Second Quarter, 1996

(April - June, 1996)

Prepared For:

Cooperative Agreement No. 940-1008-A-00-3522-00

Issued By:

1889 F Street N.W.

Washington, DC 20011

July 30, 1996

- Annex 3: Cumulative cost center accounting to June 1996.

The OAS Office in Jamaica moved to a new and smaller location, in turn causing the CDMP Regional Project Coordinator, whose offices were located in these premises to move. A new temporary housing has been found in Jamaica’s Office for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. Arrangements are being explored to house the CDMP regional office in the new facilities of the Unit for Disaster Studies of the University of the West Indies.

Funding replenishment for the fiscal 1996 for CDMP suffered some delays in processing by USAID, and are now expected during the next quarter.

M&E consultant Jinx Parker completed the project monitoring plan for 1996-1997. She visited Jamaica from June 16-21 to meet with representatives of the CDMP, USAID and the technical agencies involved in project activities. While in Jamaica, the project monitoring plan was reviewed with the Regional Coordinator and USAID's Regional Disaster Advisor. Based on this review, it was agreed that the Regional Lessons Learned Workshop, which was originally scheduled for April, should be rescheduled for mid-October, as all the required assessment activities should be completed by then.

Meetings to review the status of local project activities were also held with Ken Blakely of JAGIC, representatives from the Jamaica Institute of Engineers, the Earthquake Unit, the Geology Department of UWI and ODPEM. Based on these meetings, a report was issued by the consultant on her findings and recommendations.

A text for an updated version of the CDMP brochure was prepared during this quarter. It summarizes the status and accomplishments in the different activity areas of the CDMP. The new brochure ill be prepared by a public information consultant and will be ready for distribution at the occasion of the Second Natural Hazards Conference in Jamaica in October 1996. The text is attached in Annex 2.

The regional coordinator has been supervising the production of a 25 min. Video and several articles on the CDMP contracted to a Jamaican consultant.

The Table in Annex 3 provides an updated version of the distribution of direct costs of all CDMP activities from project inception through June 1996. Please note that this includes expenditures and commitments made through the end of June 1996. It does not include indirect costs (OAS technical supervision and administration).

Applied Research Associates (ARA), completed the Hurricane Vulnerability and Risk Analysis study of the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) installations of the St. Vincent and Grenadines utility (VINLEC). The final report was reviewed by OAS and CARILEC, and an executive summary was prepared based on that review. The study examines the reliability and potential vulnerability of the T&D system and uses cost-benefit analysis and risk analysis to balance initial cost, operating cost and failure cost of the system due to hurricane produced wind failures. The findings of the study were presented at the CARILEC Engineering Conference held in Fort Meyers in late April. The final report is available for distribution.

a) Jamaica: Montego Bay Coastal Flooding: The project manager of the British Virgin Islands Hazard and Risk management project, Mr. Aedan Earle, was contracted to assist the Jamaica Town Planning Department with the processing and interpretation of the GIS-based flood contour maps produced by CDMP Consultant Watson. Mr. Earle has successfully used similar outputs produced by Watson in the preparation of coastal hazard and risk maps for the BVI. Mr. Earle conducted a workshop from June 24-27 at the Town Planning Department (TPD), with participants from the Town Planning Department, Natural Resources Conservation Authority and the Water Resources Division. The main focus of the workshop was the import of storm surge data into the GIS data base being used be the TPD. Required procedures include: (a) development of overlays; (b) data analysis; © graphic displays of data, including the printing of the completed maps.

Following the workshop, a meeting was held with representatives of the Technical Working Group and the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) at the ODPEM. After a presentation of the process by which storm surge is incorporated in the coastal planning in the BVI, the JIE expressed their concern regarding the output of the TAOS model and queried the statistical basis for making certain assumptions. This led to a lengthy debate which was finally resolved with the following recommendations being accepted:

It was also agreed that the government agencies (led by the TPD), upon receipt of the independent statistician's report should exercise their authority and accept the maps as given, as well as prepare a manual to be used as a guide in interpreting the use of storm surge risk maps.

Using the BVI experience, it was proposed to aggregate surge risk into four levels, i.e. high surge potential, moderate surge potential, low surge potential, and no flood risks, across all five storm categories. This way of presenting surge risk has as two distinct advantages: it is easier to interpret, and it avoids linking surge height directly to storm categories, which was being contested by the JIE. This proposal will be discussed by the subcommittee.

b) Jamaica: Kingston Multi-hazard Mapping.

Work on the landslide hazard activity is continuing with the transfer of the identified landslides from aerial photographs to an interim series of 1.12500 maps until stable (Mylar) base is available to transfer the maps. As of the end of June, approximately 250 substantive and active landslide and landslide zones have been mapped in the southwestern Blue and Port Royal Mountains.

The Earthquake Unit has obtained a software package for handling incomplete seismic data sets. Compilation of historical earthquake data underway. The inception report for this activity was presented to the TWG on June 28.

c) The Caribbean Meteorological Institute (CMI)

The eighteenth session of the RAIV Hurricane Committee was held in Puerto Rico from April 22 to May 1 1996. NOAA reported on the evaluation of the TAOS model, noting the use of remote sensing data and the ability to incorporate wave modeling as advantages of TAOS over the SLOSH model and the Meteo France model. All three models were found to perform "satisfactorily" based on the test runs carried out for the island of Kauai.

The meeting recommended that NOAA, CMI and CDMP collaborate on the following:

d) Belize: Flood Hazard Assessment.

CDMP continued with the analysis the flood hazard assessment for the Belize River. The US Army Corps of Engineers was contacted to help resolve some of the software and data handling [problems that emerged in the construction of the model. Presentation of the results and installation of the model is scheduled for the end of the next quarter.

e) Dominican Republic. The CDMP and the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (ASONAHORES) jointly held two hurricane simulations, on in Santo Domingo, and one in Juan Dolia y Guayacanes. The events generated significant interest and will be followed by further initiatives.

Further delays are being experienced in the implementation of this activity as UNCHS Headquarter has still not approved the contract proposal submitted by the UNCHS Regional Office. These delays have had a serious impact on this activity, which was originally scheduled to be executed over the period April-July. As yet, final contract approval is still being awaited from Nairobi.

Two personnel changes were made during the period under review. At CHF, John Chromy replaced Franck Daphnis as the Project Officer responsible for CDMP, while Daphnis still maintains overall supervision. In St. Lucia, Dr. Leslie Lett replaced David Popo, who has moved on to the OECS Secretariat. Dr. Lett has previous experience in managing projects for Caritas Antilles. The departure of David Popo had a considerable impact on activities in St. Lucia, as these were virtually suspended until a replacement could be found.

The following was accomplished during this quarter:

Antigua and Barbuda,

Meetings were held in Antigua with the Development Control Authority (DCA), the National Office of Disaster Services, the Red Cross National Office, and the Development Foundation in Antigua (NDF), to review plans for conducting a local retrofit training workshop, as well as the level of return of the questionnaires which were distributed earlier to builders who had participated in the post- Hurricane Luis Workshop. The return of these questionnaires proved to be slow as respondents were often reluctant to complete them, even after they had been explained by DCA staffers. This required repeated follow-up visits by various agency personnel to ensure completion of each questionnaire.

Based on discussions held in Antigua it was agreed that the Retrofit Workshop would be conducted over the period July 3-12.

a) Report by the CARICOM Working Party on Insurance and Reinsurance: No information is available on the response to this report from the last heads of Government meeting in Barbados (July 1996). News on this subject is awaited from the CARIOCOM Secretariat, since it has been charged with coordinating the follow-up to the report.

b) Organization of Insurance Companies of Belize (ORINCO) Belize, A report on the March 1996 workshop on Disaster Management and the Insurance Industry, which was jointly sponsored by ORINCO and CDMP was prepared and distributed in Belize and to interested parties in the region.

ORINCO is promoting safe construction initiatives in Belize, and has requested CDMP for copies of a safe roof training video and pamphlets.

The CDMD established its office, administrative structure, financial and accounting procedures, and supervised the fulfillment of the agenda of proposed activities.

a) Training the trainers: Within the Strategic Element of Training, the CDMD organized a very successful Disaster Administration Course attended by 31 participants and three hurricane simulations: one on April 19 for the private companies in the Haina Port region; one for the members of the Asociación de Hoteles de Santo Domingo on June 22; and another for the members of the Asociación para el Desarrollo Turístico de Juan Dolio y Guayacanes, Inc. June 28.

b) Coordination and Communication: CDMP/CDMD promotion continued through the newspaper and through presentations to several organizations. On April 19, the NGO's President, Dr. Contreras, and Mr. José Abreu presented recent project activities on the television program "Para Todos" which is broadcast twice daily and widely esteemed. On May 28, the Project Coordinator met and worked out a cooperative agreement for joint activities with SODOSISMICA, an NGO comprised of a group of engineers specialized in seismically resistant design and construction. Recommendations will be presented to show how to reduce risk of failure and/of feasible means of reducing damage in case of an earthquake. In addition, the CDMD and SODOSISMICA will approach the insurers and reinsurers to discuss the possibility of rate reduction for clients with reduced risk (as a result of seismically resistant design and construction). The CDMD would also like to support a joint study between SODOSISMICA and the INTEC University regarding vulnerability of common building structures in the D.R.

On June 19, the ADMD arranged a presentation by the Director of the National Meteorological Office for the members of the Dominican Hotel and Restaurant Association regarding the interpretation of data available through INTERNET during hurricane season. The meting was attended by at least twenty hotel executives.

c) Information: The Informational Bulletins of December 31 and March 31 were edited and distributed to at least 2,000 individuals, businesses, NGO's etc. Several radio spots were prepared and taped in coordination and with the approval of the Director of the Civil Defense regarding what to do before, during and after hurricanes and earthquakes. All major project activities were video taped and the video library has been popular among affiliates.

The ADMD negotiated the preparation of the potential flood zones for 3, 6, 9 feet and 8 meters to be mapped out according to the Santo Domingo-Haina street-map so that all can easily identify what level of flood risk exists for their location. The map is due June 30 and will be included in the June 30 bulletin. The other primary areas of interest for the southern coast were touristic zones whose risk is a direct result of development right on the coast.

By the end of the period, the team had distributed in high risk regions more than 9,000 (of the 10,000) pamphlets published on what to do before, during and after hurricanes and earthquakes and approximately 4,900 of the 5,000 hurricane Calendar/Posters published.

d) Community Education: The ADMD established Mr. Carlos Pimentel and Mr. Santiago Rodriguez, both executives of World Vision International as responsible for the coordination, administration, and supervision of the Community Disaster Preparedness Workshops carried out in thirty-seven (37) communities the first half of 1996, in coordination with the Dominican Red Cross. An estimated 1,110 adults in high-risk communities received Community Disaster Preparedness Training. In addition, ten of the facilitators of this program attended the first course on Disaster Shelter Management held by Red Cross in the world (February, 1996).

e) Community Initiatives: The Community Initiatives team prepared the subdonation contract guidelines and a promotional brochure and the courses designed to orient applicants for co-financing of community initiatives. The course designed to orient the Community Disaster Preparedness Workshop facilitators regarding the Community Initiative Vulnerability Reduction program and application procedure will be held July 19, 1996.

Mr. Branly Oge, a Haitian national, was contracted on May 13, 1996 as national coordinator for the CDMP in Haiti. Mr. Oge was selected from among 26 candidates during a mission to Haiti by the CDMP project manager and the RHUDO/CAR Regional Disaster Advisor from April 15 to 17, 1996. ( A copy of the mission report was attached to last quarter’s report).

During this period, the national coordinator dedicated his efforts to the following:

Dominica: Negotiations continued on the arrangements to be put in place for the execution by CDMP of a storm and wave action assessment and formulation of design criteria for the coastal rehabilitation work under a Limited Scope Grant Agreement from USAID to the Government of Dominica in support of a CDB loan for the same purpose. During this period, the agreement between USAID and CDB was signed. The agreement between CDB and the Government of Dominica is expected to be finalized in July, at which time Dominica will issue a letter of intent to the OAS in order for CDMP to proceed with the agreed upon scope of work.

In the mean time, CDMP initiated the storm surge and wave hazard assessment, acquired the necessary SPOT imagery, and contracted a GIS specialist to work with CDMP consultant Watson on preparing a high resolution bathymetry for the West coast of Dominica. CDMP also identified a regional consulting firm to coordinate the formulation of design criteria for the coastal works.

The CDMP project manager participated in the eighteenth RAIV meeting in Puerto Rico, (April 28-May1) and in the Caribbean Hurricane Conference , held in the same location (May 1- 3). In the first meeting he presented a status report on thestorm hazard modelling activities of the CDMP and participated in the formulation of recommendations for joint follow-up by NOAA/CMI/CDMP. He also gave a presentation on hazard mitigation and the CDMP activities at the Huricane Conference.

The CDMP regional coordinator participated in the Annual Red Cross Workshop held in St. Maarten, which focused on Red Cross preparation and planning to meet the challenges of the next decade. He made two presentations: (1) a review of the CDMP's Housing Retrofit Project in Dominica and St. Lucia, which was selected as topic for a working group session where participants were asked to identify ways in which national societies could undertake similar activities; (2) an overview of CDMP risk mapping activities, focusing on the Montego Bay storm surge maps and how these can be used to enhance the disaster work of response agencies especially in the area of vulnerability analysis and evacuation planning.

Planning continued for the regional workshop on lessons learned from the CDMP Housing Retrofit Pilots. The workshop is now scheduled for October 28-29,1996 in St. Lucia. CHF is in the process of preparing a retrofit manual, or "Tool Kit", to be presented at the Lessons Learned conference. The "Tool Kit" will assist other local organizations and additional CDMP participating organizations, in quickly and efficiently implementing retrofit activities in other parts of the Caribbean.