COMMUNITY-BASED BEST PRACTICES FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION Prepared under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO) through the Disaster Preparedness Programme (DIPECHO) Regional Initiative in Disaster Risk Reduction March, 2010 Maputo - Mozambique Foreword This compilation provides a comprehensive review and analysis of community-based best practices for reducing the risk of disaster from natural hazards affecting Southeast Africa and the Southwest Indian Ocean. It also provides new examples of how various actors and agencies have successfully implemented interventions to reduce risks from the prevalent hazards and minimize damage and losses to property and livelihoods. In Mozambique, Malawi, Comoros and Madagascar in particular these risks are exacerbated by high poverty levels – the most vulnerable are people living in poor rural areas. The evidence emerging from recent experience makes a compelling case for a radical shift away from narrowly focused development approaches towards a major new emphasis on community resilience and disaster planning. Floods which are caused by swelling rivers in the catchment areas of neighboring countries, floods from cyclones, storm surges, earthquakes, fires and other such events, when combined with social and economic vulnerabilities, and added to environmental depletion, can multiply the shocks from disasters and lead to crippling economic losses. Moreover, the risks posed by the regional effects of climate change require considerable adaptation by the exposed populations. But at the same time, governments in vulnerable countries are faced by hard budget choices, which make major investments in emergency preparedness (such as wide training at national, district and local level) very difficult. While we cannot prevent natural disasters, we can limit their impacts. Each of the countries involved in the UNDP-ECHO (DIPECHO) project has developed initiatives, both in the past and the present, for improving existing disaster risk preparedness. This document details best practices and risk reduction tools taking into account the socio-economic context of the target countries. These experiences could lead to better informed policies and legislation. Investing in disaster risk reduction is a cost-effective means to reduce development losses caused by disasters, reduce poverty and adapt to climate change. This important collection of publications and audio-visual material on Winds, Waters and Fires is a very welcome contribution. It is the result of the financial support from ECHO and the impressive collaborative effort of UNDP Mozambique’s disaster risk reduction team, the UNDP country offices of Malawi, Madagascar and Comoros, all DIPECHO partners and the UN and international agencies involved in this project. Ndolamb Ngokwey UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative Contents UNISDR Terminology on Disaster 9 Introductory remarks 19 Acknowledgements 23 CHAPTER 1 Risk, hazards and vulnerabilities 25 Key principles 26 Multi-hazard approach in the targeted countries 30 Republic of Mozambique 31 Disaster risk profile 32 Drought 35 Earthquakes 37 Republic of Madagascar 37 Madagascar risk profile 39 Disaster Statistics 39 Cyclones 40 The Union of Comoros 41 Disaster risk profile 43 Volcanic hazards 43 Republic of Malawi 48 Malawi disaster statistics 49 Floods 50 Drought 50 Earthquakes 50 Methodology 52 Methods 53 CHAPTER 2 Building in hazardous zones 55 Abstract 56 The initiative 56 Goal and objective 56 Lessons learned 58 Potential for replication 59 UN HABITAT MOZAMBIQUE 60 Abstract 60 The initiative 60 Goal and objective 60 Lessons Learned 64 Potential for replication 64 Care Madagascar 65 Abstract 65 The initiative 66 Goal and objective 66 Outcomes and activities 67 Lessons learned 68 Potential for replication 68 Code of minimum standards for house construction 69 CHAPTER 3 Best practices on local level risk management 73 Conceptual approach 74 Abstract 75 The initiative 77 Goal and objectives 78 Outcomes and activities 78 Lessons learned 82 Potential for replication 82 ICCO Madagascar 85 Abstract 85 The initiative 85 Goal and objective 86 Outcomes and Activities 86 Lessons learned 87 Potential for replication 87 Institutional support and community 88 Abstract 88 The initiative 88 Goal and objective 89 Outcomes and activities 89 Best practice 89 Lessons learned 90 Potential for replication 90 Community-based disaster preparedness project 91 Abstract 91 Goal and objective 92 Outcomes and activities 92 Lessons learned 93 Community-based disaster risk reduction 94 Abstract 94 The initiative 94 Project objectives 95 Outcomes and activities 95 Lessons learned 96 Potential for replication 96 Sustainable natural DRR through policy change 97 Abstract 97 The initiative 98 Goal and objective 98 Outcomes and activities 98 Lessons learned 99 Challenges 99 Key success and failure factors 100 Potential for replication 100 Community risk management 101 The Initiative 102 Goal and objective 103 Overview of steps 104 Lessons learned 105 Potential for replication 106 Community-based disaster preparedness projects 107 Abstract 107 The initiative 107 Goal and objective 107 Outcomes and activities 108 Lessons learned 109 Potential for replication 109 Institutionalization of risk management 110 Abstract 110 The initiative 111 Goal and objective 111 Outcomes and activities 112 Lessons learned 113 Potential for replication 113 Moving forward 114 The trends 110 Climate change, adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) 115 The scientific knowledge in programme design 116 Mozambique 116 Madagascar 117 The Comoros 118 Malawi 118 List of figures Figure 1: Mortality and damage and losses by climate disasters and by continents 20 Figure 2: Low lying areas in Africa 28 Figure 3: Low lying areas below 20 meters contour line in Mozambique (in green) 29 Figure 4: Vulnerability of Mozambique and neighbour countries to cyclones 31 Figure 5: Hydrographic basins and the flood hazard in the subregion 34 Figure 6: Storm surge in normal and cyclonic conditions 35 Figure 7: Shocks caused by natural hazards in selected northern districts in Mozambiue 36 Figure 8: Madagascar physical map 38 Figure 9: Mortality risk index 40 Figure 10: Human development index trends in 2007 and comparison with other regions 41 Figure 11: Map of the Comoros Islands 42 Figure 12 Le Karthala Volcanoe crater 44 Figure 13: Map of Gran Comoros showing a timeline of eruptions 45 Figure 14: A model of a Volcano EWS based on the WDR (IFRC), 2009 report 46 Figure 15: Rescue operation on lava flow during the 2007 eruption 47 Figure 16: Map of Malawi 48 Figure 17: Architectural design of the Elevated Primary School of Maniquenique, built with wooden poles, cemented pillars and lateral structures, corrugated iron sheets with a reinforced roof 57 Figure 18: Architectural design of the Community Agricultural Centre of Chilaulene, built with cement bricks prepared in a traditional manner 58 Figure 19: Low-cost solution housing for ‘living with floods’ 61 Figure 20: Manual of “building with the winds” and Catalog of low-cost cyclone-proof building solutions 62 Figure. 21: Process construction of Ferrocement channels in Vilankulo. Based in UN Habitat and Auroville experiences, India. 63 Figure 22: Antananarivo floods 64 Figure 23: Satellite image of a cyclone 67 Figure 24: Floods in river banks 68 Figure 25: The National Institute for Disaster Management, Mozambique: INGC 2009 Main Report: INGC Climate Change Report: study on the impact of climate change on disaster risk in Mozambique 76 Figure 26: Simulation of evacuation in Tete (Mozambique) 77 Figure 27: Local level risk management: simulations of post disaster assistance, Nacala (Mozambique) 78 Figure 28: GRIP training in Mozambique 79 Figure 29: Spatial distribution of houses burned in Dili (Timor-Leste) in 2006 crises 80 Figure 30: Wild card of data entry of DesInventar 81 Figure 31: DesInventar as used in India to compare reduction of fires incidents 82 Figure 32: The risk management cycle 86 Figure 33: Dyke constructed on River chimbwimbwi 95 Figure 34: Dykes construction using local materials 97 Figure 35: Community-based training, Mozambique 102 Figure 36: Community-based training in risk reduction 104 Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices List of tables Table 1: Natural hazard effects in madagascar 39 Table 2 Comoros disaster statistics 47 Table 3: Data related to human and economic losses from disasters that have occurred between 1982 and 2007. 49 Table 4: Criteria for selection of best practices 52 8 Malawi, Madagascar, Comoros and Mozambique Risks, Hazards and Vulnerabilities: A Practical Guideline of Best Practices UNISDR terminology on disaster risk reduction (2009) Acceptable risk Comment: Examples of biological hazards include outbreaks of epidemic diseases, plant or animal The level of potential losses that a society or contagion, insect or other animal plagues and community considers acceptable given existing infestations. social, economic, political, cultural, technical and environmental conditions. Building code A set of ordinances or regulations and associated Comment: In engineering terms, acceptable risk is standards intended to control aspects of the also used to assess and define the structural and design, construction, materials, alteration and non-structural measures that are needed in order occupancy of structures that are necessary to to reduce possible harm to people, property,