It has been almost 1 1/2 years since the Feb. 2011 earthquake, and its many aftershocks. Here is the latest on their redevelopment planning effort. This article was in the Washington Post.
A related article from the NZ newspaper is here.
From the Homeland Security News Wire, July 30. Chronic 2000-4 U.S. drought, worst in 800 years, may be the “new normal;”
The chronic drought that hit western North America from 2000 to 2004 left dying forests and depleted river basins in its wake and was the strongest in 800 years, scientists have concluded, but they say those conditions will become the “new normal” for most of the coming century
The chronic drought that hit western North America from 2000 to 2004 left dying forests and depleted river basins in its wake and was the strongest in 800 years, scientists have concluded, but they say those conditions will become the “new normal” for most of the coming century.
See the article Do voters punish politicians for natural disasters? for a discussion of a long-debated topic.
Washington Post, July 28, 2012. Actually, the last paragraph says it all:
So, to sum up the relevant advice for any incumbent politician trying to win reelection: Natural disasters can cost votes, but a competent disaster-relief effort will usually help with voters. There’s no electoral upside to making preparations beforehand for a disaster. And better hope the local football team does well in late October.
Japan Fukushima probe panel urges new disaster prevention steps, mindset. An abstract of the new report:
A government-appointed inquiry into Japan’s Fukushima nuclear crisis raised doubts on Monday about whether other atomic plants were prepared for massive disasters despite new safety rules, and delivered a damning assessment of the regulators and the station’s operator.
Anger over Beijing’s flooding response. Details of recent flooding (CNN, July 26) indicate that more than 800,00 people were affected. Bad planning for infrastructure construction seems to be the root cause, but the response and recovery apparently are as disastrous as the flood waters. Here is a example noted in the article:
Zhang and her neighbors alike remember a fearful night spent in dark attics or higher ground after carrying the elderly and children out of fast-rising water — all the while unable to reach anyone at the city’s flood control hotline.
One neighbor, Gao Liying, added that she feels even more shaken by the village officials’ response when she told them the flood has ruined almost all her worldly possessions. “They actually said: ‘If your house didn’t collapse and nobody died, then you’re not a victim,'” she said, raising her voice. “I asked: are you still human?”
Count on the Diva to provide the latest information – quicker than FEMA! There’s a new element in the recovery component of FEMa’s website. It is hard to find so you may want to bookmark the URL. Recovery Lessons Learned & Information Sharing. The agency describes it as follows:
This page will serve as a national online network for the exchange of ideas surrounding the Disaster Recovery Community. We encourage feedback and contributions to help develop a “one stop shop” for those involved in planning, capacity building and disaster recovery operations. Please submit your comments or materials via the e-mail address to Kevin.Burr@fema.dhs.gov.
Speaking as someone who has spent decades collecting useful resources, I give Kevin and FEMA credit for a good start. Feel free to make suggestions to him.
Tom Ridge, former Sec. of DHS
Reliance on imports leaves U.S. vulnerable to disasters, according to a new report.
An increasing reliance on imports, combined with the fraying of the nation’s power grid, highways and rail lines, leaves the United States more vulnerable to the damage of natural disasters and terrorist attacks, according to a report to be released Wednesday by former homeland security secretary Tom Ridge.
The report, which Ridge shared with homeland security officials Tuesday morning, warns that the offshoring of U.S. factories means that rebounding from a catastrophe will be more difficult because so many critical supplies would have to come from overseas
The authors are two former DHS executives. A press release and video are available.
The report raises some interesting points, including where and when will the needed reconstruction materials come come. The report was sponsored by the Alliance for Manufacturing, which suggests domestic manufacturers have an obvious concern about the topic.
In the past few days, I have come across 3 new types of maps that may be of interest. I like maps and other graphics, such as time line charts.
New: On Tuesday, July 24, ESRI and Microsoft have announced a new mapping service to aid disaster-impacted communities: Esri and Microsoft to Provide Online Maps and Applications during Disasters; Companies Improve Public Safety Information Sharing and Response Capabilities
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Millions intended for natural disaster relief instead spent on technology and industrial parks. A second article on the same topic is here: Disaster Aid Spending Analyzed. July 23.
The focus of this article is on economic development projects that had little or nothing to do with the damage done by a disaster. If someone from Indiana wants to provide additional details or another perspective, please contact me.
ADDENDUM: It appears that federal funds for economic development were spent without regard for the local flood exposure and risk. Since the community did not get a disaster declaration, it is not out of compliance with the mitigation requirements of a declaration.
Intensity map for the 2010 Haiti earthquake (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
A recent news clip notes that Haiti Has Become A Role Model For The Region In Disaster Preparedness. Some excerpts follow:
Barely two years following the catastrophic earthquake that leveled portions of Port-au-Prince, the Civil Protection Agency (DPC) in charge of preparing Haiti for natural disasters, has become a success story that is now being examined as a role model for other disaster prone nations.
Since January 2010, the DPC has consolidated its place as a premier disaster preparedness relief agency; now among the best in the broader Caribbean. The Minister of the Interior, Thierry Mayard-Paul states, “We must be prepared for future shocks. The DPC has become a model of how to organize communities so that they are better prepared for disaster management. There is growing evidence that building community resilience to disasters is more cost effective than humanitarian response. Evidence shows that for every $1 spent on prevention, $4 less needs to be spent on the response.”
Already before the earthquake and in coordination with a wide variety of international agencies, the DPC was conducting simulation exercises, testing contingency plans, and training its personnel. The tragedy of 2010 and the cholera epidemic of the last two years have allowed the DPC to hone its skills.
Directed by Madame Jean Baptiste, who has been at the helm since 2005, the DPC has been busy reducing the damage caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, droughts and hurricanes through a very strong ethic of prevention. According to Fenella Frost, head of UNDP’s Disaster Risk Reduction Unit, “Thanks to this successful initiative, we have been able to reduce vulnerability of people and property, better manage land and the environment, and significantly improve preparedness for adverse events.”
Minister Mayard-Paul, who is responsible for the development and oversight of the DPC, says, “Haiti’s DPC is a real success story. We have developed a skilled outfit, organized across the country and present in every region that is systematically preparing Haitians for the next extreme event. We can’t prevent disasters, but thanks to DPC we can certainly be better prepared.”
Madame Baptiste, who is now widely recognized for her able leadership of the DPC, says that her unit has been working closely with international agencies such as UNDP, World Bank, EU, US Southern Command, USAID, and CIDA, who have provided funding and training.
Recovery Diva 