Transcript The Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami Lessons learnt

einstitute.worldbank.org
The Great East Japan
earthquake and tsunami
Lessons learnt and recommendations for developing
countries
January, 24 2013 | 10:00 AM EST
Speaker: Federica Ranghieri
Senior Urban Specialist,
World Bank Institute
The Knowledge Notes
Learning from Megadisasters,
is a knowledge-sharing project sponsored by the World
Bank and the government of Japan.
It is collecting and analyzing information, data, and
evaluations performed by academic institutions, NGOs,
government agencies, and the private sector
with the objective of sharing Japan’s knowledge on disaster
risk management (DRM) and post-disaster reconstruction
with countries vulnerable to disasters.
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Summary of
findings and lessons
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Japan had not foreseen an
event like this
o It was a high-impact event
with a low probability of
occurrence, and a highly
complex phenomenon, the
effects of which cascaded to
sensitive facilities.
o Direct damage to major
Japanese industries rocketed
through supply chains
around the world.
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Japan had not foreseen an
event like this
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Japan had not foreseen an
event like this
o In coping with the GEJE,
Japan’s advanced DRM
system, built up during nearly
2,000 years of coping with
natural risks and hazards,
proved its worth.
o The loss of life and property
could have been far greater if
the country’s policies and
practices had been less
effective.
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Lessons learnt – what worked
o Investments in structural measures,
cutting-edge risk assessments,
early-warning systems, and hazard
mapping;
o A culture of preparedness, where
training and evacuation drills are
systematically practiced at the local
and community levels and in
schools and workplaces;
o Insurance, as well as financial and
fiscal measures;
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Lessons learnt – what worked
o Stakeholder involvement,
where the national and local
government, communities,
NGOs, and the private sector
all know their role;
o Effective legislation,
regulation, and enforcement;
o The use of sophisticated
instrumentation to underpin
planning and assessment
operations.
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Lessons learnt – what worked
less well
o Spreading a better
understanding of the nature and
limitations of risk assessment
among local authorities and the
population at large;
o Coordination mechanisms on
the ground should be agreed on
before the fact;
o Vulnerable groups must be not
only protected but also
engaged.
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Sharing experiences with
others
o Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Japan’s
response to GEJE;
o A set of key messages that can be recommended to
countries, cities and communities vulnerable to disasters;
What messages? And how?
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Key messages
o Extreme disasters underscore the need for a holistic
approach to DRM;
o Preventive Investments pay, but be prepared for the
unexpected;
o DRM is everyone’s business: communities play a key
role;
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Key messages
o Assessing risks and communicating them clearly helps
citizens make timely decisions to protect themselves;
o Hazard maps can give the public a false sense of safety,
if not properly communicated;
o Better management of information and communication is
crucial in emergencies and recovery operations;
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Key messages
o Coordination mechanisms must be developed and tested
in normal times, so that they are ready for use in an
emergency;
o Vulnerable groups must be protected and engaged;
o Learning from disaster is key, as Japan has shown for
the past 2,000 years.
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Sharing experiences with
others
o Set of 32 Knowledge Notes grouped into six
thematic clusters;
o A Capacity development program, which includes:
A community of practice:
https://collaboration.worldbank.org/groups/login.jspa
A searchable set of online material, blended learning and
Face to face capacity building program in selected
countries;
GDLN sessions and webinars;
In depth Capacity Development program in pilot
countries: Indonesia, Kenya, Philippines, Sri Lanka,
Tanzania, Uganda, etc.
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Thank you
http://wbi.worldbank.org/wbi/megadisasters
https://collaboration.worldbank.org/groups/login.jspa
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