Monthly Archives: June 2011

Candid Assessment of Japan Disaster

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In  Time magazine, June 24. Rebuilding Japan.  A very candid assessment by a Japanese former newspaper editor. Some excerpts are provided below:

The earthquake of March 11, 2011, changed the geography of Japan — literally. Digital maps and GPS devices are likely to deviate by more than 5 m as a result. Beyond this geological shift, aftershocks from the earthquake are reverberating across many dimensions of Japanese life, creating upheaval in our politics, economy, social institutions and foreign relations. In ways many Japanese never before experienced, our national spirit has been shaken.

Throughout Japanese history, seismic disasters have often seemed to mark the dramatic end of an era. The momentous question now is what sort of change the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake will delineate. Japan can no longer afford the delusions of “graceful decline” or “small is beautiful” — notions that appealed to many prior to March 11. Our choice is rebirth or ruin. (See Japan’s history of massive earthquakes.)

Unfathomable losses are the most immediate consequence of the earthquake and tsunami. Some are at least measurable, or will be in the foreseeable future — in particular, the toll in lost lives, vanished communities and destroyed property. But the losses are intangible as well. The compound crisis of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear emergency has shattered Japan’s image as a land of safety and security. Instead of viewing Japan as a haven of immunity from danger and inconvenience, many around the world now perceive the country as fraught with peril and discomfort. This perception is certain to have an effect on foreign investment and the nation’s appeal as a destination for tourists.

Another consequence of the disaster is a crisis of trust. The government has performed inadequately in sharing information with the Japanese public as well as the rest of the world. Unfortunately, Japan’s ineptness in communication and global literacy is a long-standing problem. More fundamental in this regard is the exposure of the too cozy relationship between an elite cadre at Tokyo Electric Power Company and officials at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The lack of transparency and accountability has undermined faith in Japan’s ability to manage risks properly and effectively.

On a more positive note is this article about volunteers who are helping with the cleanup in Japan; from Telegraph (UK), on June 30.

Long-Term Mitigation — EPA report on sea level rise in Hampton Roads VA

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Similar to the need to anticipate repetitive riverine flooding is the need to think about sea level rise.  I did not realize that the second most risky place in the U.S. (the first is New Orleans) is the Hampton Roads area of VA.  The Washington Post, June 27, has an article about a recent EPA study on possible mitigation measures for that area. See A New Way of Thinking as Sea Levels Rise.

“…. earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published the first manual on how not to hold it back, arguing that costly seawalls and dikes eventually fail because sea-level rise is unstoppable. The federal Global Change Research Program estimates that the sea level will rise 14 to 17 inches in the next century around Hampton Roads.

The analysis, “Rolling Easements,” published on the EPA’s Web site, hopes “to get people on the path of not expecting to hold back the sea” as the warming climate is expected to melt ice around the globe, EPA researcher James G. Titus said.

Titus said state and local governments should start crafting laws and ordinances to limit development on vulnerable lands and encourage people living there to move inland. Reflecting the scale of the problem, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission issued a report this month warning that 1 million residents would now be threatened by a Category 4 hurricane.

The EPA report said governments have three options to deal with sea-level rise: They can stay on the well-worn path of building expensive protection and raising streets and buildings. They can beat an organized retreat from the shore, perhaps by offering financial incentives to people and organizations to move inland. Or they can allow people to do whatever they want for their waterfront properties but tell them in no uncertain terms that they are on their own when the waters rise.

The Need for Realism in Recovery Planning

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The Red River drainage basin, with the Souris ...

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Proud city will recover is the title of an editorial in the Minot Daily News on June 26.  While I do not want to demean efforts to bolster the spirits of local residents and property owners in Minot, efforts that exhort readers to return may get in the way of individual decision-making to the contrary. Not every victim of a natural disaster may have the time, will, and money to return to a damaged property. Some may not want to return to the neighborhood or even the city after the disaster.  After all,  the Souris River will still be there, and a future flood remains a possibility.

A quote comes to mind here: “Nature to be commanded must be obeyed.” Source: Sir Francis Bacon.

Here is the article with one sentenced highlighted by me:

Swamped. Devastated. Inundated. Evacuated. Flooded.

All those words describe Minot during the past week, as the Souris River swept through the heart of the city. Homes destroyed. Businesses closed or destroyed. Thousands of residents displaced.

The situation went from dire to dangerous in a matter of days. In some cases, the river made dramatic, historic changes in a matter of minutes, swamping areas that were dry one minute, and were soaked the next minute.

The city of Minot will never be the same. It can’t be.

The residents will return, whether it be in days, weeks or months. They will return to destroyed homes and shattered lives. But we have no doubt that they will return. They are, after all, Minoters and North Dakotans.

Residents all along the river fought valiantly, including weeks of backbreaking sandbagging and diking. But in the end, the river simply overwhelmed everyone’s best efforts.

Thanks to fellow blogger, Phil Palen, for pointing out this article.

One more article on the topic of recovery in Minot appeared in the Deseret News ( Salt Lake City) on June 26.  The lack of flood insurance is a major factor in recovery decision making in Minot.

Recovery Capability Lost in Iowa

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The Iowa state seal.

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It is both sad and painful to see an existing, effective organization killed, apparently for budgetary reasons. Rebuild Iowa Office closes despite flooding and disaster concerns in Iowa. June 23.

After three years of planning and disaster recovery efforts following the 2008 flooding and tornado damage, the Rebuild Iowa Office, created under an executive order signed by former Gov. Chet Culver, finds itself forced to close up shop due to budget constraints and program deadlines today.  More than 40,000 Iowans were affected by natural disasters in Iowa in 2008 which resulted in a presidential disaster declaration for 85 of 99 counties in Iowa.  Despite ongoing flooding along the Missouri River which has overrun its banks and caused evacuations and tornado outbreaks across the state, today marks the final day of the office which has helped secure nearly $4.3 billion in federal and state money to help Iowans recover from natural disasters.

2008 was a year that saw many Iowans affected by outbreaks of tornadoes of historic size and damage and severe weather that brought flooding, mainly along the Des Moines, Raccoon, Missouri and Mississippi rivers.  The Birdland neighborhood, flooded in the historic 1993 floods, were once again inundated with water that flowed over levees meant to protect them.  Applington-Parkersburg saw a tornado that wiped out half of the town and damaged the high school.  The Rebuild Iowa Office began working to help secure mostly federal money to assist in clean up and recovery for many communities across the state.  The Iowa Legislature formalized the office’s position in 2009, establishing a date in June 2011 for the office to close.

Despite outbreaks of tornadoes this year and severe flooding along the Missouri River that has reached levels that are expected to exceed those of the devastating 1993 floods, the work that was done by the office will be turned over to the Iowa Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and other state agencies.  Those involved in leading Iowa forward since the 2008 disasters held a conference call in December 2010 with the advisory commission members to discuss moving ahead.  Their plan outlined staffing and funding suggestions for setting priorities which were then delivered to the Iowa Legislature and Governor Terry Branstad.

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Financial Recovery Guidance aimed at household level

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Chalmette, Louisiana, just over a year after t...

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Recovery After Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit; composed of 8 modules. Prepared in 2010 by Univ. of MN. Two U.S. universities (MN and ND) have teamed up to product this financial toolkit, for use by households affected by disasters.  There is a general version and two state-specific versions. [Note the general version is 180 pages long.]  There also is an instructor’s guide for teaching the materials.

These look like thoughtful, well-prepared materials.

NEW: The authors have prepared an Android app for household owners to use to document their damages. See this link for details.

Huge Buyout Planned for Homes Damaged by Earthquakes in Christchurch, NZ

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Here are two news accounts of the planned buyout — probably the largest ever done after earthquakes.  The first one is from the Daily Mail (UK): Thousands to be paid to leave homes hit by New Zealand earthquake as total cost of catastrophe hits £9.4bn

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announces the government will pay homeowners to leave . New Zealand’s government has offered to pay thousands of homeowners to leave areas of the country’s second-largest city hardest hit by recent earthquakes.

Christchurch was struck by a magnitude-7.1 earthquake in September and a devastating magnitude-6.3 quake in February that killed 181 people and crippled much of the city. The government said it has offered to pay about 5,000 Christchurch homeowners to leave and have their homes razed, with certain swathes of land remaining too unstable for rebuilding.

The future of an additional 10,000 homes, many of which may also need to be destroyed, is still being assessed. The government estimated the cost of moving the first 5,000 homeowners at up to £312 million

The second source is ABC News in Australia:  NZ govt to buy back homes in earthquake zone

Here was some relief today for residents of the earthquake shattered city of Christchurch in New Zealand. The government announced that it would buy back thousands of homes on land too unstable for rebuilding.

It’s part of a plan to move residents and bulldoze homes in areas hardest hit by recent earthquakes.  The government says it’s assessing the future of another 10,000 homes, many of which may also be too costly and time consuming to repair.

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Christchurch in September and a devastating 6.3 quake in February.  One-hundred-and-eighty-one people died and large aftershocks have continued to rattle the city.

Related articles

Graphics of Christchurch, N.Z. — new means of gathering public input in rebuilding and design

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From the commercial site, prnewswire, an amazing new tool to help plan the rebuilding and recovery of the earthquake-impacted area of Christchurch.  See Immersive Imagery to Help Christchurch Rebuild Post-Earthquake; Website revealing before and after panoramic photos being used by Christchurch City Council.

Almost four months after its 6.3 magnitude earthquake, the city of Christchurch, New Zealand is getting ready to rebuild, and a series of panoramic images shot by Jason Mill, an EveryScape Ambassador, are providing critical assistance. Together with the Christchurch City Council, Mill has launched a website which lets you explore large 360-degree panoramic images of damaged sections of the city and, using a split screen, view side-by-side images of the streets and buildings before and after the earthquake.

Mill, a New Zealand native and 3D modeling expert, used technology created by EveryScape that converts 2D photographs into incredibly realistic 360-degree images – “scapes” – that immerse the viewer into the scene. Since 2009, Mill has been capturing images of Christchurch streets and businesses as part of EveryScape’s ongoing project to “scape” the world. Following February’s earthquake, Mill quickly reshot images to document the damage, create a way to visualize the before and after, and aid in the rebuilding program.

“When the earthquake happened it was, of course, gut wrenching to see the damage to my city. As soon as it was safe, the natural thing for me to do was grab my camera and get out there to shoot new images,” said Mill. “These panoramic images put the viewer at the heart of the scene – visually and emotionally. Meshing the before and after scapes tell a powerful story.”

“Technology is playing an increasingly pivotal role during times of disaster. If immersive imagery can contribute even a small part to the overall recovery and rebuilding effort, then we are humbled to be a part of it,” said EveryScape CEO, Jim Schoonmaker.

This could be a useful tool for educators in the fields of urban planning, architecture, emergency management etc.  Interesting product, in my opinion.

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The Messy Reality of Recovery in Japan Becomes Evident

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In a rather overstated headline, the Daily Mail (UK) features an article on the messy, long-lasting needs and problems with the recovery process in Japan.  This is hardly a surprise, given the extent of the impacts of their tri-part disaster just a few months ago. The article does bring home the known essential characteristics for recovery planning: recovery needs to be efficient, effective and equitable.

See: Toxic truth about Japan’s ‘miracle’: Post-tsunami harmony is a myth and the reality is startlingly different.

It is an inimitable picture of Japanese order and contentment. Passengers throng Sendai Airport. In the fields and market gardens close by, farmers are tending their crops. In the city, the bullet trains are spitting out businessmen. It is almost impossible to imagine the colossal earthquake that unleashed first a tsunami and then a nuclear nightmare just 100 days ago.

The north-eastern seaboard was devastated. Some 28,000 people are dead or missing. Sixteen towns, 95,000 buildings and 23 railway stations have been destroyed. The town of Minamisanriku has simply vanished. No change: The wrecked port of Onagawa looks as bad today as it did in the days after the tsunami and earthquake

No change: The wrecked port of Onagawa looks as bad today as it did in the days after the tsunami and earthquake

No wonder the recovery, so meticulously documented in the media, has been described as a modern miracle. Today, the ships that balanced on tower blocks have gone. The debris has vanished from whole villages and towns.

It is further proof, we are reminded, that Japan is a society of immeasurable strength. And for this it can thank ‘wa’, or harmony. This is a collective feeling close to a sense of perfection. It ensures everyone knows their place and acts accordingly. Or so the Japanese like to tell themselves – and the outside world.

Yet post-tsunami Japan is far from harmonious. The bullet trains may be running, but in the fishing villages and tiny ports that litter the jagged coastline north of Sendai, thousands are surviving on aid handouts. The emergency cash promised by the government is yet to arrive.

Great Article on “The Future of Colleges and Universities”

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Education.

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Once again I would like to pick up the thread of the discussion about higher education in emergency management.  To date, the two earlier posts have generated a large number of comments, all of which are quite worthwhile.  Since there does not seem to be any other online forum for this debate, I would like to continue it on this blog.

For those interested in the topic, see this article: The Future of Colleges and Universities: Blueprint for a Revolution.