Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2008 the Numbers and Trends
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UNDP Myanmar Responds to Cyclone Nargis
UNDP Myanmar responds MATTERS OF FACT to Cyclone Nargis • 40 UNDP and its implementing partner NGO PACT offices in the Ayeyarwady Delta UNDP moved into action within 24 hours after Cyclone • 23 field teams active in the worst affected areas Nargis hit Myanmar on 2-3 May. The storm carved a • 500 national staff and project personnel working in the path of destruction that left 133,653 dead or missing delta and being mobilized for Cyclone Nargis response and 2.4 million severely affected by the crisis. operations • 5 UNDP offices functioning as ‘base camp’ for UN The cyclone’s 120-mile per hour winds and resulting organizations and international NGOs delivering to, and storm surge were particularly devastating in the working in Bogale, Mawlamyinegyun, Labutta, Ayeyarwady Delta, where entire villages were flattened. Ngapudaw and Kyaiklat • 2.4 million people severely affected by Cyclone UNDP is the only UN organization with field offices Nargis across Myanmar located in the region, which, prior to the cyclone was • 1.4 million people affected in the Ayeyarwady delta, home to seven million people. UNDP staff and families the hardest hit region of Myanmar experienced the natural disaster first-hand, as did those • 43,241 estimated total beneficiaries from UNDP coordinated relief efforts as of 21 May who work for partner non-governmental organization (NGO) PACT, which lost five of its project personnel. Supporting relief efforts: UNDP sent rotating teams UNDP has 40 functioning field offices in the delta and of national staff to work with and relieve its field staff in current field staff strength of more than 500 five of the affected townships – Bogale, experienced national staff and project personnel, Mawlamyinegyun, Labutta, Ngapudaw and Kyaiklat – including those of PACT. -
Use of the European Severe Weather Database to Verify Satellite-Based Storm Detection Or Nowcasting
USE OF THE EUROPEAN SEVERE WEATHER DATABASE TO VERIFY SATELLITE-BASED STORM DETECTION OR NOWCASTING Nikolai Dotzek1,2, Caroline Forster1 1 Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre, Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Wessling, Germany 2 European Severe Storms Laboratory, Münchner Str. 20, 82234 Wessling, Germany Abstract Severe thunderstorms constitute a major weather hazard in Europe, with an estimated total damage of € 5-8 billion each year. Yet a pan-European database of severe weather reports in a homogeneous data format has become available only recently: the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD). We demonstrate the large potential of ESWD applications for storm detection and forecast or now- casting/warning verification purposes. The study of five warm-season severe weather days in Europe from 2007 and 2008 revealed that up to 47% of the ESWD reports were located exactly within the polygons detected by the Cb-TRAM algorithm for three different stages of deep moist convection. The cool-season case study of extratropical cyclone “Emma” on 1 March 2008 showed that low-topped winter thunderstorms can provide a challenge for satellite storm detection and nowcasting adapted to warm-season storms with high, cold cloud tops. However, this case also demonstrated how ESWD reports alone can still be valuable to identify the hazardous regions along the cold front of the cyclone. 1. INTRODUCTION Severe thunderstorms, with their attendant strong winds, hail, flooding, and tornadoes, are common phenomena in many European countries, leading to a total damage estimate of 5 to 8 billion euros per year (source: Munich Re Group). Extreme events like an F4 tornado in France and an F3 downburst in Austria in 2008 exemplify these damage totals. -
Extreme Weather Events in Europe: Preparing for Climate Change Adaptation
Extreme Weather Events in Europe: preparing for climate change adaptation October 2013 ISBN (print) 978-82-7144-100-5 ISBN (electronic) 978-82-7144-101-2 In cooperation with This report can be found at www.dnva.no Produced by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute Extreme Weather Events in Europe: preparing for climate change adaptation Øystein Hov, Ulrich Cubasch, Erich Fischer, Peter Höppe, Trond Iversen, Nils Gunnar Kvamstø, Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz, Daniela Rezacova, David Rios, Filipe Duarte Santos, Bruno Schädler, Ottó Veisz, Christos Zerefos, Rasmus Benestad, John Murlis, M. Donat, Gregor C. Leckebusch, Uwe Ulbrich. Extreme Weather Events in Europe: preparing for climate change adaptation In cooperation with CONTRIBUTORS Professor Øystein Hov, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Norway† Professor Ulrich Cubasch, Free University of Berlin, Germany* Dr Erich Fischer, Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, Switzerland* Professor Peter Höppe, Geo Risks Research/Corporate Climate Centre, Munich Re, Germany* Professor Trond Iversen, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Norway* Professor Nils Gunnar Kvamstø, Department of Geophysics, University of Bergen, Norway* Professor Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland* Professor Daniela Rezacova, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic* Professor David Rios, Royal Academy of Sciences, Spain* Professor Filipe Duarte Santos, Lisbon University, Portugal* Dr Bruno Schädler, University of Berne, Switzerland* Professor Ottó Veisz, Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary* Professor Christos Zerefos, University of Athens, Greece* Dr Rasmus Benestad (Working Group Researcher), Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Oslo, Norway Professor John Murlis, EASAC Environment Programme Secretary Dr M. Donat, Institut für Meteorologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; now at Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia Dr Gregor C. -
UK Aid in Burma
UKAID In BUrmA What is international development? also renewed the government’s International development is about commitment to increase UK aid to helping people fight poverty. Thanks 0.7% of national income from 2013. to the efforts of governments and people around the world, there are What is the Department for 500 million fewer people living in International Development? poverty today than there were 25 The Department for International years ago. But there is still much Development (DFID), leads the UK more to do. government’s fight against world poverty. 1.4 billion people still live on less than $1.25 a day. More needs to Since its creation in 1997, DFID has happen to increase incomes, settle helped more than 250 million people conflicts, increase opportunities for lift themselves from poverty and trade, tackle climate change, improve helped 40 million more children to people’s health and their chances to go to primary school. But there is get an education. still much to do to help make a fair, safe and sustainable world for all. Why is the UK government involved? Through its network of offices Each year the UK government helps throughout the world, DFID three million people to lift themselves works with governments of out of poverty. Ridding the world developing countries, charities, of poverty is not just morally right, non‑government organisations, it will make the world a better businesses and international place for everyone. Problems faced organisations, like the United by poor countries affect all of us, Nations, European Commission and including the UK. Britain’s fastest the World Bank, to eliminate global growing export markets are in poor poverty and its causes. -
Title Author(S)
th 5 European Conference on Severe Storms 12 - 16 October 2009 - Landshut - GERMANY ECSS 2009 Abstracts by session ECSS 2009 - 5th European Conference on Severe Storms 12-16 October 2009 - Landshut – GERMANY List of the abstract accepted for presentation at the conference: O – Oral presentation P – Poster presentation Session 09: Severe storm case studies and field campaigns, e.g. COPS, THORPEX, VORTEX2 Page Type Abstract Title Author(s) An F3 downburst in Austria - a case study with special G. Pistotnik, A. M. Holzer, R. 265 O focus on the importance of real-time site surveys Kaltenböck, S. Tschannett J. Bech, N. Pineda, M. Aran, J. An observational analysis of a tornadic severe weather 267 O Amaro, M. Gayà, J. Arús, J. event Montanyà, O. van der Velde Case study: Extensive wind damage across Slovenia on July M. Korosec, J. Cedilnik 269 O 13th, 2008 Observed transition from an elevated mesoscale convective J. Marsham, S. Trier, T. 271 O system to a surface based squall line: 13th June, Weckwerth, J. Wilson, A. Blyth IHOP_2002 08/08/08: classification and simulation challenge of the A. Pucillo, A. Manzato 273 O FVG olympic storm H. Bluestein, D. Burgess, D. VORTEX2: The Second Verification of the Origins of Dowell, P. Markowski, E. 275 O Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment Rasmussen, Y. Richardson, L. Wicker, J. Wurman Observations of the initiation and development of severe A. Blyth, K. Browning, J. O convective storms during CSIP Marsham, P. Clark, L. Bennett The development of tornadic storms near a surface warm P. Groenemeijer, U. Corsmeier, 277 O front in central England during the Convective Storm C. -
Inter-Agency Real Time Evaluation of the Response to Cyclone Nargis
Inter-Agency Real Time Evaluation of the Response to Cyclone Nargis 17 December 2008 Robert Turner Jock Baker Dr. Zaw Myo Oo Naing Soe Aye Managed and funded by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), Policy Development and Studies Branch (PDSB), Evaluation and Studies Section (ESS), on behalf of the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Contents Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................................................iv Map of Myanmar................................................................................................................................................v 1 Executive Summary...................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................1 1.2 Summary of Key Findings .......................................................................................................1 1.2.1 Consultation and Capacity Building..............................................................................2 1.2.2 Disaster Risk Reduction and Livelihoods .....................................................................2 1.2.3 Coordination..................................................................................................................2 -
Myanmar-Jews.Pdf
8*9** Letter Myanmar-- from After decades of repressive military rule, Burma’s Jewish community has dwindled to about 20 members. Is there hope for its future? A rare look at life inside the isolated country. Story by Jeremy Gillick Photos by Chris Daw As the sun sets in Burma, now known as Myanmar, a small group of Jews descends on the Park Royal Hotel in down town Yangon, formerly Rangoon. I arrive unfashionably early, hoping to steal some private time with Sammy Samuels, the debonair Burmese-American host of the third annual Myan mar Jewish Community Dinner Reception. But apparently it is fashionable for Burmese Jews to arrive late, and Sammy is no where to be found. At 6:30, tuxedoed caterers begin distribut ing glasses of Israeli and French wines to guests socializing in the lobby. I chat briefly with Cho, the daughter of Myanmar’s foreign minister, who professes her love for Israel, and then with an impeccably dressed British diplomat who is superb at making small talk. When I ask if I should be concerned about reporting from such a public location, he points to secret po lice lurking in the corners and suggests steering clear of dis cussing politics. “Once you’ve lived here a while, they’re easy to spot,” he says. At last, Sammy himself strides in. Short with a wide face, kind eyes and dark hair puffed up in the front, his relaxed de meanor belies the gravity of the task ahead of him. He is one of perhaps 20 Jews—many of them elderly or intermarried—left in the entire country. -
Rehabilitation, Reconstruction & Development a Post Cyclone Nargis Initiative
Rehabilitation, Reconstruction & Development A Post Cyclone Nargis Initiative 1 2 Metta Development Foundation Table of Contents Forward, Executive Director 2 A Post Cyclone Nargis Initiative - Executive Summary 6 01. Introduction – Waves of Change The Ayeyarwady Delta 10 Metta’s Presence in the Delta. The Tsunami 11 02. Cyclone Nargis –The Disaster 12 03. The Emergency Response – Metta on Site 14 04. The Global Proposal 16 The Proposal 16 Connecting Partners - Metta as Hub 17 05. Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development August 2008-July 2011 18 Introduction 18 A01 – Relief, Recovery and Capacity Building: Rice and Roofs 18 A02 – Food Security: Sowing and Reaping 26 A03 – Education: For Better Tomorrows 34 A04 – Health: Surviving and Thriving 40 A05 – Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation: Providing and Protecting 44 A06 – Lifeline Systems and Transportation: The Road to Safety 46 Conclusion 06. Local Partners – The Communities in the Delta: Metta Meeting Needs 50 07. International Partners – The Donor Community Meeting Metta: Metta Day 51 08. Reporting and External Evaluation 52 09. Cyclones and Earthquakes – Metta put anew to the Test 55 10. Financial Review 56 11. Beyond Nargis, Beyond the Delta 59 12. Thanks 60 List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 61 Staff Directory 62 Volunteers 65 Annex 1 - The Emergency Response – Metta on Site 68 Annex 2 – Maps 76 Annex 3 – Tables 88 Rehabilitation, Reconstruction & Development A Post Cyclone Nargis Initiative 3 Forword Dear Friends, Colleagues and Partners On the night of 2 May 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck the delta of the Ayeyarwady River, Myanmar’s most densely populated region. The cyclone was at the height of its destructive potential and battered not only the southernmost townships but also the cities of Yangon and Bago before it finally diminished while approaching the mountainous border with Thailand. -
Atmosphere Interactions During Cyclone Nargis
Eos, Vol. 90, No. 7, 17 February 2009 VOLUME 90 NUMBER 7 17 FEBRUARY 2009 EOS, TRANSACTIONS, AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION PAGES 53–60 storm development. Thus, the timing of Nar- Ocean- Atmosphere Interactions gis was not unusual. Nor was its strength unprecedented: Cyclones of similar inten- sity hit Myanmar in May 1982 and April 2006. During Cyclone Nargis In both instances, landfall was north of the most densely populated parts of the country. PAGES 53–54 as captured by elements of this observing In mid- April 2008, SSTs in the Bay of Ben- system. gal were 29º– 30°C (Figures 2 and 3) and Cyclone Nargis (Figure 1a) made land- tropospheric wind shears were 30% weaker fall in Myanmar (formerly Burma) on 2 May Development of Nargis than normal. Against this backdrop, Nar- 2008 with sustained winds of approximately gis originated as a tropical depression in 210 kilometers per hour, equivalent to a cat- Tropical storms in the Bay of Bengal occur the southeastern Bay of Bengal on 24 April egory 3– 4 hurricane. In addition, Nargis most frequently in October– December with and then began tracking northwestward brought approximately 600 millimeters of a secondary peak in April– May. Relatively toward India. The depression became nearly rain and a storm surge of 3– 4 meters to the high (28º– 30°C) SSTs, a thermo dynamically stationary on encountering a region of cli- low- lying and densely populated Irrawaddy unstable atmosphere, and low tropospheric matologically high tropical cyclone heat River delta. In its wake, the storm left an esti- wind shears favor these seasons for tropical potential (Figure 1c), where it intensifi ed to mated 130,000 dead or missing and more than $10 billion in economic losses. -
Myanmar, Cyclone Nargis: 2 Years On
Myanmar, Cyclone Nargis: 2 Years On PONREPP Funding Population Affected by Cyclone Nargis Post-Nargis Achievements Total Requested: US $691million People receiving food aid India Affected Population in Ayeyarwady Division 1,600,000 China $US mil. Affected Population in Yangon Division 800,000 1,100,000 Vietnam Myanmar Total Affected Population 2,400,000 Livlihoods & Laos PONREPP 3 year requirement Nutrition support to malnourished children 200 Food Security Shelter PONREPP 2009 requirement 39,375 Thailand PONREPP 2009 received Education support to children BAY OF Education BENGAL 623,000 Cambodia Yangon Division 150 Schools repaired Ayeyarwady Division 1,500 5700 45000 Community Health Volunteers Trained 11000 11000 20800 34500 17000 100 6100 Health 536 3700 ! 23000 18700 Pathein 19900 100000 156000 WASH Houses receiving shelter assistance 37700 105000 DRR 162,047 96000 50 Protection 34500 178000 Recovery Ponds constructed and rehabilitated 230000 75000 ! Coord. 110000 Mawlamyinegyun 3,800 ! ! 160000 Env. Bogale Pyapon 0 Household latrines constructed ! Labutta 240000 Source: Office of the Resident Coordinator, Dec. 2009 67,430 190000 286000 • US $691 million has been requested in the Post-Nargis Households receiving agriculture support Recovery and Preparedness Plan (PONREPP) covering 12500 D D D D D D D D D D 344,112 11000 11000 2009-2011 Darfur Work P 2008 7000 • In 2009, US$132.8 million was received from a requirement Boats distributed 107000 0 20 40 80 6100 17000 of $247.3 million 25,029 5700 Kilometers 3900 2010 Priorities 11000 Ð 3700 5000 Ï Persons with disabilities provided with physical therapy Affected Population 160001 - 286000 23000 1700 An estimated 150,000 households are in urgent need 11,000 75001 - 160000 23001 - 75000 55000 of shelter assistance 12501 - 23000 Source : Humanitarian Country Team 1500 - 12500 156000 Need for construction of schools, provision of supplies, Affected Population in Township written in centre of The humanitarian community in Myanmar has worked tirelessly Produced 28 April 2009 Circle. -
Cyclone Nargis: What Are the Lessons from the 2004 Tsunami for Myanmar’S Recovery?
Risk, Livelihoods and Vulnerability Programme - May 2008 Cyclone Nargis: What are the Lessons from the 2004 Tsunami for Myanmar’s Recovery? FRANK THOMALLA, MATTHEW CHADWICK, SABRINA SHAW AND FIONA MILLER* n 2nd May 2008 Cyclone Nargis caused catastrophic relevant lessons are there for Myanmar? And looking forward, Odestruction and resulted in the deaths of nearly 80,000 how are immediate responses to disasters best designed to be in people in Myanmar. In the wake of one of the deadliest natural balance with longer term recovery? disasters in the country’s recent history, nearly 56,000 people are still missing, over 1 million are homeless and as many as 2.4 First, there is a need for coordinated collective action. million remain affected. The magnitude of the impacts of this A seemingly obvious point but challenging principle to tropical storm on an already impoverished country have been realise. During the 2004 Tsunami, many organisations were compared to those experienced by Sri Lanka, Indonesia and keen to respond and were under severe pressure to rapidly Thailand as a result of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, as well as and transparently distribute considerable amounts of money to the devastation wrought by the 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh. pledged by the public, and to realise specific donor goals that sometimes diverged from needs on the ground. A First and foremost, it is of vital importance that sufficient lack of collective action, and at times blatant competition humanitarian assistance is allowed into the country to ensure the between agencies delivering humanitarian and livelihood survival of millions of affected people in the disaster zones. -
Manual on Cyclone
Scope of the Manual This manual is developed with wider consultations and inputs from various relevant departments/ministries, UN Agencies, INGOs, Local NGOs, Professional organizations including some independent experts in specific hazards. This is intended to give basic information on WHY, HOW, WHAT of a disaster. It also has information on necessary measures to be taken in case of a particular disaster in pre, during and post disaster scenario, along with suggested mitigation measures. It is expected that this will be used for the school teachers, students, parents, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, and practitioners in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction. Excerpts from the speech of Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations Don’t Wait for Disaster No country can afford to ignore the lessons of the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti. We cannot stop such disasters from happening. But we can dramatically reduce their impact, if the right disaster risk reduction measures are taken in advance. A week ago I visited Chile’s earthquake zone and saw how countless lives were saved because Chile’s leaders had learned the lessons of the past and heeded the warnings of crises to come. Because stringent earthquake building codes were enforced, much worse casualties were prevented. Training and equipping first responders ahead of time meant help was there within minutes of the tremor. Embracing the spirit that governments have a responsibility for future challenges as well as current ones did more to prevent human casualties than any relief effort could. Deaths were in the hundreds in Chile, despite the magnitude of the earthquake, at 8.8 on the Richter Scale, the fifth largest since records began.