BRAC ’ s Experience on Flood Disaster Risk Management and Reduction Nasima Akter BRAC Workshop on...

BRAC’s Experience on Flood Disaster Risk Management and

Reduction

Nasima Akter

BRACBRAC

Workshop on “Options for Flood Risks and Damage Reduction In Bangladesh”, International Conference Center (ICC), Dhaka. Date: 7,8 & 9 September 2004

Introduction• Bangladesh ranked first as disaster prone area in

Asia and the Pacific region

• In 30 years (from 1971 to 2000), a total of 2,16,150 people died in 181 disasters occurred in Bangladesh

• Risk assessment and management is a fundamental task for reducing overall risk in natural disaster

• That helps to identify disaster management plan and specific mitigation measures

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History of Flood in Bangladesh

Flood affected areas in major floods since the sixties (area of Bangladesh=1,48,393 sq. km.)

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Year of flooding

Flood-affected area (sq. km.)

% of total area

1954195519741987198819982004

36,78038,85052,52057,27077,7001,00,00030,582

24.826.235.438.652.467.420.61

Source: adopted from Ahmed et. al. 1999

Response to disaster management BRACBRAC


• BRAC, initiated in 1972 as a short-term relief and rehabilitation project

• Gradually BRAC has learnt how to help victims during natural calamities

• Provided support for cyclone and flood victims whenever needed including this year flood

• BRAC’s research also help to direct its activities towards disaster risk management and reduction

• And how BRAC can better response to future natural disasters

BRAC’s Strategy for Relief Programme in 2004

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– Massive relief operation for the marooned

people in both rural and urban areas

– As the flood situation deteriorated, BRAC

immediately initiated a relief programme using

its’ own funds

– Than a larger relief programme with its own

contribution and the major donors contribution

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During flood

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Organization of the relief work

– “Core Flood Coordination Cell” at HO. 3 members to coordinate with the GO, NGOs, donor agencies, and mobilizing resources and other supports

– A special “focal point” for each district

– The “focal point” updated the HO everyday

– A special one-hour meeting was held with the HO cell. The decisions were communicated to the field focal points immediately

Vol. of BRAC relief delivered as of August 18, 2004BRACBRAC


Goods distribution Metric Tons/Tk

FlourPressed RiceMollassesWater purifierBiscuitsORSMedicineOthers (matches, candles, water cans etc.)

751.18 tons728.46 tons161.38 tons30.89 tons3,233,036 packetsTk. 2,669,997Tk. 9505,000

Atta, chira, mollases etc. Tk. 30,748,558

Rice and pulses Tk. 12,521,000

Biscuit Tk. 6,800,000

Other NGO Tk. 5,000,000

ORS Tk. 2,669,997

Medicine Tk. 585,000

Activities under relief programmeBRACBRAC


• Emergency Relief Programme in 233 upazilas in 37 districts – Food distribution– ORS and medicine– Medical assistance– Water treatment and maintenance– Housing assistance– Assistance for IGAs – Relief programme for 8 Malaria Endemic Districts

Activities Cont.BRACBRAC


• 36 medical team are working continuously in 15 districts and 21 urban areas

• BRAC served around 70 lac flood victims• Special food distribution for 2 lac families

(WFP)– 15 kg rice, 3.7 kg pulse, 1.5 lr. Oil, 0.375 kg salt and

18 packets high energy biscuit

• Money distributed to other NGOs for relief activities

Flood Rehabilitation Programme

• The objective of Programme is to repair the damage caused by flood and help the poor to rebuild their livelihoods

• Focus on 3 main sectors – Health Sector– Education Sector– Livelihoods Sector

• Under this Rehabilitation programme BRAC is distributing soft loan and flood loan for the victims

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BRAC’s experience in disaster management

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Problems identifiedBRACBRAC


• Shelters are not adequate and over crowded, lack of privacy, insufficient light, food, and proper medicine

• Common problem: Shortage of fuel, disease epidemics, dog/snake bite, affect on IGAs etc.

• Loss of possessions, fear of extortion and looting, and separation from their social network

• Poorer groups specifically women, adolescent girls, and children are most vulnerable

• And often exposed to domestic violence during floods

Problems identified cont.BRACBRAC


• Female mortality is higher than males during disaster

• Acute scarcity of safe drinking water and use of latrines

• These adversely impact the existing poor health conditions of the flood victims

• The burden of disease is up and the defenses are down. What was already bad, simply become worse during flood

Change in needs

• The most important need during disaster is food and clothes

• These needs shifted to medicine, housing, fund for IGAs and then embankments

• This indicates relief priorities in a post-disaster situation

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LearningBRACBRAC


• People in rural and urban slums adopted their own ways to survive with their limited recourses and effort

• They have adopted their own coping strategies during and after flood– e.g., change in food habit and timing, eating less, special

chula for cooking, raised floor of cowsheds, seedbeds on macha, etc.

• In some cases people responded with a collective action

Learning cont.BRACBRAC


• Loss of income and livelihood, especially among

the disadvantaged groups, caused immense

misery for the affected people

• But, courageously and boldly, they stood up to

meet the challenge and develop innovative

coping strategies of their own

• People found some alternative sources of

income to fulfill their daily needs during the flood

Recommendations BRACBRAC


• Comprehensive assessments of risks from natural hazards

• In all cases of disaster the most effective form of mitigation remains preparedness and where possible, prevention

• It is needed to help decrease people’s vulnerability and strengthen their capacity to respond to the disaster

Recommendations cont.BRACBRAC


• The post-flood rehabilitation programme

• Emergency and appropriate programme to help

– preventing death from starvation, restore homesteads,

rehabilitate agriculture, create employment, prevent

epidemics, provide nutritional support to pregnant

women and children, and bring back life to normal

• Active participation of people from all walks of life

is necessary to make it a success

Recommendations cont.BRACBRAC


• Shelter management: committee formation, specific agencies for relief work

• Educational institute could be used as shelter during emergency situation

• A National Disaster Management Alliance. The alliance could also operate a monitoring cell to oversee implementation

• NGOs and the government could link up to work more effectively together for creating more efficient relief operations

Recommendations cont. BRACBRAC


• Quality and quantity of relief materials should be appropriate

• Separate toilet and bathing facilities for men and women should be arranged

• Community members should be aware about the particular issues faced by women and adolescent girls

• Drinking water supply and latrine facilities should be ensured during flood

• People should be made aware about the common disasters occurring in the country

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