Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project
Quarterly Program Performance Report
October-December 1998

Prepared For:
Cooperative Agreement No. 940-1008-A-00-3522-00

Issued By:
Organization of American States
Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment

1889 F Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20011

January 1998


HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS QUARTER

CROSS-REFERENCE OF CDMP ACTIVITIES BY COUNTRY

Country Activity
Anguilla 5.3 School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS
Antigua and Barbuda 3.4.1 Regional Storm Assessment
5.3 School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS
6.1 Hurricane-resistant Home Improvement Program
Barbados 3.4.1 Regional Storm Assessment
5.2 Caribbean Hotel Association Manual
Belize 3.2 Belize River Flood Hazard Assessment
Dominica 3.3 Dominica Sea Defences Study
5.3 School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS
6. Building Standards and Practices
8. Geographic Information System/Environmental Planning Project
9. Post-disaster Mission
Dominican Republic 4. Community Disaster Preparedness
9. Post-disaster Mission
Grenada 5.3 School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS
6.2 Building Code Administration
Haiti 4. Community Disaster Preparedness
9. Post-disaster Mission
Jamaica Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
Project Information Dissemination
3.1.2 Kingston Multi-Hazard Assessment
3.4.2 Preparedness and Mitigation Training
St. Kitts and Nevis 5.2 Caribbean Hotel Association Manual
5.3 School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS
6. Building Standards and Practices
6.1 Hurricane-resistant Home Improvement Program
St. Lucia 3.4.2 Preparedness and Mitigation Training
5.2 Caribbean Hotel Association Manual
6. Building Standards and Practices
6.1 Hurricane-resistant Home Improvement Program
6.2 Building Code Administration
7. Insurance Risk Management
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 6. Building Standards and Practices
Trinidad 3.5 Regional Seismic Hazard Information

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM AND
PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Project Management and Administration Functions

Technical Advisory Committee meeting

The CDMP Technical Advisory Committee met 18–20 November in Negril, Jamaica. The focus of this meeting was planning for the activities for the final year of the CDMP and sustainability of project activities. Decisions and agreements made at this meeting will be incorporated into the 1999 CDMP workplan.

Project Information Dissemination

The CDMP web site, http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp/, was updated during this quarter with a new thematic section entitled "Hazard-resistant Construction." This web document provides an overview of the importance of hazard-resistant construction practices to the protection of life and property and to overall sustainable development. CDMP activities and lessons learned related to hazard-resistant construction are also described in this document. A list of planned 1999 events was added to the 'Events and Announcements' page and a page describing CDMP activities in response to Hurricane Georges was created.

CDMP participated in a meeting at the University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica, for the launching of an ECHO-sponsored project for development of a Caribbean disaster information node at the UWI library. CDMP will supplement this effort by providing support to the Unit for Disaster Studies to develop content for the information node. Copies of all CDMP publications will be made available for distribution through this information channel.

Note: Section numbers in the subsequent sections refer to those in the CDMP work plan. Numbers skipped in the sequence represent elements for which there was no activity during this quarter.

3. NATURAL HAZARD ASSESSMENT & MITIGATION

3.1 Jamaica

3.1.2 Kingston Multi-Hazard Assessment

Landslide hazard assessment. Drafts of all final documents for the landslide hazard mitigation component of the KMA multi-hazard assessment were submitted during this quarter. A final workshop on landslide hazard mitigation—the final activity for this component—will be held in Kingston, 26–28 January 1999.

Seismic susceptibility. Modeling work for the seismic susceptibility component of the multi-hazard assessment neared completion during this quarter. A draft of the final report for this component will be complete early in the next quarter.

Coastal storm surge and wind hazard susceptibility. Modeling work for the coastal surge and wind hazard susceptibility component of the KMA multi-hazard assessment was completed during this quarter. A draft report on this component was submitted and comments were returned. The final report and project databases will be delivered in January 1999. As an adjunct to the coastal hazard assessment, CDMP produced a regional database of storm hazard information. This database includes estimates of maximum surge and wave heights and wind speeds for 10-, 25-, 50- and 100-year return periods for each 1km x 1km in a grid that covers the entire Caribbean. This information will be introduced in the first quarter of 1999.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

3.2 Belize River Flood Hazard Assessment

Development of the river flood model neared completion during this quarter. Events related to Hurricane Mitch have delayed the delivery of the final maps and training on the model to the first quarter of 1999.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

3.3 Dominica Sea Defense Study

CDMP has completed its contribution to this project.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

3.4 Regional Hurricane Preparedness and Mitigation

3.4.1 Regional Storm Assessment

Systematic Production of MEOWs at the Caribbean Meteorological Institute (CMI). CMI and the CDMP developed a draft atlas of Maximum Envelope of Water (MEOW) maps for the islands of Antigua and Barbuda. TAOS/L model runs for various combinations (over 30 total) of storm approaches, strength and forward speed were used to create these maps. The maps were presented at a national Storm Hazard Mapping workshop in Antigua, 1–2 December 1998, with over 20 local participants. In addition to discussing the maps, topics covered at the workshop included: tropical storm forecasting, an overview of the TAOS/L model and the use of storm hazard maps and information in development and emergency management planning. Workshop maps and materials will be finalized in the first quarter of 1999.

3.4.2 Preparedness and Mitigation Training

During this quarter, CDMP-supported hazard mitigation planning pilot projects continued in St. Lucia and Jamaica. In St. Lucia, CDMP supported an October 26 national consultation on the national hazard mitigation plan, which is currently under development. In Jamaica, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management made substantial progress on a national mitigation policy/plan. CDMP is assisting this activity through support for a local facilitator for the process and for an outside consultant, who is assisting ODPEM with structuring and reviewing the national mitigation policy.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

3.5 Regional Seismic Hazard Information

Seismic activity in Dominica delayed completion of the final regional seismic hazard maps by the Seismic Research Unit of UWI-St. Augustine. The final products of this project—a series of sub-regional maps showing seismic iso-acceleration contours throughout the Caribbean and a guidebook on the use of these maps for engineering design—are scheduled to be complete in early 1999.

4. Community Disaster Preparedness

4.1 Dominican Republic

Coordination and Communication

During this quarter, the ADMD organized a total of 11 presentations to 647 people representing businesses, schools, and communities nationwide. Four presentations were given to a total of 395 students. This period, two facilitator-training workshops were held for 90 teachers to prepare them to give orientation presentations to students, to plan fire evacuation routes and to organize school emergency procedures.

Community Education

This quarter, the ADMD co-financed twenty nine (29) Community Disaster Preparedness Workshops in high-risk communities. At least 870 adults received orientation as to what a disaster is, how to identify vulnerability, how to identify the community's human and material resources, and—as a community—how to design a Community Emergency Plan. This program was originally designed by the Red Cross and is called "Es Mejor Prevenir..." Since October 1995, six hundred and two (602) Workshops have been facilitated by the ADMD/CDMP in high risk communities, reaching over 18,060 community leaders and adults. The value of the NGO's and Community Groups' contribution to the 172 workshops given this year is estimated at RD$154,800 (US$9,987).

An impact survey was conducted this period and showed the significant impact of the program. Evidence as to the effectiveness of the intervention in the participating communities was also documented following Hurricane Georges. Calls in from the field contain praise for the ADMD's community disaster preparedness program and also for the Community Initiatives.

Information

The 13th Informative Bulletin, reviewing project activities from September through November 1998, was published in December and is still being sent by fax/modem during January.

Community Initiatives

The ADMD Community Initiatives Facilitator traveled to supervise the 3 projects in process (in Las Espinas-Los Ranchos, Hato Mayor del Rey; Uvilla, Tamayo; El Toro) and maintained contact with the various institutions involved with this strategic element. The ADMD also facilitated the delivery of 4,000 food rations by the World Food Program to 26 communities where IDAC, a local NGO working on behalf of sugar cane laborers, organized 2,145 heads of households into clean-up brigades in response to the crisis brought on by Hurricane Georges.

See the Activities in the Dominican Republic section of the project web site for more information on this activity.

4.2 Haiti

The CDMP national coordinator visited Jacmel, Les Cayes and Jeremie to meet with the local disaster committees and discuss how CDMP could best assist each of the three communities in the cleanup and rehabilitation following hurricane Georges. At the request of the members of the committees, CDMP donated manual tools like spades and wheelbarrows, and water purification chemicals, for a value of $2,500 per community. With the help of the private sector and the NGO community, CDMP arranged for free transportation of the materials. CDMP also received an additional G30,000 for community rehabilitation support Jacmel and Les Cayes from an international NGO, a demonstration of the appreciation for its work in highly vulnerable communities.

Following the hurricane, the CDMP national coordinator also met with the director of Civil Defense (Protection Civile); possible assistance with training programs was offered by CDMP.

During this period, the CDMP also participated in a campaign organized by the Ministry of the Environment to present and discuss the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP). The CDMP national coordinator was a key resource person in two regional workshops held in Jacmel and Cap Haitien, held in preparation for the National Conference in Montrouis, December 17 to 19. The CDMP coordinator was invited to make presentations at each event, addressing the theme of environmental degradation and vulnerability to disasters.

The national coordinator also traveled to Jeremie to prepare the local committee for its participation in the vulnerability assessment, which will be started in February, when the consultant who designed the study, Ravidya Maharaj, returns to Jeremie.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

5. Lifeline Loss Reduction

5.2 Caribbean Hotel Association Manual

In December, the CDMP and the Caribbean Hotel Association co-sponsored a workshop for the hotel industry on hurricane preparedness. This workshop was held in St. Lucia. Representatives from St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados and Puerto Rico participated in the workshop. Material for the workshop was based on the CHA/CTO Hurricane Procedures Manual, which was published in 1998 with the assistance of CDMP. A second such workshop will be held in the spring of 1999. The ‘Structural Vulnerability and Loss Reduction Techniques’ section of the Hurricane Procedures Manual is available on the Papers and Publications section of the CDMP web site.

5.3 School/shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS

The CDMP and Natural Hazards Project (NHP) of the OAS sponsored a regional workshop in Basseterre, St. Kitts, on October 14-15, 1998. The workshop served as a forum to review the progress that was made following a yearlong effort in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Kitts & Nevis to examine the vulnerability of schools and shelters to natural hazards. Discussions focused on the results of an engineering study that examined the seismic and hurricane vulnerability of 86 schools and shelters in these countries. As a result of this study, a manual describing standards for retrofitting of schools/shelters and construction of new schools/shelters was prepared. Because school maintenance is an important issue in the Eastern Caribbean, a maintenance manual for non-technical personnel was also presented and discussed.

Representatives from the Ministries of Education, Public Works Departments, and the Disaster Preparedness Offices from the five participating countries as well as other OECS countries were in attendance. Representation from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Partners of the Americas, and the US Peace Corps also attended. CDB discussed its intent to provide the countries with loan financing to complete the proposed retrofit work. See the CDMP project bulletin describing school/shelter hazard vulnerability reduction and the School/Shelter Hazard Vulnerability Reduction Resource Page for detailed information on this project.

See the School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction page on the project web site for more information on this activity.

6. Building Standards and Practices

Probable Maximum Loss Study

Significant progress was made during this quarter in the study to estimate the probable maximum losses in public infrastructure from a major hurricane event in four selected Eastern Caribbean countries. The study was completed in 2 of the 4 countries, fieldwork was completed in one more, and work was initiated in the fourth country. The study will be completed early in the next quarter.

6.1 Hurricane-resistant Home Improvement Program

Antigua

On 2 December 1998, the National Development Foundation of Antigua & Barbuda hosted, with funding from CDMP, a roundtable discussion on safer home construction. Approximately 20 people participated, with the great majority from the private sector, including engineers and representatives of the banking and insurance industries. The objectives of the roundtable were to identify the constraints and potential for safer housing in Antigua and to review and critique the contribution of existing structures and organizations towards safer housing. Issues discussed included the national building code, hazard information for planning, enforcement of building standards and training and quality control within the construction industry. A final report on this meeting will be available early in the next quarter.

St. Lucia

During 1998, CDMP supported NRDF in conducting community-based, weekend safer housing training programs throughout the country. The last of these workshops was completed during this quarter. A total of seven workshops were held, in the communities of Anse La Raye, Babonneau, Canaries, Choiseul, La Pointe, Soufriere and Vieux Fort.

St. Kitts and Nevis

In October, the Cooperative Housing Foundation, on behalf of CDMP, met with representatives of the St. Kitts/Nevis/Anguilla National Bank and the Foundation for National Development St. Kitts and Nevis Ltd., to discuss the possibility of establishing a hurricane-resistant home improvement program in St. Kitts and Nevis. Both institutions expressed interest in instituting such a program. CDB has loan funds available to support this project in St. Kitts and Nevis. CDMP will work with the two institutions in St. Kitts and with the CDB to structure and establish a functional hurricane-resistant home improvement program.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

6.2 Building Code Administration

During this quarter, CDMP began assistance to the Government of Grenada on the adaptation of the OECS model building code for Grenada. A workplan for this activity was developed by CDMP in conjunction with the government agencies responsible for building and construction. CDMP is supporting the services of the primary engineer responsible for code adaptation. During this quarter, CDMP also received a request from the Government of St. Lucia for assistance with adaptation of the OECS model building code for St. Lucia. CDMP will support the services of a local engineer in St. Lucia who will assist with this project.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

7. Insurance Risk Management

No activity this quarter.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

8. Dominica Geographic Information System/Environmental Planning Project

The final GIS-EP activities—two additional workshops on applications of GIS to development planning, development of updated current land use information and a pilot project for GPS location of houses—were rescheduled to early in the first quarter of 1999. Completion of these workshops will mark the end of this activity.

See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.

9. Post-disaster Mission

Hurricane Georges

In Haiti and the Dominican Republic, CDMP is building on its ongoing community preparedness and vulnerability reduction activities to provide relief from the disasters caused by hurricane Georges. In Haiti, CDMP has provided $2,500 to each of the local disaster committees in Jacmel, Jeremie and Les Cayes. In the Dominican Republic, CDMP is providing $10,000 to the Dominican Disaster Mitigation Committee to support the reconstruction and rehabilitation of community disaster prevention measures that were installed prior to the passage of Georges. Further information on CDMP community preparedness activities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic is available on the CDMP web site.

The October workshop on school/shelter vulnerability reduction (see section 5.3 above) took place less than a month after the passage of Hurricane Georges. This workshop helped focus discussion of rehabilitation for damaged schools and provided important information for planning hazard-resistant rehabilitation and reconstruction. A ‘Hurricane Georges’ section has been added the CDMP web site to describe the project’s hurricane response.

Layou River Landslide Dam (Dominica)

The landslide dam in the Layou river valley again remained stable during the quarter, with no overtopping. CDMP's mapping work, in support of a dam-break flood analysis, was completed during this quarter. Final plans and materials for the Layou River landslide dam response will be presented in Dominica in late January 1999.