Vol 50-THE 10TH MEETING OF THE AHA CENTRE’S GOVERNING BOARD
THE 10TH MEETING OF
THE AHA CENTRE’S GOVERNING BOARD
The 25th of April, 2019 saw the ASEAN region’s 10 National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) come together for the 10th Meeting of the Governing Board of the AHA Centre. The event was held in the city of Mandalay, Myanmar, with all ASEAN Member State NDMO representatives meeting, along with representatives from the AHA Centre and the ASEAN Secretariat, to discuss the AHA Centre’s progress, work, and plans for the future.
The AHA Centre presented its recent work and outcomes across key areas for the period between October 2018 and April 2019, including providing updates regarding disaster responses that took place during the previous six months. The Centre presented to the Governing Board its activities related to the Central Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami – including the ongoing ASEAN Resilient Village recovery phase project – as well as support for the Government of Myanmar through implementing needs assessments to identify possible areas of cooperation to facilitate reparation of displaced persons to Rakhine State. Another key presentation was the publication of the AHA Centre’s 2018 Annual Report, which was delivered to the Governing Board during the meeting.
One of the outcomes of the meeting was the Governing Board’s endorsement of a draft Memorandum of Intent (MoI) between the AHA Centre and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) – a strategic partnership that was highlighted recently in Volume 49 of The Column. The endorsed MoI contains numerous key focus areas, including strengthening coordination of regional and international assistance, supporting capacity development, strengthening preparedness activities (for example through joint trainings, simulation exercises and workshops), assisting with expertise to prepare and conduct the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX), enhancing crisis communications, and strengthening the capacities of the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT).
Finally, the Governing Board also supported the outcomes of the AHA Centre’s internal planning workshop – that took place in January 2019 – which recommended the organisation of the Centre’s core services into five primary areas. These areas will now be known as:
● coordination;
● data intelligence and analysis;
● resource management;
● financing, and;
● knowledge and outreach
In closing the meeting, the Chair of the Governing Board, Dr. Ko Ko Naing, Director – General of the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) of Myanmar, expressed his gratitude and appreciation for the support all ASEAN nations had provided to Myanmar, while also commending the AHA Centre on its hard work, and highlighting the Centre’s readiness to be called upon whenever a need arises.
“The 25 of April, 2019 saw the ASEAN region’s 10 National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) come together for the 10 Meeting of the Governing Board of the AHA Centre”
Written by : Dipo Summa | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in AHA Centre Diary 1
Vol 50-DIRECT RELIEF
DIRECT RELIEF
The AHA Centre is proud to partner with Direct Relief – a humanitarian aid organisation with experience throughout more than 80 nations worldwide. Direct Relief leverages its status as a licenced and accredited distributor of pharmaceuticals to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies –providing medical aid, particularly in times of disaster. Direct Relief has also utilised its years of experience in disaster response to design and implement standardised solutions such as emergency response packs and medical facility modules that help address the needs of vulnerable communities before and after disaster strikes. In 2016, the AHA Centre and Direct Relief signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI), with the three-year partnership resulting in a range of benefits for both parties, as well as the communities of ASEAN facing disaster.
Direct Relief’s approach to disasters focuses on supporting the immediate needs of communities by working with local partners and governments to determine required solutions based on each unique emergency situation. Their disaster response priorities include emergency logistics, equipping first responders, and bolstering existing medical systems, considering the specific needs of displaced persons, and being flexible based on disaster and location. Such aims align with those of the AHA Centre, and were reflected in the aims of the 2016 MOI which included:
● Access for the AHA Centre to in-kind (donations) of pharmaceuticals, medicines, medical equipment and supplies;
● The opportunity to stockpile and prepare such medical materials;
● Collaborative disaster preparedness working arrangements that support the AHA Centre with the identification of medical materials commonly required during disaster response, and supporting the efficient access to such materials when required;
● The collaborative development of a framework to engage corporate entities, such as medical suppliers, for stockpiling, funding and understanding medical supplies, that will in turn support the overall emergency preparedness and response mechanisms of the AHA Centre;
● Organising and engaging in information and knowledge-sharing activities between the partners, as well as externally, and Direct Relief providing the AHA Centre access to its own relevant resources and knowledge management that may support the AHA Centre’s operations.
More recently, the partnership has evidenced its value during the range of disaster responses coordinated by the AHA Centre during 2018 – particularly during the large-scale response and recovery efforts after the Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami during late 2018 and early 2019. Direct Relief identified a need for the procurement and development of specific health needs within a number of the region’s disaster-affected communities, and through the AHA Centre provided a direct injection of USD 50,000 for a latrine project. The support resulted in the development of 120 latrine units across 12 locations, having a significant impact on positive health outcomes for the people during the recovery phase. During the response, the AHA Centre also facilitated Direct Relief to provide support communicating with the Government of Indonesia and local NGO partners, to ensure smooth and suitable delivery of support in the affected region.
Direct Relief has also recently highlighted an interest in supporting the AHA Centre’s ASEAN Resilient Village project taking place during Central Sulawesi’s recovery stage. With 2019 marking the end of the current MOI, the AHA Centre and Direct Relief – in recognition of the valuable partnership – have already begun talks to continue and expand their working relationship. There are an array of potential opportunities and mutual values that may be addressed outside of the current agreement, and both parties hope to finalise the continuance of the partnership in the coming months.
Written by: Carla Budiarto, William Shea | Photo : Direct Relief
- Published in Partnership
Vol 50-BOOK REVIEW: THE ASEAN RISK MONITOR AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT REVIEW (ARMOR)
BOOK REVIEW:
THE ASEAN RISK MONITOR AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT REVIEW
(ARMOR)
As covered in Volume 49 of the Column, the AHA Centre’s publication and launch of the ASEAN Risk Monitor and Disaster Management Review (ARMOR) recently took place, with the publication aiming to bridge science with decision making in the region’s disaster management field. The journal, made-up of 10 unique chapters, stands as the first publication of its kind providing risk profile information specifically regarding the ASEAN region. As the sheer amount of accumulated knowledge and information on disaster in the region continues to grow, the first ARMOR publication opens a forum for critical analysis and synthesis of such information, aiming to inform policy making and disaster management operations, both within the region and outside. Importantly, the first edition also highlights best practices, trends and innovations in ASEAN disaster management, and provides the platform for further expansion of current ideas as well as facilitating a space for new considerations from some of the region’s leading disaster management minds.
NEW AND UNIQUE INSIGHTS
One of the stand-out features from ARMOR’s first edition is the range of new, innovative and unique information it provides regarding disaster management in the region. A modern and unique theme is raised in Chapter Five, as the authors take readers through the context of Natech: The Silent and Potentially Deadly Threat in ASEAN, that discusses the growing potential risk of Natech (technological incidence/disasters triggered by natural hazards) in ASEAN, and how the region can work to mitigate such risks. Such an area is becoming increasingly relevant as the region continues to develop, with the risks related to technological disaster due to natural hazards increasing alongside the increasing numbers of factories, hazardous material sites and technology-based infrastructure throughout ASEAN’s landscape.
Chapter Two (Most-at-Risk Cities in ASEAN That Must be Watched) also gives the readers a fresh update regarding research findings on risk of disaster for ASEAN cities, with new and updated data leading to some interesting and unexpected findings – some of which challenge traditional perceptions regarding disaster management in the region. Similar findings and unique circumstances are also delivered in Chapter One Trillion Dollar Multi-Hazard Risk Landscape in Southeast Asia article. An interesting discussion on Utilisation of Space-based Information for Supporting Emergency Response and Recovery takes place through Chapter 10, with the article developed based on actual emergency response experiences that utilised space-based information, alongside direct field observation, to inform operational decision making.
THE ASEAN REGION’S PROGRESS IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT
A key strength of ARMOR is its delivery of information related to the ‘state-of-play’ for disaster management in the ASEAN region. We are provided with a strong insight into the relevant topic of climate change and its impact on areas such as water, food and health security during disaster, with Chapter Three focused on Why Climate Change Matters for ASEAN. The conversation on early warning systems and their use and impact for ASEAN is also highlighted, with Chapter Five providing analysis and a snapshot of the State of Early Warning Systems in ASEAN. ARMOR also provides focus to the AHA Centre itself, particularly the opportunities for the AHA Centre to fully realise its role as a knowledge hub for disaster management. This interesting insight is covered through in Chapter Seven’s Regional Knowledge Hub for Disaster Management: Strategy, Policy and Practice in ASEAN, followed-on directly with Chapter Eight discussing the evolving roles of the AHA Centre in Regional Centrality and the Shift of Humanitarian Landscape: The Case of ASEAN. Such information is developed by analysing and comparing two uniquely different emergency response operations – super typhoon Haiyan and the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi – providing readers not only a historical insight to the change that has evolved over time, but also the key areas in which the AHA Centre has established its role within the regional disaster management landscape.
KNOWLEDGE THAT CROSSES GENERATIONS
A great aspect of this ARMOR edition is the array of input from researchers and professionals covering different generations and skillsets, ensuring that the full scope of ASEAN disaster management is encompassed within the 10 chapters. We learn about the history of ASEAN disaster management and lessons learned through Achieving the ASEAN 2025 Vision for Disaster Management: Lessons from a Worthy Journey in Chapter Nine – a piece developed by seasoned researchers Alistair D. B. Cook and Lina Gong. In contrast, one of ASEAN’s up-and-coming disaster researchers, Juwita Nirmalasari, proposes an innovative way to accurately and immediately identify drought events that can be utilised by policy makers to engage in early and significant interventions, as the guest contributor in Chapter Six titled Application of Breaks for Additive Season and Trend (BFAST) for Drought Monitoring. This range of elements, mix of modern and historical outlooks, and the array of experiences and backgrounds provides balance and space for innovation throughout the entire journal. In reality, it represents how the ASEAN disaster management sector should be perceived throughout all of its efforts – combining experience and lessons learned based on research and data, while remaining open and ready to embrace new technology and innovative ideas from new generations of disaster managers moving through the ranks.
Written by : William Shea
- Published in Insight
Vol 50-MONTHLY DISASTER REVIEW AND OUTLOOK
MONTHLY DISASTER REVIEW AND OUTLOOK
APRIL 2019 | DISASTER MONITORING & ANALYSIS
(DMA) UNIT, AHA CENTRE
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF APRIL 2019
April began 2019’s second quarter by continuing the trend of lower disaster occurrences compared to the average of the five previous years, with the number of people affected by disaster reaching only 11% of the previous five-year average. This significant difference is primarily caused by an extreme event during 2016 that skews the five-year average – namely the 2016 drought in Cambodia that affected 2.5 million people. On the other hand, April 2019 witnessed higher-than-average displacement, house damage, and casualty figures. A majority of population displacement during April was due to widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides in Indonesia and Myanmar. Increased atmospheric activity, due to the inter-monsoon period, resulted in scattered rain showers across the region, while the Madden-Julian Oscillation further enhanced the duration and amount of rainfall in Indonesia during the last week of the month. Meanwhile, a majority of house damage was due to a hailstorm in Central Myanmar, that saw hailstones as large as golf balls raining down on homes made from light materials. Three disaster events significantly influenced the rise in casualties across the region – namely flooding, followed by a rain-induced landslide in Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, and the magnitude 6.1 earthquake in Central Luzon, the Philippines.
Geophysical activity registered 56 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 and above during April 2019. Three of these earthquakes resulted in significant impact to people and structures, seeing them classified in disaster statistics – a 6.8M in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (close to ground zero for the devastating 7.5M earthquake that triggered a tsunami and liquefaction in 2018), and back-to-back 6.1M and 6.5M earthquakes in Central Luzon and Eastern Samar, the Philippines. Lastly, there were four volcanoes, all in Indonesia, being monitored due to increased activities – Mount Agung, Mount Karangetang, and Mount Soputan, all at Alert Level 3, and Mount Sinabung, which is at Alert Level 4, the highest alert level for volcanoes in Indonesia.
SEASONAL OUTLOOK
The inter-monsoon period is expected to last until June, upon which the Southwest Monsoon will become dominant in the region. During this transition, a northward shift of monsoon rain bands will be observed. While rainy conditions are expected in the northern ASEAN region, the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre forecasts generally below-average rainfall. However, the gradual increase in rain shower activities is expected to subdue hotspot activities and improve haze conditions in the Mekong sub-region. Meanwhile, drier weather conditions are expected to slowly increase across the southern ASEAN region, particularly in Indonesia. Seasonal models tend to exempt the southern ASEAN region from the warmer temperatures expected in most of the region during the second quarter of the year.
As part of its preparatory activities for the rainy season in the northern ASEAN region and dry conditions in the southern ASEAN region, the AHA Centre will conduct a table-top exercise to test its Emergency Response Organisation procedures for responding to any disaster within the region. Alongside this, connectivity testing with respective Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) of each ASEAN Member State is also being planned. Finally, in cooperation with the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC Global), a DisasterAWARE Multi-Hazard Monitoring Platform is planned to be established in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and the Philippines. DisasterAWARE is a powerful and reliable early warning and multi-hazard monitoring platform, that supports disaster management and emergency response by providing early warning, multi-hazard monitoring, impact assessment modelling, and geospatial data. The Centre has been using the regionally-adapted version of DisasterAWARE, (Disaster Monitoring and Response System – DMRS), in its daily operations for many years. At present, the AHA Centre and PDC Global are working with Myanmar to develop capacity and capability to utilise the DMRS, while several ASEAN Member States already utilise their own versions of DisasterAWARE – including Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
Data Sources: ASEAN Disaster Information Network, ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre
Written by : Lawrence Anthony Dimailig, Shahasrakiranna
DISCLAIMER
Disclaimer: AHA Centre’s estimation is based on data and information shared by National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) and other relevant agencies from ASEAN Member States, international organisations and news agencies. Further information on each recorded-significant disaster, description and detail of data and information are available at: http://adinet.ahacentre.org/reports.
- Published in Monthly Disaster Outlook
Vol 50 – THE 11TH ASEAN-ERAT INDUCTION COURSE
THE 11TH ASEAN-ERAT
INDUCTION COURSE
Following the success of the previous courses, the AHA Centre conducted the 11th ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) Induction Course to train a new group of disaster responders ready for deployment across the ASEAN region. The Level 1 course took place in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, from the 8th to the 15th of April 2019. After successfully completing the 100 hours of course materials and training, the thirty are now prepared to engage in disaster responses at any moment as part of the united One ASEAN, One Response movement.
The course’s 30 participants were made up of representatives from all 10 ASEAN Member States’ National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs), and other sectors, such as health, foreign affairs, etc. as well as civil society representatives from the AADMER Partnership a Group (APG), the International Federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the ASEAN Secretariat, and staff of the AHA Centre. The 11th ASEAN-ERAT Induction Course was made possible through the strong support of National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) of Brunei Darussalam, its own In-Country ASEAN-ERAT team, as well as funding support from the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF).
Alongside classroom sessions covering modules of information management, rapid assessment, logistics management, and coordination, there was also a 48-hour simulation exercise that adopted the scenario of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila. This exercise was injected into the course to prepare and familiarise participants with the situation experienced during real disasters.
“Overall the course was well planned and executed within an interactive classroom sharing setting, as well as a realistic field simulation exercise. This made the learning more engaging and effective. Beyond learning about the technicalities, it was an excellent opportunity to learn and hear from fellow participants from the other NDMOs and organisations about their deployment experiences, as well as their country’s culture”, said Matthew Tay, a participant from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
The success of the 11th ASEAN-ERAT Induction Course was also possible with the engagement of partners from various organisations including MapAction UK, RedR Australia, the Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the IFRC.
During the course, three graduates of the ASEAN-ERAT Training of Trainers course played important roles as course facilitators, which formed a new innovation during the 11th ASEAN-ERAT Induction Course. “As a relatively newcomer in the area of disaster management, the Induction Course provided me with a compact yet insightful overview of the roles of an international response team during the occurrence of sudden on-set disasters” explained Akmal Aji from the NDMC of Brunei Darussalam.
“Even though many aspects of the course such as the simulation exercise was tough and energy-draining, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, as it was rewarding to be learning a skill-set that can contribute to alleviating the hardships faced by people affected by the devastating impact of natural hazards” he continued.
Fittingly, Mr. Aji highlighted the importance of the engagement of all the different parties within the course, when he said that “The training wouldn’t have been as fun if it hadn’t been for the other participants and the course facilitators, who aside from being knowledgeable and helpful, ensured that the entire course was well-organised and carried-out successfully”.
Written by: Melya Wardhani | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in Highlight
Vol 49-MS. JENNY LEE
MS. JENNY LEE
Lunch time at the AHA Centre’s office has become merrier since the beginning of 2019. The laughter, casual conversations, as well as thought-provoking discussions shared during the break involves a new friend from a neighbouring country – Australia. Ms. Jenny Lee has been assigned to support the AHA Centre as a Senior Civil-Military Coordination Specialist through the Australia Assists Programme – for the first half of 2019. Her temporary assignment with the AHA Centre aims to strengthen humanitarian civil-military coordination, safety and security policies for the ASEAN-ERAT members, and AHA Centre staff. With more than 12 years of experience in the humanitarian sector, Jenny has established her expertise in civil-military coordination, safety and security, and gender. She has contributed to numerous emergency responses, in parts of Central America, Asia and the Pacific as well as supporting the search for missing MH-370 in the Southern Indian Ocean. The AHA Centre is pleased to share with you one of our in-depth conversations with Jenny.
“I was drawn to the humanitarian work because of my late grandmother. She did not introduce me to organisations like the United Nations, or different NGOs or other humanitarian agencies, but she showed me the positive impact a person can make if they have the right attitude and intentions for the community”, Jenny explains when asked about the start of her professional journey. As she recalls her childhood memories, Jenny remembers her grandmother being the unofficial “community leader”, whom neighbours turned to whenever they needed help, often creating a safe space to listen and provide support for others. This experience created a lasting impact leading Jenny to believe that becoming a humanitarian starts in one’s own home and community – regardless of education or experience.
Having worked in the humanitarian sector for over a decade, Jenny saw the impact of conflict and disasters from the affected communities. In the topic of gender, she saw similar challenges for men, women, boys and girls in 12 countries. It was common to see women and girls consistently experiencing the same obstacles that stem from gender inequality. Challenges to accessing schooling, challenges to balancing professional lives as mothers and wives, to difficulty in accessing basic female hygiene kits and health services to mention a few things. This exposure has drawn her to realise that addressing root causes of gender inequality would need to be a collective effort from everyone in all parts of the community, organisations and at the political level regardless of gender. She’s also learned that perspectives do matter, and it is crucial to understand different perspectives are important for suitable solutions.
Adopting gender lens and understanding the impact of inequality takes time and effort, and may not come naturally for many people. In this context, advocacy is difficult, and “buy-in” (convincing people that this is worthwhile) from the right people is also difficult to achieve. Advocating for anything that deals under the umbrella of gender – from organisational policy, safety and security in the field, gender balanced representation in leadership and staff, emergency humanitarian aid – can be very challenging. However, the courage to raise such issues and empowering both men and women that their perspectives are important, and can be rewarding and lead to better solutions to different issues.
Jenny has learned over the years that “how” you start the advocacy discussion makes all the difference. She’s come across soldiers, military officers and police officers who were not only keen to addressing gender inequality and wanted to make a difference on changing the structural discrimination for women to ensure they have a more effective force. However, many did share insights of how it wasn’t pleasant to be cornered into a “gender-insensitive” individual by many activists. To Jenny, she’s learned this from a friend who admitted that understanding the concept of gender perspectives and seeing what this looks like from a practitioner’s point of view was difficult as this is asking him to shift away from the mindset that he has built for over 30 years in the security sector.
Moreover, Jenny acknowledges strong leadership is a key to achieve gender equality. Leadership starts with individuals at all levels, but executive leadership is crucial for an organisation to learn and adapt to the needs and requirements to ensure that everything within the work of an organisation is gender sensitive. She’s observed different approaches of senior leaders on how they do this. Some show leadership on this as a result of personal experience and ideas, some leaders who are new to this concept choose to rely on their gender expert and rely on them to ensure that all issues are addressed.
Jenny learned that with all these leaders (male and female), when asked why they decided to take this forward, they simply stated that “it is the right thing to do”. Organisations should reflect the global 50:50 male/female ratio at all levels to ensure that the work they do sees better quality, better effect and better solutions. Another key characteristic of their leadership was that they empowered those who were working for them, giving them chances to make “productive mistakes” which always helped everyone to become better at what they do. This helped everyone on their learning journey on understanding the intricacies of gender sensitive policies and what this looked like at the practitioner level which made a huge difference.
She concludes that, “Back in Australia, in my previous role without the leadership support, I would never had the freedom and the confidence that I have today to advocate for this. So, leadership support is key, and their empowerment of my work was also a key. On reflection, the amount of trust they gave me, was quite phenomenal and I think this helped in achieving a lot of huge tasks – as well as their open-mindedness to learn new things to make the world a little bit better than yesterday. Everyone has a room to contribute and no contribution in this sector is small.”
Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in The Other Side
Vol 49-THE ASEAN WORKSHOP ON DISASTER REPORTING AND BIG DATA FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT
THE ASEAN WORKSHOP
ON DISASTER REPORTING AND BIG DATA
FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Big data and the array of supporting disaster-related information has the potential to enhance the quality of disaster management policies and activities across the ASEAN region. However, much scoping, learning and sharing is still to be undertaken to begin fully realising the potential of such data. Based on this, the AHA Centre invited disaster managers and information crunchers alike to begin exploring potential and opportunities by taking part in the ASEAN Workshop on Disaster Reporting and Big Data for Disaster Management, which was held in Jakarta on the 18th – 19th of March 2019.
The AHA Centre’s Executive Director, Ms. Adelina Kamal, highlighted the importance of this innovative event during her opening address. “Back-to-back disasters in the region have shown the importance of disaster reporting and harnessing data. Interoperability across systems of ASEAN Member States and the AHA Centre is also important to enable ASEAN to become the future global leader in disaster management. Furthermore, data intelligence system will increase speed, scale, and solidarity of One ASEAN One Response” she explained to the participants, made-up of delegates from the 10 ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, regional and international organisations, academic institutions, civil societies and the private sector.
The first of the workshop’s three panel discussions focused on the Introduction of Big Data and Internet of Things, introducing all in attendance to the concepts and potentials of big data, predictive analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IOT). The session included talks from Ms. Derval Usher (Head of Office, UN PulseLab Jakarta), Dr. Ismail Fahmi (CEO of Media Kernels Indonesia), and Mr. Syafri Bahar (Vice President of Data Science, GO-JEK). Following-on from this was a panel about Humanitarian Data and Applications to learn from existing use and trends of big data, predictive analytics, AI and IOT, and their applications for disaster management. Insights included from Mr. Yantisa Akhadi (Country Manager, Humanitarian OpenStreet Map), Mr. Faizal Thamrin (UNOCHA Humanitarian Data Exchange), and Dr. Daisuke Sasaki (Assistant Professor International Research Institute of Disaster Science – IRIDeS Japan). The panel sessions wound-up with a discussion on the Future of Humanitarian Data Intelligence, particularly within the ASEAN context, and was provided insights from Dr. Mizan Bisri (Post-doctoral Researcher, United Nations University Institute of Advanced Study of Sustainability Japan) and Mr. Ray Shirkhodai (Executive Director, Pacific Disaster Center based in Hawaii).
The second day of the workshop brought participants together through a group discussion on a wide range of topics related to the previous day’s content – and invited groups to relate the ideas and innovations to the current context within their own country. The resulting outcomes included recommendations for utilising data for more strategic humanitarian assistance, creating stronger connections between the AHA Centre and ASEAN Member States for more modern data collection and provision – particularly related to Big Data’s potential for stronger forecasting, and exploring potential challenges and opportunities for National Disaster Management Organisations to apply the valuable big data mechanisms. Potential was highlighted for the AHA Centre to engage universities in big data, to utilise potential of big data research, training and capacity building. In this regard, it may be a good the idea for the AHA Centre to have a collaboration with ASEAN University Network, among others. Challenges were also identified regarding data sharing and data protection policy, raising the need for the development of regional data governance mechanisms.
UNDERSTANDNG THE FIVE VS OF BIG DATA:
As the innovative and forward-thinking event came to its close, Mr. Yasushi Furukawa from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication highlighted the benefit of such efforts, from the perspective of the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) as a key supporter of the workshop and the AHA Centre’s overall Information Communications and Technology programming. He stated that the Government of Japan was delighted to support and contribute to the implementation of the AHA Centre ICT Project since Phase I in 2011, continuing until now with ICT Phase IV. He expressed his great appreciation to the AHA Centre in organising such a workshop, and looks forward to the region recognising the potential that big data holds.
Written by : Shintya Kurniawan, Wiliam Shea | Photo : AHA Centre
- Published in AHA Centre Diary 1
Vol 49-SDC SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION
SDC
AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION
The Government of Switzerland, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), highlights humanitarian aid as a key priority within its international development efforts. Disaster risk reduction, emergency relief, and reconstruction are the three pillars of the SDC’s humanitarian activities, therefore aligning them strongly with the AHA Centre’s role in the ASEAN region. Throughout the last few years the SDC and AHA Centre have worked on a range of activities aiming to advance the ASEAN region’s disaster management practices and processes, forming the base of this key strategic partnership between the two bodies.
As part of this partnership, in 2018 the SDC supported the AHA Centre on the implementation of a real-time earthquake disaster response simulation, together with the Global Initiative on Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM – as covered in the Column Volume 48), which facilitated the AHA Centre staff to implement internal preparedness and response mechanisms, and included a review and evaluation following the scenario. SDC has also provided support through a range of expertise and consultations within AHA Centre programming, including two for the ARDEX-18 Referee Training in July 2018, and the implementation of ARDEX-18 in later in November. The experts were not only engaged directly in the activities, but also supported performance reviews of the AHA Centre’s emergency operations functions once the event had finished.
Additionally, Switzerland also provided funding support during 2018 to facilitate the AHA Centre’s participation in the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Mongolia, also ensuring best practices from the region could be highlighted at this important event. Such support and engagement is of high importance for the AHA Centre, as it allows for a united and strong ASEAN voice on the international disaster management stage. This importance was further strengthened by the AHA Centre’s Executive Director Ms. Adelina Kamal when she stated recently that.
“ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TASKS OF THE AHA CENTRE IS TO ENABLE THE ASEAN REGION TO ACHIEVE ITS VISION OF BECOMING THE GLOBAL LEADER ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT BY THE YEAR 2025. WE HIGHLY APPRECIATE THAT THE SWISS GOVERNMENT AS THE HOME OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY SEES THIS IMPORTANCE AND HAS HELPED ASEAN THROUGH THE AHA CENTRE CLIMB THAT LADDER BY CONNECTING US WITH OTHER REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY”
Written by: Wiliam Shea | Photo : AHA Centre, SDC
- Published in Partnership
Vol 49-TIDAL FLOODING INSIGHT INTO A UNIQUE PHENOMENON
TIDAL FLOODING
INSIGHT INTO A UNIQUE PHENOMENON
For this Column Volume’s Insight, the AHA Centre invited a young contributor who was also one of its interns – Eviana Rosida – to develop an interesting and informative article. Evi’s current studies in disaster management see her focusing on the unique occurrence of tidal flooding, upon which she has developed this volume’s Insight article. For the ASEAN region, with a coastline 173,00 km in total length, and nine nations bordering the sea or having maritime zones, the potential for tidal flooding is significant. Increasing population density in coastal areas across the region also increases potential impact, while many high-density areas facing the sea are formed by coastal cities.
ABOUT TIDAL FLOODS
Tidal floods in coastal areas may happen due to the process of rising sea water, tidal waves (different from tsunami), the high flow of river water, or general sea level rises. Naturally, tropical cyclones can also trigger a tidal flood. A tidal flood is a flood due to the tidal process that inundates land/coastal areas that are located lower than the average sea level. Long ocean waves are related to tides, and are characterised by the rhythmic rise and fall of the sea surface after a period of several hours. A rising tide is usually referred to as the flow, while the decreasing tide is called the ebb.
There is also a connection between tides and the sun and moon. Tides are in their highest state when the moon is full or new, and high tidal times at a particular location can be estimated (but not exactly) associated with the position of the moon in the sky. Water at the end of the beach bordering the ocean never stays at a fixed height, but they always move up and down according to the tide cycle. These elements also have an impact on tidal flooding.
THE FORMATION OF TIDAL FLOOD PROCESS
As the tidal process undertakes its vertical movement of sea level, these shallow water waves are produced by the gravitational force of the moon and sun on the ocean. The intensity of the force varies according to the position of the moon, sun and earth, and as a result, large tides see the water (with the help of gravitational forces) flow into low places and fill the space, inundating these lower parts.
Tidal flood can be caused by anthropogenic activities, particularly due to land degradation. Human populations living in coastal areas result in high use of groundwater. This use of ground water that exceeds the limit of the groundwater’s ability to replenish is called exploitation, and can increase vulnerability to inundation due to tidal flooding. Tidal floods have hit several areas in Java, Indonesia for example, as the density of people who live on Java has an impact on land subsidence, with high groundwater exploitation causing water to easily inundate the land. The impact of tidal flood sees bodies of sea water causing damage to asphalt roads, and damage to motorised vehicles and bicycles. In addition, sea water that enters the land (sea water intrusion) causes the groundwater to taste salty, and meaning it cannot be used as raw material for drinking water or for daily needs. Salty groundwater can also have a significant negative effect on farming livelihoods in an inundated region.
TIDAL FLOOD PREVENTION
In the short-term, such events may be prevented by building dikes to withstand the tidal waves of sea water heading to the mainland. More long-term, the effect of tidal flooding can be reduced by planting mangroves. Mangrove forests play an important role as ocean wave breakers, retaining wind speeds, and as a habitat for various flora and fauna. Such biological prevention techniques can also be supported by physical development, such as building wall borders between sea and land to act as a wave breaker. Communities who live in coastal area must also be aware about rising sea levels, and reducing exploitation of groundwater so that land subsidence can be avoided.
- Published in Insight
Vol 49-MONTHLY DISASTER REVIEW AND OUTLOOK
MONTHLY DISASTER REVIEW AND OUTLOOK
MARCH 2019 | DISASTER MONITORING & ANALYSIS
(DMA) UNIT, AHA CENTRE
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF MARCH 2019
March ended the first quarter of 2019 continuing the trend of lower disaster occurrences compared to its five-year average. This month registered 61% of its five-year average number of disaster occurrences, similar to the statistics of January 2019. However, the number of affected persons was more than 10 times the average for March, and the number of casualties is more than 13 times more than the previous 5 years on average. These considerable differences were driven by two significant events – the drought in North Cotabato, Philippines and the flooding in Sentani, Indonesia. 60% of this month’s affected population is attributed to the Philippines drought, particularly due to the drought’s extensive geographic coverage. On the other hand, 92% of this month’s casualties resulted from the flooding and landslide in Sentani, Indonesia. The primary factor for these figures can be attributed to the timing of the flash flood, which happened at night while most of the residents were sleeping in their homes. This highlights the importance of availability, accessibility, and utilisation of early warning information to drive early action.
Geophysical disasters decreased in March compared to the previous 2 months, with only 23 earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 and above recorded in the region. Of these recorded earthquakes, only one resulted in loss of life. A shallow earthquake with magnitude 5.4 struck north of Selong City in East Lombok Regency, Indonesia. This resulted in damage and collapse of structures in the area, as well as falling rocks and debris at the nearby Tiu Kelep Waterfall in North Lombok Regency, which resulted in the deaths of two tourists visiting the site. This highlights the nature and need for multi-disciplinary and cross-cutting approaches in disaster management
SEASONAL OUTLOOK
The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre reports the end of the Northeast Monsoon, and that onset of the inter-monsoon period is taking place. This is the transition phase between the Northeast and Southwest Monsoons, which is characterised by increased occurrence of scattered rain showers in the region. While seasonal forecast models point to a general increase in rainfall frequency, and a geographic expansion of rain showers, precipitation on the other hand ranges from normal in the Philippines to below-normal in eastern Indonesia and the northern ASEAN region. While the amount of rainfall may not be considerably large, the increase in exposure may still trigger flooding and rain-induced landslides.
Statistically, large-scale disasters that require regional-level response occur during the second half of the year. At the end of 2019’s first quarter, the AHA Centre is wrapping up its preparatory activities for emergency response and other events. This includes the updating and preparation of Common Operational Datasets, 11th ASEAN-ERAT Induction Course, the preparation for the launch of the DELSA satellite warehouses and many more. Activities such as these help prepare the AHA Centre, and the region, to respond to disaster whenever and wherever it may strike.
Data Sources: ASEAN Disaster Information Network, ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre
Written by : Lawrence Anthony Dimailig
DISCLAIMER
Disclaimer: AHA Centre’s estimation is based on data and information shared by National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) and other relevant agencies from ASEAN Member States, international organisations and news agencies. Further information on each recorded-significant disaster, description and detail of data and information are available at: http://adinet.ahacentre.org/reports.
- Published in Monthly Disaster Outlook