Natural disaster risk reduction needs to strengthen coordination with UN

By Dulip Jayawardena

The widespread rainfall during the past few days and the risk of landslides in the hill country are attributed to climate change. Sri Lanka has suffered worst floods and landslides a few months back and whiles still recovering from these unprecedented natural disasters, another spell of heavy rains is being experienced especially in the south, west, central as well as the eastern and northern parts of the country.

The norm is drought and heavy rains, which have devastated crops leading to insecurity of food supply and   there is an urgent need to formulate a national policy on disaster reduction with the effective and coordinated efforts of all agencies and well the central and local government authorities. 
It is noted that Sri Lanka lacks such a mechanism and if not formulated as a matter of urgency, the cycles of floods and drought will recur annually leading to environmental disasters leading to loss of lives, property and infrastructure. If these disasters continue, they have a heavy toll on the financial resources of the government and will also affect foreign investment to alleviate the economic progress of the country.

The recent Economic Development Plan launched  envisages to increase the per capita income to US $ 5000 and it must be stressed that land and infrastructure in the country should be preserved and strengthened for investors both foreign and local to establish industries as well as large-scale agriculture projects that are export  oriented.

In this short article, I have attempted to highlight the need of coordination with the United Nations (UN) agencies to formulate a national policy for disaster reduction.

Implementation of Sendai Framework

The above framework was adopted at the third United Nations Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held from March 14 to 18, 2015 in Sendai, Japan, which provided “an effective opportunity for countries (a) to formulate a concise forward-looking and action-oriented post framework, (b) to complete the assessment and review of the implementation of Hyogo Framework of Action 2005-2015 World Conference of Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Hygo Japan, (c) to consider  experience gained through regional/national strategies institutions and plans for disaster risk reduction and recommendations and relevant regional agreements for implementation of Hygo  Framework for Action, (d) to identify modalities of cooperation to implement post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction, (e) to determine modalities for the periodic review of the implementation of a post-2015 framework for disaster reduction.

During the world conference, states also reiterated their commitment to address disaster risk reduction holistically and the urgency of such modalities in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. To this end, the synergy between formulating policies, plans, programmes and provision of financial resources at all levels within the relevant frameworks should 
be identified.

It has been noted those 10 years after the adoption of the Hygo Framework for Action, disasters continue in Sri Lanka, which continuously undermines sustainable development and achieving 
poverty eradication.

It must be stressed that one of the key contributors to disaster risk is climate change within the mandate of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Disaster risk management in Sri Lanka

The National Disaster Management Centre (DMC) was established in May 2005 with the enactment of the Disaster Management Act No 13 of 2005. The Act established the National Council for Disaster Management (NCDM) chaired by the president and vice –chaired by the prime minister with the participation from the opposition, minority communities and chief   ministers of the provinces. 

The NCDM provides direction to the DMC and was established with the functions indicated in the Act (Ref. Page 17 of the Act). The 20 wide ranging functions envisage close coordination and active participation of 20 ministries.

It is noted that the above 20 functions falling within 20 ministries is too extensive and no effective coordination could be envisaged for long range disaster reduction and mitigation.

Recommendations

It is presumed that Sri Lanka is a signatory to the Sendai Framework 2015-2030 under the UN Office for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) as well as the World Conference for Disaster Reduction (Hygo Framework of Action   2005-2015). The DMC was also established in 2005 and the NCDM should urge the DMC to submit a report on the follow up to the above action plans specially focusing on natural disasters if Sri Lanka actively participated in these conferences.

It is recommended that the NDCM should direct the DMC to formulate a multi-stakeholder capacity-building framework and seek assistance in implementation of an action plan from UN agencies under the United Nations   Development Assistance Frameworks.

It has been noted that a number of UN entities are expanding their technical support to member states at national levels in line with the Sendai Framework. The ILO, UNHCR and UNICEF have supported countries in capacity building and formulation of action plans and strategies for information on disaster risk action plans. To this end, the UNDP and ESCAP are developing guidelines and tools to support countries in implementation of Sendai Framework integrating disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change into planning of sustainable development and allocation required budgets. I presume Sri Lanka has already formulated such action plans with the support of the above UN agencies.

The GSMB (former Geological Survey Department) has valuable information and data on landslides that occurred from 1948 up to 2005. It is regretted that the DMC and the National Building Research Organisation, which have now taken over the functions of the GSMB and there is no effective coordination. It is recommended that the GSMB should be the lead agency in landslide investigations and issuance of landslide warnings.

Rainfall data were compiled for over 50 years up to 1958 by the Huntigs Survey Corporation of Canada under technical assistance of the Colombo Plan. This report on the ‘Hydrometeorology of Ceylon’ covering the entire island is a valuable guide to identify cycles of heavy and low rainfall giving rise to floods and drought. An indication of climate change could be ascertained if the rainfall data from 1958 to present date is properly analysed thus predicting future weather cycles. It is recommended that the DMC should in close coordination with the Meteorology Department undertake this study.

Application of remote sensing methods are also useful in forecasting weather patterns. The remote sensing unit of the Survey Department, if still functioning, together with the Geology Department University of Peradeniya should actively formulate a long-term programme in weather prediction in collaboration with the DMC.

The GSMB (former GSD) compiled a map covering the landslide-prone areas by plotting all data in the 1980s and it was noted for the first time landslides occurred in the Kalutara and Ratnapura Districts. The reasons for these slides were identified as bad land use, which had resulted in indiscriminate gem mining and extraction of sand. Such activity still continues unabated triggering landslides as well as flooding. It is recommended that the geologists form the GSMB should take the lead role in mapping such areas in coordination with DMC.

A Landslide Hazard Map covering selected areas in the hill country was compiled by the NBRO under a UNDP project in the mid-1980s and it is recommended that these maps should be used as base maps for identifying present danger zones. A good example is the area covering the surface of the tunnel of the Uma Oya where landslides have been noted in the past.

Conclusions 

I have made an attempt to critically analyse the present status of disaster preparedness and mitigation and the need to actively seek support from UN agencies to formulate a national action plan for disaster reduction. I have also recommended that the GSMB, which comes under the purview of the president of Sri Lanka, should play a major role in disaster reduction and senior geologists should get actively involved.

 (Dulip Jayawardena, a retired Economic Officer United Nations ESCAP and a former Director of Geological Survey Department, can be contacted at [email protected])