survey, of some 400 householders across four island states, and 24 semi-structured interviews with key informants involved in community development and disaster management.The findings show that, in general, there is a sense of community in the Windward Islands but a general lack of coordination and collaboration on issues related to disaster management. Where community organisations exist they tend to work in isolation, this exacerbates vulnerability.Poor communities have strong mechanisms to manage disasters but these strong internal ties militate against broader community efforts to address DRR. Essentially poverty acts as a double bind. The double bind of poverty is the bind that ties poor people together in coping while simultaneously the coping mechanisms make a barrier for engaging with other organisations. The conclusion is that there is need for multi-stakeholder partnerships to reduce vulnerability and build resilience in communities.
Anawat Suppasri | Tsuyoshi Futami | Shigeko Tabuchi | Fumihiko Imamura
Abstract: Asia and Southwest Pacific Oceans experienced considerable effects due to tsunamis, including the Indian Ocean event in 2004, many local events along the Indonesian coast in 2005, 2006 and 2010, and the tsunami in Japan in 2011. This study started by collecting an assessment of the earthquake return periods and their tsunamigenic ratios. Previous studies show that recurrence of Mw 7.5, 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0 earthquakes are 20–50, 60–120, 200–300 and 450–650 years and Mw 7.5 and Mw 8.0 earthquake has potential of 0.5 and 0.8 to generate a tsunami. Historical tsunamis were selected to characterize the tsunami hazards in this region. A total of 30 tsunami scenarios were selected from 110 possible historical events that occurred within the last 400 years for a far-field tsunami simulation. The simulation calculated the maximum tsunami heights along shoreline that were subsequently evaluated based on reported survey data. Simulated results showed that Japan faced the highest levels of local tsunami impacts, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Local tsunamis were not observed in Thailand, Sri Lanka and India, although these areas were greatly affected by the devastating event in 2004. China and Taiwan were affected by local tsunamis and tsunamis that occurred in Japan. Other countries in the South China Sea, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, had comparatively small impacts due to their geographical locations. The maximum tsunami height map developed here will improve our understanding of the general impacts of historical tsunamis in Asian and Southwest Pacific countries.
15. A preliminary assessment of the impact of climate change on non-life insurance demand in the BRICS economies
Nicola Ranger | Swenja Surminski
Abstract: Over the past decade, the increase in insurance demand in the BRICS has been a key driver of global non-life premium growth. Current forecasts suggest that these markets will continue to be areas of significant expansion. For example, based on a simple model, we project that gross premium volumes in the BRICS economies could increase at a rate of between 5.4 and 12.3% per year over the coming decade, depending on the country. We consider how climate change may influence these trends in the period to 2030. We argue that the influence of climate change will be more multifaceted, complex and regionally variable than portrayed in the past. We suggest five pathways of influence: wealth; willingness to pay for insurance; policy and regulation; changes to the supply of insurance; and new opportunities associated with adaptation and mitigation. We conclude that, with the exception of policy and regulation, the influence of climate change on insurance demand to 2030 is likely to be small when compared with the expected growth due to rising incomes, but is not insignificant. For example, we expect the impact on premium volumes mediated through wealth to be small; less than a 0.4% adjustment in the annual growth rate to 2030. But, we also conclude that the scale of the risks and opportunities will depend partly on (re)insurer responses to the challenges of climate change. We outline five actions that could pave the way for future opportunities.
16. Disaster risks and disaster management policies and practices in Pakistan: A critical analysis of Disaster Management Act 2010 of Pakistan
Abstract: Human suffering has multiplied in recent years due to increased frequency and intensity of natural hazards, which are expected to rise in the coming years due to climate change. Admittedly, risks to humans from natural hazards cannot be eliminated completely, but they can be reduced through systematic approaches such as disaster risks reduction (DRR) approaches that can be scientifically applied for minimising vulnerability and building resilience in society through multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional measures. Considering the importance of DRR approaches in reducing impacts of disasters, the aim of this paper is to analyse the disaster risk and disaster management policies and practices in Pakistan. The objective is to evaluate the Disaster Management Act 2010 in Pakistan (PNDMA 2010). Through critical review of PNDMA 2010, this study has found that the Act emphasises mainly on institution building and action plan development for mitigating disasters in the country. The Act does not directly mention disaster risk reduction and there are no directions with regard to the budgetary mechanisms and extent of funds from disaster risk management (DRM) in the country. The DRM in Pakistan is reactive and there is a need for revision of PDMA 2010 to make it proactive.
17. International comparison of measures taken for vulnerable people in disaster risk management laws
Karina Vink | Kuniyoshi Takeuchi
Abstract: This paper focuses on measures taken for vulnerable people in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) laws in Japan, the Netherlands and the United States. As DRM laws were found to lack a definition of vulnerable people, an original working definition of vulnerable people in a community was defined.DRM laws and policies with a focus on flood disasters in Japan and the USA cover some groups of potentially vulnerable people who are supported during various phases of disaster management, such as elderly, children and people with disabilities. The basic disaster law in the Netherlands mentions ‘not self-reliant people’ during the response phase, and leaves further details to the regional safety plans. All countries lack clearly defined characteristics in the laws themselves as to who may be categorized among the various groups of potentially vulnerable people. Furthermore, there is little to no anticipation of expected increases in the amounts of vulnerable people.The support for vulnerable people in DRM laws has not been quantified on a global scale, even though the Hyogo Framework for Action called for the development of measurement tools in 2005. Further research should aim at developing tools with which to quantify the support of vulnerable people in DRM laws.
18. Enhancing resistance and resilience to disasters with microfinance: Parallels with ecological trophic systems
Fausto Marincioni | Federica Appiotti | Antonio Pusceddu | Kenneth Byrne
Abstract: Large sums of money are spent by humanitarian programs for disaster recovery worldwide each year. Though bringing relief to millions of victims in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, these efforts have produced mixed results in terms of sustainable disaster mitigation. One of the shortfalls has been the failure to invest adequately to support disaster risk reduction activities. To better understand how to increase human resistance and resilience to natural disasters, this paper explores parallels between social and ecological theories of disturbance. The authors do not introduce new research, or offer new substantive critiques of these approaches, but try to build new connections between core concepts of ecosystems theory and disaster risk reduction theory. The central argument is that, similar to certain trophic pathways (e.g. microbial loop) that can enhance ecosystems' resistance and resilience to disturbances, microfinance programs used to foster disaster risk reduction strategies may significantly enhance humans’ ability to cope with natural hazards and disasters.
19. Modeling rain-fed maize vulnerability to droughts using the standardized precipitation index from satellite estimated rainfall—Southern Malawi case study
Harikishan Jayanthi | Gregory J. Husak | Chris Funk | Tamuka Magadzire | Adams Chavula | James P. Verdin
Abstract: During 1990s, disaster risk reduction emerged as a novel, proactive approach to managing risks from natural hazards. The World Bank, USAID, and other international donor agencies began making efforts to mainstream disaster risk reduction in countries whose population and economies were heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture. This approach has more significance in light of the increasing climatic hazard patterns and the climate scenarios projected for different hazard prone countries in the world. The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) has been monitoring the food security issues in the sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and in Haiti. FEWS NET monitors the rainfall and moisture availability conditions with the help of NOAA RFE2 data for deriving food security status in Africa. This paper highlights the efforts in using satellite estimated rainfall inputs to develop drought vulnerability models in the drought prone areas in Malawi. The satellite RFE2 based SPI corresponding to the critical tasseling and silking phases (in the months of January, February, and March) were statistically regressed with drought-induced yield losses at the district level. The analysis has shown that the drought conditions in February and early March lead to most damage to maize yields in this region. The district-wise vulnerabilities to drought were upscaled to obtain a regional maize vulnerability model for southern Malawi. The results would help in establishing an early monitoring mechanism for drought impact assessment, give the decision makers additional time to assess seasonal outcomes, and identify potential food-related hazards in Malawi.
20. The sinking of the Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 ferry in the Red Sea: The integration of disaster support system models and emergency management experience
Abstract: This study analyzes emergency management plan utilized during maritime disaster experience. Qualitative methods were used to explore the various factors that contributed to the sinking of Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 ferry in the Red Sea in 2006. The study results showed inadequate DSS and its impact on the existence of risk vulnerability and miscommunication. Recommendations were provided to raise attention to such type of disasters and to inform the industry, decision makers, and emergency management administrators on the need to develop effective policies and standards to protect the public against devastating consequences.
J.C. Gaillard | Fanny Navizet
Abstract: To date, the fate of prisons and prisoners in disaster has stirred very limited attention from both scholars and policy makers. However, anecdotic evidences suggest that both prisons and prisoners are particularly affected by disastrous events associated with external natural and other hazards. In fact, the spatial, social and political forms of exclusion and marginalisation associated with imprisonment coincide with factors which make some places and people more vulnerable. This study explores those linkages between imprisonment, marginality and vulnerability to natural and other hazards around three axes: (1) a spatial form of marginalisation through the geographical, potentially hazardous, location of prisons and their secluded nature which isolates them from the outside world and assistance in facing hazards; (2) a social form of marginalisation which deprives already impoverished prisoners from further access to economic opportunities, health resources and interpersonal relationship which have all proved critical drivers of people's vulnerability; (3) a political form of marginalisation which includes limited resources made available by the state and its agencies leading to poor, potentially vulnerable, and overcrowded facilities, along with prison's lack of visibility in governmental disaster-related policies. This study draws upon a scoping study conducted in three prisons in France completed with sparse evidences available from the academic literature, government reports and media accounts. It further suggests ways forward for better integrating prisons and prisoners in disaster risk reduction policies.
22. Multi-organisational coordination for disaster recovery: The story of post-tsunami Tamil Nadu, India
Emmanuel Raju | Per Becker
Abstract: Coordination during disaster recovery is one of the most neglected areas of disaster risk management, as the majority of literature on coordination focuses on disaster response. The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors affecting coordination for long-term recovery. For this purpose, the study uses semi-structured interviews with different actors involved in the recovery process of the 2004 tsunami in Tamil Nadu, India. The study highlights five key factors that affect coordination in long-term recovery: (1) the need to coordinate; (2) the role of the government; (3) knowledge networking; (4) mandates and goals and (5) coordination at the donor level. Finally, the study indicates a potential for applying a governance perspective on disaster recovery coordination, which needs to be further researched.
23. Farmer's perception and adaptation practices to cope with drought: Perspectives from Northwestern Bangladesh
Umma Habiba | Rajib Shaw | Yukiko Takeuchi
Abstract: This study was conducted with 718 farmers of owner, owner-cum-tenant and tenant farmers of irrigated and non-irrigated villages at 14 upazila (sub-district) in two severe drought-prone districts of northwestern Bangladesh through a semi-structured questionnaire. It assessed farmer's perception and awareness, impacts and adaptation measures of farmers towards drought. The results revealed that farmers in both areas perceived a changed climate in recent years. They not only identified that drought is the most prevalent disaster in the study area because of rainfall and temperature variation, but also groundwater depletion, lack of canal and river dragging, increased population, deforestation, etc. accelerate drought in this area. As a consequence of drought, agriculture as well as farmers' social life and health are threatened the most. To cope with drought, farmers have been adapting various practices mainly through agronomic management, crop intensification, water resource exploitation, etc. Among different farmer groups in both irrigated and non-irrigated areas, it has been seen that owner farmers have more capacity to adopt new technology than owner-cum-tenant and tenant farmer. In conclusion, this study recommended that interrelationship among different stakeholders, effective early warning system and improved water conservation systems are essential to sustain farmers livelihood in the event of drought.
24. Multi-scale seismic hazard and risk in the China mainland with implication for the preparedness, mitigation, and management of earthquake disasters: An overview
Zhongliang Wu | Tengfei Ma | Hui Jiang | Changsheng Jiang
Abstract: Earthquake hazard and risk in the China mainland exhibit multi-scale characteristics. Facing the complex challenge, several research and application projects have been undertaken since recent years. Lessons and experiences of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake contributed much to the launching and conducting of these projects. Understandings of the scientific problems and technical approaches taken in the mainstream studies in the China mainland have no significant difference from those in the international scientific communities, albeit using of some of the terminologies has distinct ‘cultural differences’. Several scientific products have been produced serving the society. These scientific products have unique academic merits due to the long-term persistence feature and the forward forecast nature, which are essential for the evaluation of the related technical performance and the falsification of the scientific ideas. Coping with the multi-scale challenge needs the hierarchical actors' network making science and technology transform to the actions of the public for the preparedness, mitigation, and management of earthquake disasters, which is still in need of careful design and construction.
25. Intra-governmental coordination for sustainable disaster recovery: A case-study of the Eden District Municipality, South Africa
Emmanuel Raju | Dewald Van Niekerk
Abstract: Post-disaster coordination is an essential aspect to achieve sustainable disaster recovery. However, to date, little attention has been paid to the subject of coordination in disaster recovery in comparison to response coordination. This study is an investigation into the factors affecting coordination for sustainable disaster recovery. It uses the case-study of Eden district Municipality in South Africa which has been continuously impacted by floods. The paper provides a background on disaster risk management, response and recovery in South Africa to understand the legal instruments available for coordination within the government. The study is structured around the theoretical themes of coordination within the public sector and sustainable disaster recovery. This paper also aims to make suggestions for coordinating sustainable disaster recovery. According to the respondents, the study highlights that (1) much attention paid to response oriented disaster risk management; (2) government departments working in independent silos; and (3) funding and political will are factors that affect coordination for sustainable disaster recovery. Though, the study is limited to a single case study, the results presented may be important considerations in other recovery settings.