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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI13010915/00001
Notes
- Summary:
- This report is about the implementation of a disaster preparedness and mitigation project in the state of Assam, India. The project, financed by the British Department for International Development (DFID), addresses flooding caused by the Brahmaputra basin. The report presents the causes of the floods, the project’s key objectives, the approach used to implement it, and project outcomes. According to the report, the two principal causes of flooding in the region are its geological and climatic characteristics. Significant deforestation in neighboring states’ has caused increased silt and sediment deposits, increasing the height of the Brahmaputra River above surrounding lands. Landslides produced by major earthquakes have also played a part in this process, changing the topography of the region and the course of the river. The intensity and volume of monsoon rains plays an equally critical part in expanding the size of the river and threatening nearby populations. Between 1988 and 2000, the size of Assam’s flood zone increased by 62% per cent from a previous 40% of its total geographic area. These natural hazards are particularly troubling considering the rapid increase in population throughout the region. To address the flood risk, the project aimed at reducing vulnerability in four communities by increasing the response capacity of the state of Assam, and developing a participatory process focused on community-based risk reduction and disaster preparedness. The Indian Red Cross Society (ICRS), one of the main stakeholders in the project, focused on first helping vulnerable communities gain greater understanding of some fundamental concepts related to disaster preparedness such as the different phases of disaster management, then working with community volunteers on activities like vulnerability and capacity assessments, so that they could see the real world application of these concepts. In terms of results, the ICRS confessed that once communities gained a clear understanding of the concepts related to disaster preparedness, ideas on how to improve their situation in relation to disaster risks began springing forth from them. Community stakeholders became enabled and emboldened to come up with their own plans for awareness-raising, community participation, developing institutional relationships between disaster response and disaster preparedness, and strengthening disaster management structures. ( English,French,French )
- Subject:
- General Risk Reduction
- Scope and Content:
- Acknowledgements p. 2; Introduction p. 4; Indian Red Cross Society and disaster preparedness p. 5; Making a case for disaster preparedness in Assam p. 6; The Brahmaputra basin p. 6; A double impact p. 6; Floods in Assam p. 7; Earthquakes p. 7; Natural disasters without borders p. 7; Pilor project objectives p. 8; Setting the criteria for selecting communities p. 8; A real-time evaluation p. 8; Organizing the pilot project p. 9; Changing the order of things p. 9; Expanding priorities p. 9; Material input for the disaster reduction pilot project p. 9; Material needs p. 10; Assam State Branch p. 10; Direct dialogue p. 12; First aid as an entry point for disaster preparedness p. 13; Community participation p. 13; Motivation p. 14; When resettlement is not an option p. 15; Raised platforms p. 15; Some results in building local capacities p. 16; Performance p. 16; Civil society p. 16; Volunteerism p. 16; Ownership p. 16; Sharing authority p. 16; Learning p. 17; Local resources p. 17; Clarifying the fine line between auxiliary and autonomy p. 18; Annex: Disaster preparedness risk reduction - logical framework p. 20
- Citation/Reference:
- (2003). Disaster risk reduction in Assam, India: tapping into opportunities. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), CRID.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Florida International University
- Rights Management:
- Any part of this report may be cited, copied, translated into other languages or adapted to meet local needs without prior permission from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, provided that the source is clearly stated.
- Resource Identifier:
- FI13010915
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