Special Issue on the International Symposium on River Technologies for Innovations and Social Systems at the WECC2015 and the Special Session on Disaster Risk Management at the 11th I3R2

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1211-1211
Author(s):  
Kenichi Tsukahara ◽  
◽  
Toshimitsu Komatsu
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
International Symposium ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Disaster Risk Management ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Special Session ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Academic Paper

The Standing Technical Committees on Disaster Risk Management (CDRM) of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) play an important role in collecting and disseminating DRM-related information and knowledge that will conceivably help engineering society members take effective disaster mitigation measures. As part of achieving this mission, the CDRM conducted two important 2015 events – the WFEO-CDRM Special Session on Disaster Risk Management at the 11th International Conference of the International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction (I3R2) (I3R2 session) held in Seoul, Korea, and the 9th Joint International Symposium on Disaster Risk Management conducted in conjunction with the International Symposium on River Technologies for Innovations and Social Systems held in the 2015 World Engineering Conference and Convention (WECC2015) in Kyoto, Japan (WECC2015 symposium). The I3R2 session featured seven presentations. During the first half, disaster-cause papers covered high typhoon tides, earthquakes, and rain-induced soil erosion. The second half focused on mitigation-measure presentations such as recovery/reconstruction and regional support for mothers and children in the event of disasters. The WECC2015 symposium featured ten presentations by ten speakers with widely varied backgrounds in disaster mitigation, river engineering, international cooperation, UNESCO regional centers, NPO management, science and technology sections at embassies, and ferry and resort complex management. These informative, meaningful presentations close with active and informative Q&A sessions. In this special issue, five presentations that were revised as a form of academic paper were selected and published. I hope that these papers will be utilized for further advancement of disaster mitigation measures.

Special Issue on Disaster and Big Data

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunichi Koshimura ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Editorial Committee ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Large Populations ◽  
Working Together

In the years that have passed since the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake, many new findings, insights and suggestions have been made in disaster observation, sensing, simulation, and damage determination on the damage scene. Based on the lessons, challenges for disaster mitigation against future catastrophic natural disasters such as the anticipated Tokyo metropolitan and Nankai Trough earthquakes are made on how we will share visions of potential impact and how we will maximize society's disaster resilience. Much of the ``disaster big data" obtained is related to the dynamic flow of large populations, vehicles and goods inside and outside affected areas. This has dramatically facilitated our understanding of how society has responded to unprecedented catastrophes. The key question is how we will use big data in establishing social systems that respond promptly, sensibly and effectively to natural disasters how this understanding will affect adversity and resilience. Researchers from a wide variety of fields are now working together under the collaborative JST CREST project entitled ``Establishing the most advanced disaster reduction management system by fusion of real-time disaster simulation and big data assimilation." One objective of this project is to identify potential disaster scenarios related to earthquake and tsunami progress in a chained or compound manner and to create new techniques for responsive disaster mitigation measures enabling society to recover. This special issue on disaster and big data consists of 11 papers detailing the recent progress of this project. As an editor of this issue, I would like to express our deep gratitude for the insightful comments and suggestions made by the reviewers and the members of the editorial committee.

Special Issue on Disaster and Big Data Part 2

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-225
Author(s):  
Shunichi Koshimura ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Editorial Committee ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Working Together

6 years have passed since the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. Many new findings, insights and suggestions have been made and were implemented in disaster observation, sensing, simulation, and damage determination. The challenges for disaster mitigation against future catastrophic natural disasters, such as the Tokyo metropolitan earthquake and Nankai Trough earthquake, are how we share the visions of the possible impacts and prepare for mitigating the losses and damages, and how we enhance society’s disaster resilience. A huge amount of information called “disaster big data” obtained, which are related to the dynamic flow of a large number of people, vehicles and goods inside and outside the affected areas. This has dramatically facilitated our understanding of how our society has responded to the unprecedented catastrophes. The key question is how we use big data in establishing the social systems that respond promptly, sensibly and effectively to natural disasters, and in withstanding the adversities with resilience. Researchers with various expertise are working together under the collaborative project called JST CREST “Establishing the most advanced disaster reduction management system by fusion of real-time disaster simulation and big data assimilation.” The project aims to identify possible disaster scenarios caused by earthquake and tsunami that occur and progress in a chained or compound manner and to create new technologies to lead responses and disaster mitigation measures that encourages the society to get over the disaster. This special issue titled “Disaster and Big Data Part 2,” including 13 papers, aims to share the recent progress of the project as the sequel of Part 1 published in March 2016. As an editor of this issue, I would like to express our deep gratitude for the insightful comments and suggestions made by the reviewers and the members of the editorial committee.

Building Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia: A Way Forward

2006 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-147
Author(s):  
Earl Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Disaster Risk Management ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Urban Disaster ◽  
Domestic Capital

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) was established in 1986. It was restructured in July 2003 to focus on specific technical areas: climate variability and change management, urban disaster risk management, public health in emergencies, building national and provincial disaster management systems, and community based disaster risk management (CBDRM), promoting regional cooperation, identifying disaster risk management (DRM) needs in the region and developing strategic solutions. The consolidation enables ADPC's teams to work more effectively with stakeholders and build cross-team inputs into their work. Multiple hazards under this new thematic approach are a key concept along with new areas of importance to DRM that include chemical, biological and radio-nuclear risks, heritage and disaster mitigation, and the role of domestic capital markets in financing improvements in the built environment to create a safer, more disaster-resilient world. The terms “risk management”, “risk reduction”, “vulnerability reduction”, “capacity building” and “mitigation” began replacing the reactive term “disaster management”, thus making pro-active DRM in Asia part of the development agenda that must deal with the growing variety and intensity of hazards. It was a shift from short-term, reactive, charity-driven responses to long-term, proactive, development initiatives. Making the right development choices requires coordinated efforts by committed leaders who have the political will and determination to include risk reduction measures in their policies and plans; a corporate sector that will prioritise risk issues and include them into their business plans; scientists who will provide the knowledge and understanding of current and new areas of risk reduction; committed non-government agencies that advocate for risk reduction; educators who are responsible for shaping the awareness of future generations; a mass media that has the power to influence and change behaviour; and informed citizens who make choices about the risks in their lives.

Making communities disaster resilient

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandra Lal Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Disaster Risk Management ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Understanding bottom-up approaches including local coping mechanisms, recognizing them and strengthening community capacities is important in the process of disaster risk reduction. The purpose of this paper is to address the questions: to what extent existing disaster policies in Nepal support and enable community-based disaster resilience? and what challenges and prospects do the communities have in responding to disaster risk for making communities resilient? Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on policy and academic literature reviews complimented by field research in two communities, one in Shankhu, Kathmandu district and another in Satthighare, Kavrepalanchowk district in Nepal. The author conducted in-depth interviews and mapped out key disaster-related policies of Nepal to investigate the role of communities in disaster risk management and post-disaster activities and their recognition in disaster-related policies. Findings The author found that existing literature clearly identifies the importance of the community led initiatives in risks reduction and management. It is evolutionary phenomenon, which has already been piloted in history including in the aftermath of Nepal earthquake 2015 yet existing policies of Nepal do not clearly identify it as an important component by providing details of how communities can be better engaged in the immediate aftermath of disaster occurrence. Research limitations/implications The author conducted this research based on data from two earthquake affected areas only. The author believes that this research can still play an important role as representative study. Practical implications The practical implication of this research is that communities need to understand about risks society for disaster preparedness, mitigation and timely response in the aftermath of disasters. As they are the first responders against the disasters, they also need trainings such as disaster drills such as earthquakes, floods and fire and mock practice of various early warning systems can be conducted by local governments to prepare these communities better to reduce disaster risk and casualties. Social implications The mantra of community-based disaster risk management (CBDRM) is community engagement, which means the involvement of local people to understand and prepare against their local hazards and risks associated with disaster and haphazard development. CBDRM approaches motivate people to work together because they feel a sense of belongingness to their communities and recognize the benefits of their involvement in disaster mitigation and preparedness. Clearly, community engagement for disaster risk reduction and management brings great benefits in terms of ownership and direct savings in losses from disasters because the dynamic process allows community to contribute and interchange ideas and activities for inclusive decision making and problem solving. Originality/value This research is based on both primary and secondary data and original in case of its findings and conclusion.

scholarly journals Investigating the significance of disaster information management

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mukundi Mutasa
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Disaster Risk Management ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Recovery Processes ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Disaster Information ◽  
Management Curriculum

Disaster information informs disaster risk management interventions. However, it is the systematic management of this key resource that has not yet been fully embraced. In some cases, information is still haphazardly collected, analysed, managed and disseminated. This paper, utilising mainly secondary literature sources, explores the importance of disaster information and its systematic management in disaster risk management programming. It presents challenges associated with information management in disaster situations and critiques the trend whereby the collection, management and dissemination of information are usually limited to disaster situations. This only serves to further marginalise post-disaster recovery processes, which are integral with regard to generating knowledge essential for the formulation of future disaster mitigation strategies. The paper concludes by arguing for the integration of disaster information management into current disaster risk management curriculum.

CURRENT STATE OF PRACTICE IN DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehab Mlybari ◽  
Imtiaz Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Khalil
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Disaster Risk Management ◽  
Disaster Mitigation ◽  
Modern Concept ◽  
Rock Falls ◽  
Integrated Response ◽  
Terrorist Acts ◽  
Response Capability

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has historic profile of multifaceted disasters, including, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones, sand storms, rock falls, collapse of structures, epidemics, fire, terrorist acts, stampedes and other complex emergencies. The recurring enormous human and material losses emphasize the need for pursuing modern concept and approach which entail paradigm shift in handling disasters, from 'response centric' to 'proactive' disaster risk management (DRM) leading to disasterresilient infrastructure, building integrated response capability and achieving enhanced awareness in the societal context. The DRM encompasses all activities related to disaster mitigation, preparedness, emergency response, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The study synthesizes information obtained on DRM from published literature, personal experiences and interaction with the stakeholders. Besides, questionnaire survey was also conducted to assess the community awareness and preparedness of concerned departments. The study undertakes comprehensive review of KSA disaster profile, current practices, response capability and human resource development. It has been identified that KSA is confronting multifaceted challenges including, lack of formal training and professional expertise; lack of understanding about conceptual aspects of disasters and coordination amongst various stakeholders; and absence of hazard risk assessment, mapping or micro-zoning, building codes, etc. This paper gives KSA sate of practices, institutional mechanism and capacity building needs to manage disasters on integrated and sustainable basis.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document