Wenchuan Earthquake Response:

1

• Wenchuan Earthquake Response
• Community-based Poverty
• Reduction in Remote Villages
• Policy Workshop
• Beijing, CHINA 14-15 July 2008

2
Theme 2 Disaster Risk Reduction
Within Reconstruction

• Disaster Risk Reduction
• a Framework
• Ian Davis
• Visiting Professor in Disaster Management
• Cranfield, Oxford Brookes and Kyoto Universities

3
(No Transcript)
4
A key factor to recognise about Earthquake
Safety

• Unlike other natural hazards, where the causes of
  death and injury derive from many sources, in
  earthquakes the vast majority of all deaths, and
  all injuries relate to the collapse of buildings.
  
• Probably 98 of all deaths and injuries in
  Sichuan came from this source.
• Therefore, Building Safety is the Number 1
  Priority concern in recovery, to avoid a repeat
  tragedy in the coming years

5
A key factor to recognise about Earthquake
Safety

• Building Safety is achieved in five ways
• Land-use planning controls, and enforcement
• Safe building codes, and enforcement
• Training planners, architects, engineers and
  builders in safe building construction
• Public education
• Effective Disaster Plans and Preparedness
  Measures
• Put together, by creating a Safety Culture

6
Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-15

• What is this?
• An international agreement by 168 countries who
  attended the World Conference on Disaster Risk
  Reduction (WCDR) in Kobe, Japan in January 2005.
• Later this Framework was confirmed by additional
  countries , so that now over 190 countries ,
  including China, have agreed to certain goals
  and priorities to be achieved in just 7 years time

7

• Apply the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-15

8
GOALS

• Integration of DRR into sustainable development
  policies and planning

9
School Rescue Operations
10

• In the 2005 Pakistan earthquake
• 18,091 children died, (24 of all deaths)
• 853 teachers died, when
• 3,424 school buildings collapsed
• In the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
• it has been reported that over 10,000 children
  died when 7,000 schoolrooms collapsed

11
Hospital Rescue Operations
12
Highly vulnerable building within highly
vulnerable towns
13
Apply Strategic Goal 1. in Sichuan

• Build risk reduction into recovery policies and
  plans in the following areas
• Possible resettlement of communities living in
  the highest seismic risk zones. But such
  policies need special care and attention since
  there are numerous negative international
  experiences of community relocation efforts-
• (highly dissatisfied relocated
  communities
• and re-occupation of vacated areas)

14
Apply Strategic Goal 1. in Sichuan

• Revisions to upgrade seismic safety in building
• by-laws and land-use planning controls
• Review system of building by-law supervision
• Training strategy for all levels, especially
  local communities
• Strategy to protect critical facilities (schools/
  medical facilities/ key services
  water-electricity etc)

15
GOALS

• 2. Development and Strengthening of institutions
  , mechanisms and capacities to build resilience
  to hazards

16
Recognise the range of Capacities
Safe Critical Facilities
Coping Abilities
Trained Staff
Disaster Preparedness
Cash Reserves
Volunteers
Local Institutions
Local Leadership
Responsible Governments
Memory of Past Events
EthicalStandards
External Support
Contingency Plans
Diversified Local Economy
17
Changing Roles in Recovery
The Role of External Assisting Groups The
Role of the Local Community
High Level
LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY

Low Level
TIME FOR RECOVERY Start
Finish
18
(No Transcript)
19
Nila, a 38 year old housewife in Ache, talking in
May 2006

• I believe that we made Ulee Lhee ( the coastal
  settlement being rebuilt in Banda Ache) an
  example of the process of reconstruction. I
  participated in the process and I am proud of it.
  I dont care if it will be better or worst than
  before, it will never be as it was.

20
(No Transcript)
21
Apply Strategic Goal 2. in Sichuan

• Make certain that safety from earthquakes, fire
  and any other hazards is given a priority in the
  mandate of recovery organisations at local,
  district and regional levels.
• Check if effective mechanisms are in place to
  build community resilience
• Check if the capacities of public officials to
  implement safety policies plans are in place

22
GOALS

• 3. The systematic incorporation of DRR
  approaches into the implementation of emergency
  preparedness, response and recovery programmes

23
Integration of five Recovery Sectors
Psycho- Social Recovery
Economic/ Livelihood Recovery
Recovery of Governmental Institutions
Physical Recovery
Environmental Recovery
24
Training local Builders to build earthquake
resistant dwellings in Colombia
25
Apply Strategic Goal 3. in Sichuan

• All recovery/ reconstruction plans to include
  safety in all sectors
• Ways to protect lives, (especially of high-risk
  vulnerable groups)
• Ways to protect livelihoods and local economies
• Ways to protect physical assets (buildings/
  roads/ services / government offices etc)
• Ways to protect the natural environment (slope
  stabilisation including reforestation etc.)

26
PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

• Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a
  national and local priority with a strong
  institutional basis for implementation

27
Apply Priority for Action 1. in Sichuan

• Clear directives and funding support for DRR
  needed from the political centre
• Technical and financial support from
  international donors
• Strong UN leadership and capacity building from
  UNISDR/ UNDP/ UNICEF/ UNESCO etc.
• Media support is essential to maintain vigilance
  and a united commitment for safety

28

PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

• 2. Identify, assess and monitor disaster risks
  and enhance early warning

29
Apply Priority for Action 2. in Sichuan

• Build and maintain risk assessment system
• Deploy scientific teams throughout the region to
  check on seismic hazard risk and if necessary
  redraw seismic hazard maps. Feed data into teams
  revising building codes
• Provide urgent advice concerning seismic
  aftershock risks and public safety
• Examine damage and needs assessment reports to
  assess new vulnerability patterns
• International teams of seismologists can
  effectively assist national officials

30
Apply Priority for Action 2. in Sichuan

• But there will be a major political/ planning
  dilemma to be faced
• Should reconstruction wait for safety revisions
  to building and planning codes to be completed ?
  or-

31
Apply Priority for Action 2. in Sichuan

• Should reconstruction proceed to capitalise on
  present political, media and public demands, if
  so
• SPEED vs SAFETY
• 
  PARTICIPATION
• 
  CAREFUL PLANNING
• 
  QUALITY

32
PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

• 3. Use knowledge, innovation and education to
  build a culture of safety and resilience at all
  levels

33
The Development of a Safety Culture
Stage 5 Safety Culture
34
Apply Priority for Action 3. in Sichuan

• Draw from the rich international experience of
  disaster recovery (Gujarat/ Bam/ Pakistan/
  Tsunami recovery in India-Sri Lanka and
  Indonesia)
• Give priority to training and education since
  this has long lasting positive consequences
• Use this unique opportunity to build a safety
  culture through advocacy, developing a logical
  approach to DRR, improved laws and enhanced
  public awareness

35
PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

• 4. Reduce the underlying risk factors (social,
  environmental, urban, infrastructure, recovery)

36
Apply Priority for Action 4. in Sichuan

• Address root causes of vulnerability
• If corruption was a major factor in school
  failures-take appropriate actions, such as
  informed advocacy from the communities and better
  supervision of construction
• Identify any other root causes of vulnerability
  that need to be addressed to avoid recreating new
  patterns of vulnerability

37
PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

• 5. Strengthen disaster preparedness for
  effective response at all levels

38
(No Transcript)
39
Apply Priority for Action 5. in Sichuan

• During the recovery process , capitalise on
  enhance public and political concerns to improve
  disaster preparedness revising disaster plans
  at all levels

40
Questions for Discussion on DRR

• PROPOSED BY
• Zenaida Delica Willison
• 1. Rebuilding Communities that were
  destroyed
• Securing Land Tenure that was threatened
• Restoring Livelihoods that were wiped out
• Reviving Cultures that are disappearing

• PROPOSED BY
• Ian Davis
• 5. How can DRR be maintained throughout the
  recovery process to protect local communities
  though suitable institutional structures, a new
  legal framework, effective public education and
  advocacy pressure on government.

41

• FINALLY, NOTE...

42

• Building Resilience against disaster forces at
  the community level during recovery is never
  going to be an easy task, but it can be achieved
  if it becomes a collective endeavour and not just
  one Government Agencies lonely task.

43
(No Transcript)
44
Thank you...

• i.davis_at_n-oxford.demon.co.uk