Fostering sustainable disaster resilient communities : a concept paper, v2.1

Abstract

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami highlighted the need for disaster risk reduction actions to minimize the harm that can be caused by hazards in general and by rapid-onset, large-scale geographical hazards such as cyclones and tsunamis. In 2006-07 LIRNEasia and Sarvodaya conducted a pilot project to evaluate last-mile hazard information systems in 32 tsunami-affected villages, in the context of Sarvodaya's strategic commitment to make all of their 15,000 villages (around 40% of the total in Sri Lanka) disaster resilient. Based on the research, it was concluded that disaster resilience would require a focus on village organization and an effective melding of communication over time (through contingency planning, training and simulations) and communication over space (using ICTs found to be effective in the pilot project). It is also necessary to have a hazard information hub (HIH) that functions on a 24/7 basis and effective protocols and procedures for its efficient and reliable operation. The planning, training and simulations have to be done on a continuing basis with the trainers returning to each organized village at regular intervals…