Vol 68 – INCLUSIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
INCLUSIVE DISASTER MANAGEMENT FOR PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES
With International Day of Persons with Disabilities being celebrated on 3 December 2020, it brings with it a timely reminder to explore disaster management in relation to persons with disabilities across ASEAN. While different populations face similar risks of exposure to the impacts of disaster, the vulnerability of communities such as persons with disabilities can be much greater.
Increased vulnerability is related to socio-economic conditions, civic and social empowerment, and access to mitigation and relief resources for persons with disabilities, and see them disproportionately affected in disaster, emergency, and conflict situations. This is usually due to inaccessible evacuation practices, disaster response actions (including shelters, camps, and food distribution), and then ongoing recovery efforts.
Findings reveal that persons with disabilities are more likely to be left behind or abandoned during evacuation in disasters and conflict, which is often due to a lack of inclusive preparation and planning, as well as inaccessible facilities and services, and transportation systems. Most shelters and refugee camps are not accessible, and people with disabilities are many times even turned away from shelters and refugees camps due to a perception that they require “complex” medical services.
Disruption to overall physical, social, economic, and environmental networks and support systems affect persons with disabilities much more than the general population. There is also a potential for discrimination on the basis of disability when resources are scarce. Furthermore, the needs of persons with disabilities continue to be excluded through the longer-term recovery and reconstruction efforts, thus missing another opportunity to ensure that cities are accessible and inclusively resilient to future disasters.
Mainstreaming disability into emergency responses and preparedness, by making disability issues and persons with disabilities visible in national and international actions plans and policies, is essential to ensure equality and human rights for all. Studies show that including the needs and voices of persons with disabilities within all stages of the disaster management process – especially during planning and preparedness – can significantly reduce their vulnerability, and increase the effectiveness of government response and recovery efforts.
However, despite an increasing worldwide focus on disaster risk reduction as opposed to disaster response, most city and related government agencies fail to adequately plan for – or include – persons with disabilities in their disaster management activities. Rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts must not only be inclusive and responsive to the needs of all people, including persons with disabilities, but should include the participation of persons with disabilities, to ensure that their needs and rights are respected. Women with disabilities are a particularly vulnerable group whose needs should be included at all stages of recovery and reconstruction efforts.
This article is adapted from: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/
- Published in Insight
Vol 67 – 12 YEARS OF THE ASEAN-ERAT MISSIONS
12 YEARS
OF THE ASEAN-ERAT MISSIONS
Since its first response mission to Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis in 2008, the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ASEAN-ERAT) capacity and skill have been utilised by affected ASEAN Member States to support responses to a range of disasters, including – but not limited to – typhoons, floods and earthquakes as some of the most frequent disaster occurrences in the ASEAN region. Since the initial response in 2008, a total of 144 of the 322 trained ASEAN-ERAT members have been (re)deployed in a total of 28 ASEAN-ERAT missions throughout ASEAN.
2013 and 2018 are the two years with the highest number of disaster events that resulted in the ASEAN-ERAT missions. During 2013, 27 ASEAN-ERAT members responded to 6 disasters, which formed a significant increase in response engagement compared to the initial 2008-2012 period. Five years later in 2018, multiple and simultaneous disasters across the region tested the ASEAN-ERAT capacity to respond quickly and flexibly. In total, 45 ASEAN-ERAT members responded to 5 disasters – that were mostly classified as catastrophic – occurring across Indonesia, Myanmar, Lao PDR and the Philippines.
In 2018, ASEAN-ERAT members with skills in information management were deployed in three disaster responses, this being the first time such skills have been utilised in responses, following the implementation of ASEAN-ERAT Level 2 courses in 2017. Another three ASEAN-ERAT members were deployed to respond to landfill fire in Myanmar during 2018, which formed another first for the regional response. In 2018 the Government of Indonesia also authorised 9 ASEAN-ERAT members to provide support to the nationally-coordinated response led by the Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) after the Central Sulawesi Earthquake and Tsunami. This mission saw ASEAN-ERAT members coordinate and facilitate incoming relief assistance from regional and international countries and organisations. The latest ASEAN-ERAT mission was in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the Government of Myanmar entrusted 10 ASEAN-ERAT members to conduct a Preliminary Needs Assessment and observations for the repatriation of displaced persons to Rakhine State.
Trust from ASEAN Member States and the significant dedication and solidarity of ASEAN-ERAT members themselves evidences the commitment towards ‘One ASEAN, One Response.’ Across the last 12 years, ASEAN-ERAT members’ capacity to undertake response missions has increased both in numbers and through specialisations. Such improvement is the result of strong collaboration between the ASEAN-ERAT Advisory Group, the ASEAN-ERAT In-Country Teams, the ASEAN-ERAT Operational Support Group, and the AHA Centre, who continue to ensure enhancement of ASEAN-ERAT members’ response capacities through the ASEAN-ERAT courses, regional exercises, and after-action reviews for preparedness activities.
“When we deploy ERAT, we don’t just deploy a person or a group of individuals. We deploy the solidarity of ASEAN. It is about delivering results and adding value framed within ASEAN solidarity. The emotional dimension is reflected in the fact that when we deploy ERAT, we are visiting a family.”
Said Faisal, Former Executive Director of the AHA Centre.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The AHA Centre honours the hard work and dedication of the ASEAN-ERAT members who have served during emergency response and preparedness missions across the ASEAN region since 2008. The AHA Centre would also like to thank the ASEAN-ERAT Advisory Group, ASEAN-ERAT In-Country Teams, and the National Disaster Management Organisations of each of the 10 ASEAN Member States, for their support in enhancing the capacity of ASEAN-ERAT as recognised response specialists in the region.
THE ASEAN-ERAT MEMBERS DEPLOYED IN ASEAN-ERAT MISSIONS THROUGHOUT 2008 – 2019
Adelina Kamal, Adi Bishry, Adiratna Wira Adnan, Agustina Tnunay, Amir Shah Noor Ahmad, Amnat Phonmart, Andreane Tampubolon, Andrew Mardanugraha, Andy Bachtiar Musaffa, Angelito Casinillo, Anne Tan, Arnel Capili, Arshinta, Arun Pinta, Asri Wijayanti, C.H. Kenneth Mak, Chan Nyein Thu, C.P.T Koh Kim Hwee, David Chow Tai Wei, Fazlisyah Muhammad, Gaynor Tanyang, Geok Meng Ng, Grace Endina, Haji Nordin bin Haji Buntan, Irvin Miranda, Janggam Adhityawarma, Jennifer Frances De La Rosa, Jennyline Fan, Jommel Mayor Merano, Lawrence Anthony Dimailig, Leny Jakaria, Luqmanul Hakim, M Fairual Idzuan bin Awang Jahri, M Nazim, Malyn Tumonong, Mark July Yap, Mary Grace Somido, May Francelline Jimenez, Md Syafawie Md Amin, Min Soe Han, Mohammad Zikri, Mohamed Firoz, Mohamed Kadir Maideen, Mohammad Raihan Hafidz Mohd Rafiek, Mohammad Shazwan bin Suhanie, Muhamad Ali bin Hassan, Muhammad Azhar bin Said, Muhammad Fauzie Ismail, Nasrus Syukroni, Neil Angelo Sanchez, Nurul Fatien Rusly, Ow Yong Tuck Wah, Radito Pramono Susilo, Rio Augusta, Rivie Ayudhia Imanuela, Rohaizat Hadli, Romeo Almazan Bituin, Said Faisal, Sawita Lertsupochavanich, Shahrin bin Ahmad, Shintya Kurniawan, Siti Mariam Abu, Tan Teck Ming, Theophilus Yanuarto, Wanri Naibaho, Ye Tu Han, Yeny Susilowati, Yoram Lukas, Yos Malole.
THE ASEAN-ERAT IN-COUNTRY, THE ASEAN-ERAT ADVISORY GROUP, AND THE NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ORGANISATIONS OF THE ASEAN MEMBER STATES
Written by : Madiatri Silalahi
- Published in Insight
Vol 66 – GETTING TO KNOW EL NIÑO & LA NIÑA
GETTING TO KNOW
EL NIÑO & LA NIÑA
El Niño and La Niña are complex weather patterns resulting from variations in ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. As we begin the latest La Niña phase, we can take a little time to learn about their history and what they really mean for our current weather and climate.
EL NIÑO
El Niño means the Little Boy – or Christ’s Child – in the Spanish language. It was originally recognised by fishermen off the coast of South America in the 1600s, and was formed by the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean for a certain time of the year. The name was chosen based on this time of year (which was around December), during which these warm water events tended to occur more often.
In modern times, the term El Niño refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction that is linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific region. Typical El Niño effects usually develop over the Northern America continent during the winter season, and is signified by warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada, as well as over the western and northern United States. Wetter-than-average conditions are likely over portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier-than-average conditions are found in the Ohio Valley and the Pacific Northwest. The presence of El Niño can significantly influence weather patterns, ocean conditions, and marine fisheries across large portions of the earth for an extended period of time, and have significant causal effects on other weather-related events.
LA NIÑA
La Niña, on the other hand, is Spanish for the Little Girl. La Niña is also sometimes known locally as El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or ‘a cold event’. Simply put, it forms the opposite conditions to the El Niño event.
La Niña episodes represent periods of below-average sea surface temperatures across the east-central Equatorial Pacific. La Niña impacts on the global climate tend to be opposite those caused by El Niño, and in the tropics, ocean temperature variations in La Niña also tend to be on the opposite end to the weather patterns attributed to El Niño. In general, during a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than usual in the southeast of the Northern American continent, and cooler than normal in the northwest.
Source: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html
- Published in Insight
Vol 64 – TSUNAMI MITIGATION DURING THE PANDEMIC
TSUNAMI MITIGATION
DURING THE PANDEMIC
The current pandemic leaves disaster managers with new and unique challenges in preparing for – and responding to – natural disasters that may take place. With restrictions on human interaction and movement due to significant health challenges, the occurrence of a natural disaster could force large numbers of people into close proximity, with the potential to add to the disaster impact through spread of the highly contagious virus. To overcome this, planning and guidelines are required to be developed in short turnaround, and risks such as tsunami disasters require specific consideration.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), in consultation and collaboration with expert working groups within Intergovernmental Coordination Groups (ICGs), has released regional guidelines for tsunami warning services, evacuation and sheltering during the COVID-19 pandemic. The four regional guidelines (for the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and the North-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean) include details of regional tsunami services, that can be used by national authorities responsible for the organisation of tsunami warning and emergency response to develop their own nationally-coordinated guidelines.
These guidelines are also supported by a special national version for Indonesia, particularly due to the nation’s recent history of large tsunami events. For some Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines and Viet Nam, the Pacific Ocean regional guidelines will provide relevant information. Meanwhile, Thailand and Myanmar can refer to the Indian Ocean regional guidelines. Additionally, these guidelines can also be applied to other coastal hazards such as storm surges and flash flooding.
When the National Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC) and/or a National Disaster Management Organisation (NDMO) issues a tsunami warning, the desired action for the public is to follow the advice of the authorities, including evacuation from identified at-risk locations as required. It is important to highlight that human life is the priority when tsunami evacuations are required, regardless of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and physical distancing protocol. Of course, in a state of evacuation such protocols may not be practical. Regardless, handling any resultant COVID-19 infections must be done immediately following an evacuation, to minimise the risk or large-scale infection. Communities must also be aware of COVID-19 safety protocols and any requirement for physical distancing when sheltering at an evacuation site. In addition, a personal or family emergency backpack should be augmented with disposable tissues, alcohol-based hand sanitiser, disinfectant wipes, and possibly face masks, in consideration of the heightened sanitation and hygiene requirements due to the COVID-19 virus.
Written by : Shahasrakiranna | Source : Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
- Published in Insight
Vol 61 – DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE
DISASTER MANAGEMENT CYCLE
Coordinating regional efforts on disaster management is the primary function of the AHA Centre, which requires strong processes and approaches to ensure successful coordination across a range of levels and with numerous parties. One of the key approaches for undertaking disaster management work – whether for the AHA Centre or all other disaster actors – is through utilisation of the Disaster Management Cycle, and its expansion and uptake across the ASEAN region.
The Disaster Management Cycle (DMC) itself sometimes varies in specifics, but generally follows the same key phases in a circular motion. It is important to recognise that this is not a ‘linear’ approach, but instead a cycle, with many elements of its final phases ‘feeding back’ into the early phases of the DMC.
PREVENTION
Prevention aims to directly avoid the onset of disaster and therefore its adverse impacts. It focuses on actions taken to avoid disaster situations, including examples such as land regulations to stop degradation, or development of river levees to prevent floods. The outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters.
MITIGATION
Mitigation aims to limit or lessen the impact of potential disasters, usually when initial prevention methods have not been undertaken or were not successful. An example is the construction of earthquake resistant buildings, as there is little to be done about preventing earthquakes, however such construction can mitigate the impact.
PREPAREDNESS
Preparedness covers the knowledge and skills held by all actors to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from the impacts of disaster. This may include government processes to respond directly, community understanding of how to keep safe when disaster strikes, or organisations planning what are priorities for people during the aftermath of a disaster event.
RESPONSE
Response is formed by the direct emergency assistance after a disaster strikes, and is usually focused on the speedy saving of lives, and ensuring basic needs of affected communities are provided. There are many types of activities and focus areas in disaster response, including (but not limited to) assessments, food and non-food item provision, water access, sanitation and hygiene service delivery, and other key health and shelter activities.
REHABILITATION
Rehabilitation takes place in the early stages after the initial disaster response, with the aim to establish key services required for a functioning community in the short-term. It may include the development of camps for those who have lost their homes, or ensuring education can continue for children around the disaster site.
RECONSTRUCTION
This phase aims to re-develop the infrastructure and services required for long-term recovery, after the initial rehabilitation has taken place. It includes permanent housing development, full restoration of services, and other requirements to return a community to its pre-disaster state.
RECOVERY
Not only does the recovery phase include ongoing restoration of pre-disaster situation, but also involves improving and increasing infrastructure and services for affected communities. A significant part of this phase – and one that ‘closes the DMC loop’ – is the integration of prevention, mitigation and preparedness activities to ensure a more resilient and safe community in the face of future disasters.
Written by : William Shea
- Published in Insight
Vol 60 – NATURAL DISASTER RESPONSE DURING PANDEMICS
NATURAL DISASTER RESPONSE
DURING PANDEMICS
Disasters can happen at any time, and the occurrence of a pandemic, such as the world currently faces, means natural disaster becomes more challenging to manage and potentially more dangerous to communities. Dealing with response and recovery from natural disaster during the midst of the coronavirus pandemic raises an array of new and unsettling questions. Who has to respond? What assistance may be provided if hospitals are treating COVID-19 patients? What if there is already a scarcity of medical supplies and resources? Where are evacuees sheltered and housed if there is need to ensure displaced people can continue social distancing?
Additionally, the timeframe for managing such a multi-dimensional challenge could be up to months, and likely even years, throughout which both the pandemic response and potential natural disaster response must both be considered. There is also a history of epidemics that follow natural disasters.
The 2004 South Asian Tsunami that killed more than 250,000 people and displaced more than 1.7 million across 16 countries, also produced ideal conditions for an Acute Respiratory Infection outbreak in Aceh, Indonesia – already the worst hit region after the disaster. In 2010, the first Cholera outbreak in more than a century in Haiti resulted in 8,183 deaths, both amplifying and amplified by damage to infrastructure caused by the huge earthquake.
So on one hand, there is the fact that COVID-19 counter measures could hamper the emergency response to disasters, while on the other hand disaster situations will potentially disrupt current pandemic response actions (such as social distancing) that can increase the potential for increased spread of the virus.
With the current coronavirus pandemic adding a new layer of challenges and risks, community leaders must undertake structured planning for how they will deal with the worst-case scenario.
Planning includes asking and answering questions such as: What can go wrong? How likely is it to happen? What are the consequences? What resources do we need to mitigate the risk?
According to scientists at the University of Melbourne, there are four pre-emptive strategies that governments can adopt to counter the risks of COVID-19 and natural hazards.
PRE-EMPTIVE STRATEGIES TO COUNTER THE RISKS OF COVID-19 AND NATURAL HAZARDS
First, identifying possible pandemic-natural disaster hybrid scenarios, including worst-case scenarios is critical. This requires the building of new hybrid forecast models that combine existing pandemic projection models and natural hazard forecasting.
Second, emergency responses to extreme events can be modified in advance by considering seasonal weather forecasting models. As technology can provide predictions of possible natural hazards in the coming months, planning ahead is key.
Third, a re-design of policy responses is needed to address different natural hazards, with a focus on social distancing. Policy changes must be introduced to a wide range of post-disaster activities, ranging from emergency aid distribution to providing shelter.
Finally, supporting relief agencies serving lower income communities or regions and their governments is important, as impacts of compound effects on these areas are likely to be disproportionately high.
Although an epidemic does not usually fall within the disaster management sector, in terms of scale and suffering, it potentially should. While it may be difficult and hard to think of the additional risk caused by a second crisis at this time, risk management requires exactly that—staying ahead of events and always being prepared to respond.
Written by : Ina Rachmawati | Source : theconversation.com & www.preventionweb.net
- Published in Insight
Vol 60 – FUN WAY TO LEARN DISASTER THROUGH A GAME
FUN WAY
TO LEARN DISASTER THROUGH A GAME
Various natural hazards ranging from floods, tsunamis, earthquake and roaring hurricanes. It is probably not an easy feat to try to explain this to children. But there is actually a simulation game that educators can utilise so that children can learn how to respond to and mitigate disaster through an internet game.
The game was launched by United Nations in 2007 as part of World Disaster Reduction Campaign; it is simulating natural hazards and serves as an interactive educational tool for children. Targeted for age 9-16 years old audience, the player role is to plan and construct a safer environment for their local population by assessing disaster risk and limiting damage inflicted during a natural hazard strike.
The UN/ISDR secretariat developed the online video game based on the great success of the board game called “Riskland” for children aged 6 to 9, which was developed jointly with UNICEF. The Riskland game has been widely used worldwide in different languages, including local languages.
The on-line game called “Stop Disasters” (www.stopdisastersgame.org) aims at sensitising children on basic notions of disaster risk reduction in a fun and entertaining manner. Its main objective is to raise awareness about the issue but do not pretend to educate children on all the aspects of disaster risk reduction issues. The game is also supported by a website offering more information and teacher guides on natural hazards.
The game includes five natural hazard scenarios (flooding, tsunami, wildfire, hurricane and earthquake) set in five different geographic environments with three different levels of difficulty that require critical decision-making and strategic planning.
This online game aims at teaching children how to build safer villages and cities against disasters. Children will learn through playing how the location and the construction materials of houses can make a difference when disasters strike and how early warning systems, evacuation plans and education can save lives.
The player assumes the role of a contractor in charge of improving the area’s response to specific natural disasters. Within a set time limit, the player must manage their resources in order to construct and reinforce local buildings, conduct training, and purchase warning systems to help make the community safer.
Each scenario takes place in various locations around the world and focuses on disasters common to that area. For example, the tsunami scenario takes place in Southeast Asia, while the wildfires scenario takes place in Australia.
GAMEPLAY
The player is given a lot of freedom to make choices in the game. They can choose what to develop and where to develop it, and they can choose between developing buildings or creating defence systems. Once a structure is made, they can choose if or how they will upgrade it. The player has a set budget and they can decide how to distribute their money and which members of the population to spend it on.
The player is given a generic amount of time before a disaster strikes. They can use that time to invest in their community and build structures, create defences, and invest in warning systems and population training. Each scenario comes with a list of goals that must be met before the disaster strikes. For example, the player might have to build a school, house a certain amount of people, and develop the local economy (such as building a certain number of hotels). Each scenario also has some generic goals related to lowering the costs of the destruction and loss of life during and after the disaster. The challenge comes from managing the resources available: limited time and money and terrain-related building restrictions. The player is not given any implicit directions once the game controls are explained and is expected to figure out the game strategy on their own by clicking on objects and trying out different actions.
The game is a real-time, self-guided, point-and-click, grid-based map simulation. The player interacts with the game by clicking on objects on the map and on menus. All actions can be completed using a mouse. The player is expected to find information independently, and will be rewarded for exploring and making good choices with tooltips that appear after the action has been completed. This self-guided nature of the game drive the player to do multiple tries before correctly strategies the game play. reduces the learning component by preventing the player from acting purposefully on this information. A player’s knowledge may actually be minimized by this method because they may not be able to find all of the tooltips in the allotted time. However, the option to start the disaster early was useful as a self-guided feature because the player may finish before the time is up.
Written by : Ina Rachmawati | Source : www.stopdisastersgame.org, www.undrr.org, www.unric.org & web.cs.wpi.edu
- Published in Insight
Vol 59 – PANDEMICS THROUGHOUT HISTORY
PANDEMICS
THROUGHOUT HISTORY
We have begun the new decade with a significant and complex challenge, as the entire world comes face-to-face with the Coronavirus pandemic. While this may form a new context for many nations and people, it is only the most recent of many pandemics that have challenges the human race throughout history. Each pandemic’s impact on health, livelihoods and other areas may have varied, however the all hold one defining similarity. They require a global response that prioritises human life and looks out for the vulnerable, similar to many aspects of natural disaster. As the AHA Centre explores its role within this new challenge, we take a look back over some of the key pandemics faced throughout history – and particularly in recent times.
Black Death / Bubonic Plague (1347-1351)
The bubonic plague is famous for its spread during a time that sea travel and ports were major links between countries and continents. Thought to have spread through rats and fleas, the plague (or Black Death as its more commonly known), moved across Europe, Africa and Asia killing anywhere between 75 to 200 million people over a number of years.
Smallpox (1520-1980)
The smallpox pandemic had a significant impact on native populations across the American continent, brought and spread by conquerors, adventurers and settlers into new and foreign lands. In the 1500’s the Aztecs experienced significant decimation, while it is also estimated that the disease killed 90% of native Americans in general. By the 1800’s the disease was still prevalent, and was killing around 400,000 people per year in Europe. As a result, the first ever vaccine created was to deal with smallpox, with its eradication finally complete by 1980.
Spanish Flu (1918-1919)
The smallpox pandemic had a significant impact on native populations across the American continent, brought and spread by conquerors, adventurers and settlers into new and foreign lands. In the 1500’s the Aztecs experienced significant decimation, while it is also estimated that the disease killed 90% of native Americans in general. By the 1800’s the disease was still prevalent, and was killing around 400,000 people per year in Europe. As a result, the first ever vaccine created was to deal with smallpox, with its eradication finally complete by 1980.
Asian Flu (1957-1958)
The smallpox pandemic had a significant impact on native populations across the American continent, brought and spread by conquerors, adventurers and settlers into new and foreign lands. In the 1500’s the Aztecs experienced significant decimation, while it is also estimated that the disease killed 90% of native Americans in general. By the 1800’s the disease was still prevalent, and was killing around 400,000 people per year in Europe. As a result, the first ever vaccine created was to deal with smallpox, with its eradication finally complete by 1980.
Hong Kong Flu (1968-1970)
Ten years after the Asian Flu came the Hong Kong Flu, with the initial outbreak in Hong Kong quickly moving into Singapore and Vietnam. Within a few months cases were detected across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Australia and the United States, resulting in the deaths of over a million people worldwide. Even with a low death rate of around 0.5%, the pandemic did take the lives of around 500,000 people in Hong Kong itself, which was around 15% of the city’s population during the late 1960’s.
HIV AIDS (1981-Present)
HIV AIDS first appeared in Africa during 1976, and has gone on to form one of humankind’s greatest pandemic challenges for many decades. The disease has killed more than 36 million people since 1981, and has infected an estimated 5% of the total sub-Saharan African population. While awareness and treatments have grown and improved, and deaths and sickness have decreased with medicinal improvements, there is still no vaccine for the blood and sexually-transmitted disease, and it continues to be transmitted across the world.
Swine Flu (2009-2010)
The second pandemic from the H1N1 virus (the first being the Spanish Flu), Swine Flu resulted from a mix of flu strains during previous years. Killing a relatively smaller amount of people in comparison to other pandemics (200,000 deaths), there are studies that approximate the infection of between 700 million to 1.4 billion people across the world – which equates to up to 20% of the overall population at the time.
Ebola (2014-2016)
Having gone through a number of outbreaks since it was first discovered in 1976, Ebola became a serious pandemic in West Africa during 2014-2016. Spreading through contact with body fluids from humans and animals, this extremely deadly disease kills anywhere between 25-90% of people it infects, with an average of 50% death rate since its discovery. A vaccine was approved in 2019, with the hope that such advances can completely eradicate the deadly disease that killed over 11,300 during the 2014-16 pandemic.
Written by : William Shea | Source : https://jmvh.org and The Conversation
- Published in Insight
Vol 58 – MOVING RAIN TO AVOID A FLOOD
MOVING RAIN
TO AVOID A FLOOD
The significant flooding that hit Jakarta and its surrounds on 1 January 2020 required significant attention from the Government of Indonesia, prompting the National Disaster Management Authority (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana – BNPB) to immediately conduct a coordination meeting with related parties. During this meeting a significant decision was made to attempt to alleviate flooding in Jakarta and its surrounds. This plan was to utilise Weather Modification Technology – or WMT. The Indonesian Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (Badan Pengajian dan Penerapan Teknologi – BPPT) had developed a strategy by conducting an analysis of the growth of clouds that cause rain across the Jakarta metropolitan area. These clouds originate from the west and northwest of area, from the Sunda Strait, Lampung and surrounding regions.
On Thursday, January 2, 2020, the BPPT together with the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) undertook preparations of required equipment and rain seedling materials, as well as an aeroplanes including a CASA CN-295 and a Hercules. On the morning of January 3, prediction and monitoring of cloud growth and movement was carried out, with all potential rainclouds moving towards Jakarta to be planted by plane using salt (NaCl) seedlings. Seeding clouds with salt is done to make clouds heavier, therefore causing rain to fall, and doing so in this case before the clouds reached the flooded areas of Jakarta. This aimed to or at least to decrease rain intensity once clouds arrived in the area, as well as reduce and re-distribute rainwater to support the flooded areas. WMT activities are also used for other disaster relief operations, such as putting out forest and land fires, filling reservoirs, and wetting fire-prone peatlands. WMT can also be utilised to increase river elevation for irrigation, so as to increase agricultural production.
Indonesia has implemented reliable WMT activities in overcoming water deficits, floods and fires since 1997. This has also increasingly included the control of flooding through optimal implementation of WMT. It can be utilised in most conditions and weather seasons, and may also be utilised to support national strategic projects and important national activities, by reducing smoke disruption ensuring a location is unobstructed by extreme weather conditions.
Written by : Ina Rachmawati | Source : BNPB publication
- Published in Insight
Vol 52-NATIONAL DISASTER RESILIENCE MONTH IN THE PHILIPPINES
NATIONAL DISASTER RESILIENCE MONTH
IN THE PHILIPPINES
Disaster plays a large role across the communities of the Philippines, with the ASEAN Member State constantly affording significant attention and resources to ensuring its citizens and infrastructure are prepared and resilient to disaster occurrences that frequently impact the nation due to its geographic context. For the entire month of July 2019, the Philippines celebrated its National Disaster Resilience Month (NDRM) that involved numerous events and activities across the nation aimed at increasing awareness and resilience for its people in the face of ongoing natural disaster threats.
The theme for 2019’s celebration was Kahandaan sa Sakuna’t Peligro Para Sa Tunay na Pagbabago – which translates to Disaster Risk and Emergency Preparedness for Genuine Development in the English language – with NDRM kicking off on July 1st through a number of opening events. The Philippines’ National Disaster Management Organisation (NDMO) – the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) – kicked-off the month-long celebration with the launching of its DELSA Satellite Warehouse in Quezon City, an event that will be covered in detail in the next volume of the AHA Centre’s Column publication. For the entire month of July, the Government of the Philippines, institutions, businesses and the general public took part in activities related to disaster resilience, particularly covering the four thematic areas of DRRM –Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Response and Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery.
A variety of engaging and interesting activities were planned for the whole month, with each of the nation’s numerous regions implementing its own schedule for celebrations and awareness raising within the community. The Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista, through the Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, undertook a ‘caravan’ around San Jose de Buenavista to raise community awareness on the importance of readiness within the landslide and flood-prone region. In San Fernando City, the annual Run for Resilience event was organised. The annual event was formed to offer thanks for the support of the many partners who promote disaster resilience in the community. Schools across the nation will participate in activities such as essay writing, song development and poster creation, with the aim to ensure strong resilience in the next generations of the country’s youth. In Butuan City, officials aim to highlight their Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Heroes – namely the health care providers in provincial and district hospitals who are at the frontlines providing care during emergencies and disasters.
Disaster response trainings in schools and government offices and in disaster prone areas were held across different locations, that formed the practical aspect of the NDRM in strengthening disaster resilience for people of the Philippines. Other events aimed to strengthen internal and external partnerships on disaster management, through events such as: ceremonial turnover of tents from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the launch and implementation of the 2019 Nationwide Simultaneous Hands-Only CPR Campaign; Basic Life Support Training for the DOH Security Personnel, and; a ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.
Written by : William Shea | Photo : The Philippines Office of Civil Defense Facebook Page
- Published in Insight