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

The ASEAN Risk Monitor and Disaster Management Review (ARMOR) is the AHA Centre’s newest information publication – a journal that aims to combine science, policy recommendations, and review of actual practices in disaster management. ARMOR’s development is a primary element of the AHA Centre’s efforts to increase the ASEAN region’s knowledge and skills within the global disaster management field, with the first edition published during March 2019. To celebrate this significant achievement, the AHA Centre held ARMOR’s launching event on the 20th of March in Jakarta, Indonesia.

A key aim of ARMOR – is to bridge the gap between science and decision-making in disaster management, with the launch event opening discussions between scientists and decision-makers who were in attendance. The event was officially opened by the Deputy Secretary – General (DSG) of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs – H.E. AKP Mochtan, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Indonesia and Timor Leste – H.E. Moazzam Malik, and the AHA Centre’s Executive Director – Ms. Adelina Kamal. Overall, over 100 guests attended the event, including representatives from ASEAN Member States, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, the British Embassy in Jakarta, senior officials of the Indonesian government, a range of AHA Centre partner organisations, academic and scientific community and journalists.

The importance of ARMOR for disaster management in the ASEAN region was reflected by DSG AKP Mochtan in his speech, in which he not only congratulated the AHA Centre for its work on the publication, but also highlighted the functionality of the publication for regional disaster managers and decision-makers.“I would like to congratulate the AHA Centre for its tremendous work in providing a critical platform to bridge science and decision making in the region. The launch of ARMOR is an auspicious critical step forward to building knowledge in the ASEAN community and a valuable opportunity for ASEAN to re-examine our evidence-based decision-making processes. As one of the most highly vulnerable regions to catastrophic disasters, ASEAN has no other alternative but to work toward institutionalising resilience among its communities and peoples.”

During the event, sections from the 10 chapters of ARMOR’s first edition were also discussed by regional disaster management professionals who contributed to the writing, including Dr. Mizan Bisri of the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability and Mr. Lawrence Anthony Dimailig of the AHA Centre. The discussion panel – moderated by Said Faisal, the former Executive Director of the AHA Centre who also served as a member of the Board of Editors of ARMOR – gained significant insights and feedback from guest experts such as Dr. Allistair Cook from the Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, and Mr. Ray Shirkhodai, the Executive Director of the Pacific Disaster Center based in Hawaii.

The success of the launching, and importance of ARMOR overall was reaffirmed by Executive Director of the AHA Centre, Ms. Adelina Kamal during her speech in which she stated that “ARMOR aims to put science at the centre of decision-making process. We are very pleased to launch ARMOR, and hope that the report will be beneficial for our stakeholders to address disaster management across the region”. Ms. Kamal also expressed gratitude to all those involved, reminding all in attendance that “the resources required to develop the ARMOR report are not those of the AHA Centre’s alone, but from the active contribution and participation of the authors, reviewers, editors, and partners of the AHA Centre”.

Written by: Wiliam Shea | Photo : AHA Centre

The Pacific typhoon season poses an annual threat to the ASEAN region, with Member States such as Lao PDR, Thailand, Viet Nam, and in particular the Philippines often experiencing the brunt of large typhoons and tropical storms – usually between the months of May to October. Numerous typhoons and tropical storms also form in the Northern Pacific (Bay of Bengal) region, often striking Myanmar and other nearby nations from the west of ASEAN. 2018 displayed the potential impact of such events, with Typhoon Mangkhut and Tropical Storm Son Tinh affecting ASEAN communities, not only through the initial impact of the storms, but also the resulting disasters such as flood and landslides caused by the heavy rain and winds. Through its activities during the advance of Typhoon Mangkhut, the Philippines evidenced the benefit of preparedness measures in the typhoon season, providing inspiration for the following tips on typhoon preparedness and safety measures.

WHEN A TYPHOON IS NEAR

Understanding and preparedness can play a significant role in minimising damage and loss of life when large storms are baring down. Strong planning and coordination between governments, communities and disaster management bodies such as the AHA Centre can go a long way towards ensuring the people of ASEAN and their livelihoods remain stable even in the face of super typhoon and tropical storm events. Organisations such as the AHA Centre and national governments have the technology and knowledge to track the progress of impending typhoon and storm cells, therefore information sharing and awareness is imperative for preparedness.

1. MONITOR INFORMATION

Identify your local news outlet and information channels from your local government and disaster management authorities, and follow the information and any directions (particularly orders to evacuate) during the days leading-up to the storm’s landfall.

2. PREPARE YOUR HOME 

Your home is a place of refuge during a storm, as well as something to return to if you are ordered to evacuate. Boarding up windows and removing overhanging trees can go a long way to minimising damage to your place of residence.

3. PREPARE TO WAIT IT OUT 

Once an impending typhoon is near, staying in your home is the only option, therefore a safe place on the ground floor away from windows and doors should be identified. It is best to organise food, water and medical supplies in advance, as it may be some time before the storm clears and emergency teams can access your local area to provide further support.

4. PREPARE A GRAB-BAG

Having a Grab-Bag is imperative should you be ordered to evacuate at short notice. It should contain water, nutritional food/snacks, spare warm clothes, a torch, a communication device, and important medication.

5. HARVEST AND SECURE 

For farmers or fishermans, it is recommended to harvest available crops in the days leading-up to a typhoon’s landfall, fishing boats and other important farming equipment should be secured and tied-down in a safe place, to ensure increased ability to return to economic activities once the worst has passed.

DURING AND AFTER A TYPHOON

Whether you are in your home or forced to evacuate, your decisions can determine your safety during the event of disaster.

1. IN THE HOME 

If in your home, confine yourself to the determined safe space away from windows on the ground floor, with all doors and windows closed and covered. Turn off gas and electricity sources, and wait calmly until the worst has passed. Do not be fooled if there is a lull in the storm, as it may be the storm’s eye or a moment of respite. Once conditions have calmed for a number of hours, it is then safe to say that you have survived the worst. Remember, however, to be aware of secondary disasters such as flood and landslide that may threaten your immediate surrounds.

2. EVACUATION

In the days leading-up to the typhoon’s landfall you may be requested to evacuate to a nearby safe location appointed by your local government or disaster management body. It is recommended to follow all orders and requests completely, as such decisions are made based on the most relevant and technical information available, and with the best interests of community safety in mind. Pack your important belongings and your Grab-Bag, and follow all orders from authorities calmly and in an orderly fashion.

AFTER THE STORM

If planning to return from evacuation shelters, only do so when given the all-clear by the relevant authorities. When arriving home, monitor your property from the outside, check for damage to the structure of your house, and also to cables or pipes for electricity and gas. For those waiting-out the storm at home, the same applies as for evacuees. Check your home’s structure and potential leaks or breaks in utility supplies, wait for contact from emergency services, and at all times remain aware of potential secondary disasters.

Written by: Will Shea

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

Failing to prepare means preparing to fail. Therefore, the AHA Centre team dedicated two full days away from their regular duties to reflect on their 2018 achievements, as well as undertake the planning of the organisation’s activities for 2019. The AHA Centre’s Annual Planning Meeting took place in Bogor, just outside of Jakarta. Alongside consolidating their 2019 agenda, the Centre’s staff also worked together to ensure that all planned activities will contribute to the AADMER* Work Programme 2016-2020.

“The AHA Centre has several departments and we are here as a reminder that each individual is important to the team. If the AHA Centre is a boat, the operations team might be the hull. But, the boat will not move without the propeller that gives it power to move forward, which in a way symbolises the Corporate Affairs Division who takes care of finance and human-resources management. The boat also needs a steering wheel as it gives direction on where the boat needs to go, which symbolises the role of the Office of Executive Director who holds control of the steering wheel and gives direction for the organisation”, said Arnel Capili, the newly-appointed Deputy Executive Director of the AHA Centre. Arnel was using the metaphor of a boat to describe the working mechanism of the AHA Centre.

Throughout the meeting, AHA Centre’s team identified room for improvements based on 2018’s learnings, and scheduled priorities for the business as usual agendas, including induction courses for the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT), the 6th Batch of the AHA Centre Executive Programme, and many other integral programmes and projects. On top of that, the Centre also began preparations for the launch of two new satellite warehouses to strengthen the Disaster Emergency Logistics System for ASEAN (DELSA), as well as the humanitarian mission in Rakhine State, the establishment of the ASEAN Resilient Village in Central Sulawesi, and the implementation of Integrated Programme in Enhancing the Capacity of AHA Centre and ASEAN Emergency Response Mechanism (EU-SAHA) project. The Team also agreed to reorient the organisation’s core business into five core services, in accordance to its main mandate to facilitate cooperation and collaboration in disaster management in ASEAN. The five core services of the AHA Centre cover coordination, data intelligence and analysis, resource management, knowledge and outreach, and financing.

Dipo Summa, the Knowledge and Change Management Officer of the AHA Centre underlined that, “The Centre has completed numerous activities in 2018. However, we learned that we over-estimated our capacity and placed too many plans on our plate. It is good for us to reflect on our strategies in order to re-prioritise our forthcoming agenda in 2019”.

*AADMER : ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response

Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre

For the second time in 2018, the AHA Centre successfully conducted an ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) level 1 course. The 100-hour course was implemented in Bogor, Indonesia during the first week of December 2018, resulting in 19 new graduates, which brings the total pool of talent to 275 deployable ASEAN-ERAT ready to respond to disasters across the region.

“I have been involved in several ASEAN-ERAT trainings and this by far is the most intense one”, said Mr. Sébastien Latouille, the representative from Télécoms Sans Frontières who co-facilitated the course. His remarks was echoed by other facilitators from the AHA Centre, DHL, Indonesian Red Cross, and MapAction. Alongside the continuous course content injections and changes – aimed to resemble the unpredictability of an actual emergency setting – participants also undertook mock-up assessments in mountainous terrain during the midst of a heavy downpour. Thankfully, the ambulance that was on stand-by was not required, as all participants took care of themselves and each other, conducting their work in good health and good shape.

In addition to the regular modules – such as logistic management, information management, rapid assessment, and coordination – a new innovation was integrated to the course design. With the support of DHL Asia Pacific, participants in this course were challenged to coordinate with partners from the private sector. In total, approximately 100 elements were injected during the 48-hour drill, that was a simulation of an emergency response to an earthquake in Metro Manila.

While handing over the signature ASEAN-ERAT vests, Ms. Adelina Kamal, Executive Director of the AHA Centre reminded all graduates that “when you wear the ERAT vest, wear it with pride, but also remember that you are the bridge of trust for ASEAN, and you are the ASEAN’s solidarity on the ground. Always treat fellow ERAT members as your friends, and continue to build strong relationship with them”.

Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre

Large-scale disaster responses can be complex in nature, and require the engagement of a wide array of responders, support networks and capacities to ensure the safety of affected communities and pave the way for efficient recovery processes. To prepare for such events, improve procedures, and trial new innovations, every two years ASEAN’s disaster management bodies and practitioners come together to undertake the region’s largest simulation exercise – the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise (ARDEX-18) – that allows all parties to engage, trial and debrief within an atmosphere designed to mirror responses to a relevant large-scale disaster. ARDEX-18, ASEAN’s 7th such simulation, was implemented in Indonesia from the 5th to the 9th of November.

For the first time, 2018’s ARDEX saw the inclusion of hazardous material (hazmat) elements within the overall disaster response simulation, with the exercise focusing on a response to a three-fold disaster situation – namely an earthquake, tsunami and industrial facility damage leading to hazmat leakage – striking the area of Cilegon on the north-western tip of Java island. Cilegon itself has been highlighted by the Indonesian Disaster Management Authority (BPNB) as a high-risk area for such a risk, and therefore provided the perfect backdrop for the added hazmat element within the overall ARDEX-18 exercise. During his address at the opening of ARDEX-18, the then BNPB’s Chief, H.E. Willem Rampangilei, reminded participants of the overall importance of ARDEX events by stating that “ARDEX is an effort to demonstrate ASEAN’s solidarity in increasing disaster readiness, mitigation, and preparedness in Southeast Asia. ARDEX also serves as a platform to enhance our collective capacity and share ideas to attain the best possible disaster management efforts”.

Preparations for ARDEX-18 had been taking place for almost a year, ensuring the integration of a range of ASEAN disaster management procedures and practices including the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan (AJDRP), the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Operating Procedure (SASOP), the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT), and the guidelines to establish the Joint Operation and Coordinating Centre of ASEAN (JOCCA).

The results of the 5-day exercise will act as the catalyst for improvements and changes to many of these processes, including updating and refining the SASOP and ARDEX handbooks for future exercises. ARDEX-18 also presented the opportunity to engage bodies from both outside the direct disaster management scope, as well as outside the region, to further understand and increase implementation capacity of ASEAN disaster management process and practice, a particularly important element for efficient responses to large-scale disasters. ARDEX-18 was attended by a range of government officials, humanitarian organisations, search and rescue organisations, defence and military officials, private sector representatives, civil society actors, and members of the academic community to improve such broad multi-sectoral partner engagement in ASEAN disaster management activities.

Although faced by the challenges of ongoing disaster responses in Lombok and Central Sulawesi during the lead-up and implementation of ARDEX-18, Indonesia’s BNPB and AHA Centre managed to ensure a fluent and engaging implementation of the exercise, which encompassed a range of formats and workshops under the context of a transnational disaster response.

ARDEX-18 combined both strategic and tactical components, with the simulation exercise including indoor table top discussions between decision makers, in parallel with outdoor command post exercises (CPX) and joint field training exercises (FTX) for humanitarian responders. The real situation of multiple ongoing disaster responses further highlighted the importance and relevance of simulation exercises such as ARDEX-18 for the overall ASEAN, and international disaster management sector.

As stated by the AHA Centre’s Executive Director Ms. Adelina Kamal, “ARDEX is the only regional exercise platform that tests and validates disaster management tools to improve preparedness and readiness for One ASEAN One Response. It also provides a great environment for all of us, including local governments, local communities and stakeholders, to fight against complacency. ARDEX helps us explore the needs as well as acknowledge the capacity of all ASEAN Member States, that will be useful once we are faced with actual emergencies” she explained. As the event wrapped-up on the fifth and final day, all of the 170 participants from across the world had gained further insight into ASEAN’s mechanisms, alongside providing relevant input and sharing ideas and experience for furthering a united ASEAN.

Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre

“The tsunami caught everyone in a state of panic. I was near the beach, and everything happened so fast” recalls Misfar, a resident of Palu after a series of disaster events rocked Central Sulawesi on Friday evening the 28th of September, 2018. “The call to prayer began only shortly after the earthquake stopped – and wasn’t yet finished when the tsunami hit the beach”, Misfar explains as he recalls the rapid sequence of multiple disasters that began with a 7.7M earthquake, which was followed by a tsunami and a liquefaction phenomenon. Misfar and his family are grateful to have survived the triple disasters, but remain worried as they lost their houses and feel uncertain about their future.

Misfar is only one of over 68 thousand families whose houses were damaged or ruined by the disasters of the 28th of September. By end of the emergency phase on October 26th, the events caused the deaths of over 2000 people, with over 1,300 still missing, and over 200,000 residents of the Central Sulawesi province displaced. Adding to this, the earthquake also forcibly closed the Mutiara Al-Jufri Airport in Palu, slowing down logistical efforts and the flow of aid to Central Sulawesi’s affected districts (Palu City, Donggala, Sigi, and Parigi Moutong). The earthquake struck within less than two months after a series of seismic events shook the island of Lombok in Eastern Indonesia. The National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia (BNPB) managed to extend support for both the recovery on Lombok Island, as well as the emergency response in Central Sulawesi.

The Government of Indonesia also opened its doors to welcome offers of international assistance, under specifications identified early during the initial stage of the response. As a result, the international community provided support in a range of forms, including air cargo capacity to transport relief items, water filtration units, family tents, generator sets, medical equipment, and environmental-management support for the prevention of mosquito-borne disease outbreak. At a later stage, the Government of Indonesia also accepted cash donations from governmental and humanitarian partners, channelled through BNPB and the Indonesian Red Cross. Throughout the emergency period, the BNPB worked alongside multiple governmental agencies, who came together on a national response task force. Engaging agencies included the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, the National Search and Rescue Agency, the National Police Force, and the Ministry of Education. The national rapid response was reinforced by local NGOs, as well as volunteers from across the nation, who helped restore stability in the affected sites. In less than one week, the national taskforce managed to gradually restore electricity, telecommunication access, and access to gasoline supplies. Debris cleaning and the provision of health services were also quickly reinforced through the deployment of field hospitals and military vessels from neighbouring provinces and national resources.

“I am impressed by the Government of Indonesia’s work to quickly restore telecommunication and electricity infrastructure. Once the electricity was on, everything else followed, and coordination became easier”, said Kenneth Mak, one of the members of ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) from the Singapore Civil Defence Force who was deployed to Palu in the early days following the disasters.

The AHA Centre responded quickly to the disasters by providing full support as required to the BNPB. In addition to providing relief items, including generators, family tents, and mobile storage units, the AHA Centre also mobilised three groups of ASEAN-ERAT members, with a total deployment of 29 personnel from 5 ASEAN Member States. The Centre also supported BNPB with the facilitation, coordination and tracking of incoming international assistance in Jakarta, Balikpapan, and Palu.

During the second week of the emergency response, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, H.E. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, paid courtesy visit to BNPB and the AHA Centre. During this visit, the Chief of BNPB, H.E. Willem Rampangilei mentioned, “We are grateful for the tremendous support of the AHA Centre, who has been very helpful during the responses in Lombok and also Palu”.

In Palu, the AHA Centre and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) had the opportunity to implement ASEAN-UN interoperability of mechanism for the first time. On immediate notification, ASEAN-ERAT was assigned by BNPB to set-up and manage the on-site Joint Operations and Coordination Centre for International Assistance (JOCCIA), which is home to facilitate the initial joint needs assessments involving both national and multinational agencies. At a later stage, the ASEAN-ERAT and JOCCIA also hosted members of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team. The widespread impact and scale of the disaster attracted the attention of the United Nations Secretary-General, H.E. António Guterres, who visited ground-zero on the 12th of October. Prior to the visit, he addressed ASEAN Leaders in Denpasar, reiterating the full commitment of the United Nations to support government-led rescue and relief efforts. “I also commend the work of the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance which has been instrumental in the response, even facilitating and accommodating some of our embedded UN staff.”

The collaboration for the response in Central Sulawesi was comprehensively summarised by ASEAN-ERAT member from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Mr. Nazim Bin Kudin, when he stated that “everyone came together to help one another, and the best type of leadership is by setting examples, instead of simply telling one another what to do”. He continued by saying that “leading by example not only indicates that you are in-charge, but also the fact that you are involved in getting the work done. So, once you roll-up your sleeves, everyone will follow. That is what I witnessed from the excellent partnership here, especially with the logistics management team.”

Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre

The formation of Tropical Storm 11 (TS 11 – also known as Son Tinh, or Henry in the Philippines) had been closely monitored by the AHA Centre since early July 2018, as the team worked alongside the National Disaster Management Organisations of ASEAN Member States to prepare for the potential disaster impacts that may materialise should the storm continue to gain strength. Towards the end of July, TS 11 intensified, with torrential rains and strong winds buffeting a number of nations, including Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, resulting in widespread flooding through many districts within these nations. By the end of July, the AHA Centre was engaged in two disaster responses to flooding in both Lao PDR and Myanmar – which stands as the first time the AHA Centre provided support to two different ASEAN nations in unison.

Floods were being reported across numerous ASEAN countries in the aftermath of TS 11. However, in the of evening of July 23rd, the walls of Xe Pien and Xe Nam Noy dams in Lao PDR burst, with flash floods impacting thousands of households downstream from the large water catchments. Within 24 hours, the AHA Centre’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Jakarta activated its emergency response operations, and an In-Country Liaison Team (ICLT) was deployed and arrived in Vientiane. For this response, the AHA Centre provided four key aspects of assistance to the Government of Lao PDR and its people, including logistical management and coordination, information management and mapping, advisory support for operations planning, and finally mobilisation of relief items.

During the handover, the AHA Centre’s Executive Director, Ms. Adelina Kamal, stated that “The spirit of One ASEAN One Response is well-demonstrated in times of crisis, such as today. The swift coordination is enabled through continuous partnerships between NDMOs of all ASEAN Member States and our partners, built over the years under ASEAN cooperation on disaster management”.

ASEAN’s relief items were delivered by the AHA Centre on both the 27th and 29th of July. The first batch included 1 alumunium rescue boat, 150 family tents, 2616 hygiene kits, alongside a mobile storage unit for use as a temporary warehouse for all incoming relief items. In addition, the National Disaster Management Agency of Malaysia (NADMA) also added to the assistance by providing an extra alumunium rescue boat. Whereas the first batch of relief items were flown-in to Wattay International Aiport in Vientiane, a second batch comprised of 3500 mosquito nets were delivered alongside Australian relief items, directly into Pakse Airport, Attapeu, one of the province’s hardest hit by the natural disaster. The mobilised relief items are crucial to the specific needs of Lao PDR’s NDMO, as well as the affected population.

“When we found out that we had a serious disaster, like the dam collapsing, the first thing that came to mind was the AHA Centre. Emergency response is not only about mobilisation of funds, materials and food. We also need to learn about coordination for medical support, military cooperation, and camp management. I would like to take this opportunity to train people and learn how to organise, starting from the village level”, said Mr. Prasong Vongkhamchanh, the Director-General of Social Welfare Department of Lao PDR’s NDMO, during a briefing with the AHA Centre’s ICLT.

Overall, TS 11 and the resulting flooding affected 10 out of 17 provinces across Lao PDR. On the 28th of July, the ASEAN Secretary-General – H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community – H.E. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, the Director-General of Social Welfare Dept. Head of NDMO Lao PDR – Mr. Prasong Vongkhamchanh, and the Executive Director of AHA Centre – Ms. Adelina Kamal, visited one of the severely affected provinces, handing over ASEAN’s assistance to the Governor of Attapeu and the Mayor of Sanamxay District.

“Being forced from our homes is not a choice anyone desires for oneself, nor impose on others. The storm may have rendered our lives tragic and difficult, but we shall weather it through the triumph of our spirit”

said the Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, upon his visit to Sanamxay.

Before the mission in Lao PDR was concluded, monsoonal conditions in Myanmar saw the AHA Centre launch its second response on the 30th of July, to support the Government of Myanmar as nine regions/states were inundated by floodwaters, damaging homes and threatening lives in the central and southern states of the country. As conditions worsened, more and more of the nation’s population felt the brunt of the monsoon, with the Government of Myanmar reporting that more than 150,000 people had been internally displaced floods and landslides across nine regions, with the regions of Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi most heavily impacted. With many of the affected communities living in rural areas, a key issue highlighted was the limited electricity supply. To address this, the AHA Centre provided 12,000 portable solar lanterns, procured locally at a value of approximately USD $79,883 that were then distributed to communities facing power outages throughout the flooded nation. These items, alongside the provision of an In-Country Liaison Team to support Myanmar’s NDMO, displayed the solidarity of the ASEAN region as it provided disaster relief assistance, through the AHA Centre, to the communities affected by flood in Myanmar. The relief items were received by Mr. Win Shwe, Yangon Director of Department of Disaster Management, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Department, in Yangon, Myanmar on the 3rd of August 2018. During the handover ceremony, Mr Win Shwe emphasised Myanmar’s gratitude by saying, “We would like to convey our deepest appreciation to AHA Centre for its readiness to support Myanmar. By taking this opportunity, we would also like to extend our personal thanks to the Government of Japan for its generous donation to ASEAN, through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund. This assistance will definitely signify the unity and friendship amongst the ASEAN Member States and would enhance mutual understanding”.

The mission in Myanmar was concluded on the 4th of August 2018, with the overlapping responses forming the first time that the AHA Centre has activated missions to different countries at the same time. Although the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT) was not activated for both responses, the AHA Centre managed to obtain the support of a Yangon-based ASEAN-ERAT personnel, who volunteered to help the AHA Centre’s ICLT during their mission in Myanmar. With less than 30 personnel, the AHA Centre also managed to gain ad-hoc support from various partners. At the end of its first ever in-unison response, the AHA Centre was already gearing up to support a Government-led emergency response in the earthquake-affected areas in Lombok, Indonesia, of which will be detailed in the next edition of the AHA Centre’s Column.

Written by: Shintya Kurniawan | Photo : AHA Centre