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Lessons Learnt from Nargis Recovery for the Next Disaster

International Recovery Forum (2011)12, JAN 2011, Kobe, Japan

Presented by;Mr. Soe Htwe, Deputy Director General,

Relief and Resettlement Department,Union of Myanmar

Profile of Myanmar

• Home for over 100

national races.

• Population; 59.13

•The 2nd largest

country in ASEAN

with total area of

261,228 sq miles.

millions with annual

growth rate of 2.02.

• Sparsely populated

with 77 per sq

kilometer.

• Neighboring

countries: India,

Bangladesh, China,

Laos PDR,

Thailand

Annual disaster outbreaksin Myanmar are fire andflood.

The 2004 Indian OceanTsunami was the firstTsunami experience.

Cyclone Nargis struck

Hazard Risk Profile

1/13/2011 3

y gMyanmar on 2nd May, 2008.

It is the most devastatingand tremendous naturaldisaster in the history ofMyanmar.

Affected areas are 3Regions and 2 States.

Nargis recorded as the worst natural disaster in the history of Myanmar

Severely affected 2.4millions

Death toll 84,537

Missing 53,836

School 3,912

Impact of Cyclone Nargis

Health facility 630

Economic damaged       USD 4 billion

Coordination Mechanism on Recovery and Rehabilitation in Nargis (2008)

*comprised of three representatives each from ASEAN, UN & GoUM*organized 11 Clusters for the restoration of the lives of victims*48 INGOs and NGOs actively participated in the recovery activities

National Mechanism for Nargis Recovery Programme

• National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee

• National Disaster Preparedness Management WorkingCommittee

• Ten Sub-Committees

• Government of Myanmar + ASEAN + UN organizations(TCG Coordination Mechanism)

• Formation of 11 clusters ( Education, Health, Water andSanitation, etc.)

• Cooperation with 48 INGOs in Recovery Operation

• Post-Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA)

• Coordination and Collaboration are under Post-NargisRecovery and Preparedness Plan (PONREPP) for LongTerm Preparedness

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Lessons Learnt from RecoveryLessons Learnt from Recovery• Formation of TCG is an ideal one among the nations and very

effective for the implementation of relief and Post Nargis recovery.

• Coordination and cooperation among the Government, ASEAN,UN Agencies and INGOs was carried out smoothly through TCG.

• The rehabilitation and reconstruction tasks are being implementedin the storm-hit regions with the aim of “Build-Back-Better” so thecommunities in the storm-hit areas enjoy better living conditionsthan previously

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than previously.

• CBDRM is actually important as the community is always theprime responder in the disaster out-break and they will ensureeffective preparedness and a more rapid response driven by localknowledge, customs, requirements and solutions.

• The active involvement of private sector and the entire people iscritical for the success of emergency relief.

• The humanitarian aids are complementary for the Government’srehabilitation projects.

Lessons Learnt from RecoveryLessons Learnt from Recovery• The devastating impacts of Cyclone Nargis on the environment and

livelihood basis of local communities have increased people’svulnerability to future natural hazards.

• Deforestation and forest degradation as a result of Nargis,

• Salinization of groundwater and agricultural lands, and the loss ofproperty pose major challenges to recovery efforts.

• Loss of income from natural resources as well as building materials for

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Loss of income from natural resources as well as building materials forshelter signify that capacities of local communities to cope with andrespond to the cyclone’s impacts are significantly compromised, whichmakes them more vulnerable to future disasters.

• The essential relief aids for the victims are foods and shelters

• As soon as the emergency assistances have been provided, therestoration of the livelihood of the communities plays in a vital role.

• Counseling and encouragement for the victims should be madeeffectively.

Improvement from Lessons Learnt Improvement from Lessons Learnt • The promulgation of Standing Order for the efficient Disaster

Management

• Institutional arrangement for the Departmental commitment of DRR inall sectors

• In order to reduce the impacts of future disaster, Myanmar Action Planon Disaster Risk Reduction (MAPDRR) has been drawn and implemented

• For the background situation of the country; past and present natural

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o t e bac g ou d s tuat o o t e cou t y; past a d p ese t atu adisaster outbreaks; Hazard profile of Myanmar being developed

• Public awareness programmes ( publishing and distributing of IECmaterials, TOTs, Disaster Management Courses at the States & Regions ,workshops ) and capacity building for local Government officials.

• Educative Talks on DRR for the local communities

Improvement from Lessons Learnt Improvement from Lessons Learnt

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Conduction of TOTs & DMCsfor the vulnerable community

• Updating the Early Warning Dissemination Techniques

• Under-processing of the development of Building Codes

• More cooperation and collaboration with international and regionaldisaster management organizations

• Cyclone shelters for multiple purposes; school-cum; hospital-cumshelters, hillocks and road net-work projects for effective evacuation inemergency period

Improvement from Lessons Learnt ContImprovement from Lessons Learnt Cont--

emergency period

• Continuing the implementation of HFA

• Implementation of MAPDRR

• Mainstream DRR in every sector (especially in national developmentprogramme)

• Emergency disaster preparedness plan( State/Regional , township/village tract level)

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The Track of GIRI cyclone • Cyclone GIRI hitMyanmar on 22 and 23October 2010

• Category 4 cyclone

• Emergency stagewith brown colour

• Wind speed 120Wind speed 120miles per hour

• Affected areas arePauktaw, Myaybon,Ann, Minbya, Sittweand Kyaukphyu inWestern part ofMyanmar

• 35 Dead tolls &missing 10

The Track of GIRI cyclone Comparison of Nargis and GIRIComparison of Nargis and GIRINargis Cyclone GIRI Cyclone

• Category (3) Tropical Cyclone

• Wind speed from 120 miles to 150milesper hour with heavy rain

• Accompanied by high tidal waves

• Last about two days

• Caused tremendous losses of lives anddamages

• Category (4) Tropical Cyclone

• Wind speed round about 120 miles

per hour with heavy rain

• Accompanied by tidal waves in someareas

• Last about two days

• Left very much less in losses of livesg

• Due to lowland areas and no place tohide for the victims

• Lack of communities' awareness andlack of care on the early warningdisseminations by National Authorities.

• Lack of disaster-resistant infrastructures.

Left very much less in losses of livesthan Nargis but with serious damages

• Having high hills and moundseverywhere to hide and protect againststrong winds and heavy rains

• Communities having a lot ofexperiences as almost 90%of cyclonesalways strike Rakhine State before

• Based on the Nargis lessons, peoples arehighly- aware of preparedness

• Lack of resilient infrastructures

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Emergency Situation of Cyclone GIRI

Emergency Situation of Cyclone GIRI

Bird-eye view of the GIRI-hit Areas

Infrastructures’ Damages caused by cyclone GIRI

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Natural Environment D d ti

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Degradation

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Emergency relief supplies are being provided continuously

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Shelter Supplements

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Shelter Supplements

Shelter Supplement

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Humanitarian Aids are

effectively supplied

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Emergency Disaster Relief Aids in GIRI affected Areas

Th k YThank You