Bangladesh: Asia - Disaster Preparedness Programs Fact Sheet #2, Fiscal Year (FY) 2002

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)

Note: This updates Fact Sheet #1 dated November 15, 2001

Background

According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, the Asia and Pacific region is more prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, landslides, volcanoes, droughts, and wildfires than any other region in the world. Asia's vulnerability is compounded by socio-economic conditions that are steadily increasing the impact of disasters. Population size and other demographic changes have decreased the amount of habitable land available forcing the settlement of hazard-prone, marginal lands, such as flood plains and steep slopes. Greater population size leads to an increased number of affected people per disaster. Environmental degradation, such as land erosion and deforestation, has augmented the severity of disasters. Disaster response organizations in Asia are still being developed, and currently lack the capacity to promptly and effectively respond to large-scale natural disasters.

USAID/OFDA is committed to assisting in the development of emergency response capacities of Asian countries, including the implementation of preparedness and mitigation programs to lessen the impact of future natural disasters in the region. Since 1995, USAID/OFDA has provided $22.7 million for ongoing preparedness projects throughout the region. To date, in FY 2002, USAID/OFDA provided $4.9 million for disaster preparedness projects throughout Asia, with another $1.4 million planned. Funding levels indicated below reflect the total implementation cost.

USAID/OFDA Preparedness Assistance

Regional

Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP): Implemented by the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), the AUDMP has received USAID/OFDA assistance since its inception in September 1995. The program aims to make cities safer by reducing the disaster vulnerability of urban populations, infrastructure (roads and bridges), critical facilities (hospitals), and shelter (housing codes), and promoting replication and adaptation of successful preparedness measures in targeted cities throughout Asia. The AUDMP implements national demonstration projects in earthquake risk management in Kathmandu, Nepal and Bandung, Indonesia; urban fire management in Vientiene, Laos; technological hazard management in Calcutta and Baroda, India; flood management in the eastern provinces of Cambodia and in Naga City, Philippines; volcano and earthquake management in San Carlos, Philippines; multiple hazard training of municipal officials in Ratnapura, Kandy and Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka; community and municipal-level preparedness activities to reduce urban flooding in Tongi and Gaibandha, Bangladesh; risk assessment and preparedness planning activities in Thailand; and the development of disaster resistant housing in Vietnam. The AUDMP also promotes sharing of disaster related information and networking among regional disaster managers, and the development and management of courses for NGOs, disaster management organizations, and regional and national governments. The program ends in June 2003. $11,929,436

Program for the Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER): The PEER program began in September 1998 as a collaborative initiative among ADPC, USAID/OFDA, and the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department (MDFRD). Focusing on earthquake preparedness, the objective of the program is to assist local, regional, and national agencies in India, Indonesia, Nepal, and the Philippines in organizing and conducting courses in Medical First Response; Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue; and Hospital Preparedness for Emergency training. The MDFRD receives separate funding, not highlighted here, in support of the program. The program ends in March 2003. $2,248,117

South Pacific Disaster Training Program: USAID/OFDA has supported the South Pacific Disaster Training Program implemented by The Asia Foundation since 1995. The objectives of the training program are to: 1) improve the capacity and performance of local and national disaster management agencies and individuals, to better plan for and manage disaster response and preparedness efforts; 2) develop and adapt training materials relevant to the region; and 3) strengthen the capacity of South Pacific countries to organize and conduct disaster management courses. The Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Palau participate in the program. The project ends in September 2003. $2,260,141

Extreme Climate Events (ECE) Program: The ECE program is a follow-up initiative to the Asian regional meeting on El Nino-related crises in February 1998. With support from USAID/OFDA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ADPC carries out the ECE program in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The goal of the program is to significantly improve government agencies' understanding of the impacts of extreme climate events, such as El Nino and La Nina, on society and the environment in the selected Asian countries, and to reduce the impacts of these events through effective application of climate forecasting information. The program commenced in September 1998 and ends in March 2003. $713,311

Strengthening of Local Seismic Monitoring Efforts: USAID/OFDA supports the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) in order to provide technical assistance to seismic monitoring organizations throughout the world. VDAP provides technical assistance to the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, and to the Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazards Mitigation in Indonesia. USGS/VDAP assistance includes training on how to conduct risk assessments, development of early warning plans, transfer of seismic monitoring equipment, and training on technology transfer.¹

South Asia

Incident Command System (ICS) Training: This two year capacity-building program will provide ICS training - teaching government and non-government disaster managers how to develop a coordinated earthquake disaster response plan - in India and Nepal through an interagency agreement between USAID/OFDA and the U.S. Forest Service. ICS training and simulation exercises will be carried out on the national and state level in India, and on the national level in Nepal. This activity started in April 2002 and will be completed in April 2004. The cost of the program is $750,834 for India and $155,878 for Nepal. $906,712

Trans-Boundary River Forum: Forums bring together decision-makers and technical personnel from the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region to share information related to flood management and flood early-warning systems, and to promote dialogue and cooperation on broader trans-boundary water issues in the region. The forums are hosted by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) based in Kathmandu, Nepal - a consortium representing Bangladesh, Bhutan, the People's Republic of China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. The one-year project began in November 2001. $100,000

Flood-Forecasting Technology Transfer and Application in Bangladesh: USAID/OFDA is funding a flood-forecasting project in Bangladesh through the University of Colorado's Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (PAOS). The program is developing a flood forecasting system that combines monsoon climate prediction with a hydrodynamic model of the Bay of Bengal in order to predict conditions conducive to prolonged and destructive flood events. The program aims to develop comprehensive flood-forecasting technology for Bangladesh and to provide climate-forecasting reports of potential benefit to agriculture, transport, and other sectors for non-flood periods. This three-year project began in September 2000. $1,166,994

Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Plan: USAID/OFDA supports the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) based in Nepal, to carry out the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Plan. The initiative seeks to implement a variety of earthquake risk preparedness measures that were identified as priorities through the AUDMP program in Nepal. Specifically, NSET works with schools, NGOs, the government, and local communities to increase earthquake awareness and preparedness, and coordinates and monitors the long-term earthquake risk reduction plan for the Kathmandu valley. In addition, NSET is working toward strengthening its own funding sustainability and agency capacity. The project began in September 2000 and ends in August 2003. $441,860

Southeast Asia

Training Program to Strengthen the Cambodian Red Cross (CRC): USAID/OFDA has funded the American Red Cross (ARC) since December 1997 to develop the community-based disaster preparedness capacity of the CRC. Specifically, USAID/OFDA provided assistance to: 1) train and develop the disaster assistance capacity of the CRC at both the headquarters and provincial level; 2) support the development of a CRC disaster preparedness unit; 3) assist in the training of community-based Red Cross volunteers and leaders; and 4) conduct vulnerability assessments and implement flood preparedness measures in flood-prone communities. In 2001, CRC began replicating these measures in seven additional provinces beyond the initial target areas of Kandal, Kampong Cham, and Prey Veng. The project was completed in February 2002. $524,350

Forecasting and Flood Early-Warning Systems by the Mekong River Commission (MRC), based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia: USAID/OFDA is supporting flood-forecasting activities in the Mekong River Basin through an interagency agreement with the USGS and NOAA. USGS hydrologists and NOAA meteorologists provide technical assistance in the area of satellite rainfall estimation and precipitation forecasting.¹

Flood Early-Warning System in Vietnam: USAID/OFDA has funded the U.N. Development Program (UNDP) since June 2000 to develop a flood early-warning system in flood-prone Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh provinces of central Vietnam. The program includes: 1) training of disaster officials and the affected populations on how to use flood mapping to reduce the loss of life, property damage, and disruption of livelihoods in future floods and other hydrometeorological disasters; 2) the implementation of a river flood alert systems in three river basins in central Vietnam that includes the introduction of flood measurement instruments, real time (instantaneous) communications and real time modeling; and 3) a TV and radio based natural disaster warning system, at the national level and in three provinces of Vietnam. USAID/OFDA support for this project ends in June 2004. $994,000

Coastal Storm Early-Warning System in Vietnam: USAID/OFDA provides funding to the UNDP for the implementation of a radio-based coastal warning system. Using weather broadcast stations in central locations, repeater broadcast stations, and low cost weather radios, the project provides coastal storm early warnings for fishing boats up to 65 miles offshore and in all 25 coastal provinces of Vietnam. The NOAA National Weather Service has assisted the Government of Viet Nam (GVN) with the design of the storm warning system. With USAID/OFDA support, UNDP is working with the GVN to design grassroots disaster preparedness training for the fishing populations at the commune and village level. USAID/OFDA support for this project began in May 2001 and ends in May 2004. $1,440,000

GRAND TOTAL: $22,724,921(A)

(A) The above figures, as noted in the text, reflect the total amount of funding for implementation of the various preparedness programs over the entire, multi-year duration of the initiatives.

Footnote

¹ Strengthening of Local Seismic Monitoring Efforts and Mekong River Commission activities are not reflected in this table as they are part of a world-wide initiative with USGS and NOAA.

USAID fact sheets can be obtained from the USAID website at http://www.usaid.gov/hum_response/ofda/situation.html