Caribbean Disaster Mitigation
Project
Quarterly Program Performance Report
July-September 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
November 1998
HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS QUARTER
Hurricane Georges passed over the Leeward Islands, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti September 21–23, 1998, resulting in several deaths and varying levels of damage. Damage assessments are available from CDERA’s web site at http://www.cdera.org. Information on CDMP activities in response to the damage can be found at the hurricane Georges page on the CDMP web site (http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp).
In the Dominican Republic, the CDMP-supported Associacion Dominicana de Mitigacion de Desastres (ADMD) was successful in obtaining approval for an ECU$100,000 grand from the European Union DIPECHO program. These funds are for the first year of a three-year program to extend community-level disaster preparedness and training activities.
The CDMP was a co-sponsor of the Caribbean/Central American Forum on Building Codes and Economic Development, which was also sponsored by the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Government of Puerto Rico, USAID and CDB. The need for developing appropriate building codes throughout the region was highlighted, as was the need for further support for implementation and enforcement of such codes.
CROSS-REFERENCE OF CDMP ACTIVITIES BY COUNTRY
DESCRIPTION OF
PROGRAM AND
PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Project Management and Administration Functions
Project Information Dissemination
The CDMP web site, http://www.oas.org/en/cdmp/, was updated during this quarter with a new thematic section entitled "School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction". This web document describes the lessons learned from the CDMP/ECHO School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction Program and provides links to online versions of documents produced for this project. The ‘Structural Vulnerability and Loss Reduction Techniques’ section of the CHA/CTO Hurricane Procedures Manual was added to the Papers and Publications section of the CDMP web site. CDMP financed the structural vulnerability reduction section of the CHA manual.
Web use statistics were only available for a portion of the quarter, and showed over 3,500 ‘requests’ for the quarter. A ‘request’ is web connection that successfully retrieves content from the web site.
Jan Vermeiren was invited to speak on hurricane hazard mitigation at the 1998 meeting of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences in Port-of-Spain in September. The title of his presentation was Hurricane Hazard Mitigation in the Caribbean: Recent Advances and Present Challenges.
Note: Section numbers in the subsequent sections refer to those in the CDMP rolling work plan. Numbers skipped in the sequence represent elements for which there was no activity during this quarter.
3. NATURAL HAZARD ASSESSMENT & MITIGATION
3.1.2 Kingston Multi-Hazard Assessment
During this quarter, arrangements for the coordination of the final KMA activities and transfer of the KMA products were finalized. Upon completion of the project, the resulting data, maps and guidelines will be formally presented to the Land Information Council of Jamaica, for subsequent further distribution to appropriate agencies and organizations. The chairman of the Land Information Council has agreed to receive and be responsible for the project information. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management has agreed to coordinate local discussion and adoption of guidelines for use of the information produced under the KMA multi-hazard assessment. This guideline development will be conducted as part of the formulation of a national hazard mitigation policy/plan that is being coordinated by ODPEM, with CDMP support (see section 3.4.2 below.) Finally, the Natural Resources Conservation Authority has agreed to produce, with support from CDMP, the final multi-hazard maps for the KMA, using the GIS database that is currently under development.
Seismic susceptibility. Data collection and model development continued during this quarter for the seismic component of the KMA multi-hazard assessment. Soil profiles from existing deep well logs were collected for use in developing the soil column profile needed for later modeling. Readings from the Jamaican seismograph network were calibrated by comparing earthquake magnitudes in the Jamaican records with those recorded by global networks. Finally, the seismic attenuation rates and source zones for use in this project were finalized during this quarter.
Coastal storm surge and wind hazard susceptibility. The high-resolution topography and bathymetry database to be used in the coastal storm surge and wind hazard susceptibility modeling for the KMA was updated based on the new bathymetry information received near the end of the quarter. Model runs for the Kingston coastal hazard assessment have begun and will be completed early in the coming quarter. The final storm hazard data set and report are expected to be available for incorporation into the KMA GIS database before the end of the year.
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 continued during this quarter. Using rainfall and stream gauge information collected during a field visit to Belize in the spring, a ‘design storm’ event was selected for use in development of the final flood hazard maps. The selected event represents a worst case scenario, which (based on historical storm hydrograph information) still has a reasonable likelihood of occurrence. Delivery of the final maps and training on the model is scheduled for the final quarter of 1998.
See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.
3.3 Dominica Sea Defense Study
A meeting took place between Tony Gibbs, CDMP consultant, Algernon Simon, Chief Engineer Public Works in Dominica, and Jan Vermeiren at the Building Code conference in Puerto Rico to review the status of the Dominica-CDB Sea Defense Rehabilitation project. CDMP's role in the project was to carry out a detailed surge and wave action hazard assessment for the west coast (CDMP consultants Watson and Wagenseil), and to formulate design standards and review of Design Phase I report of LY&P (CDMP consultant Gibbs-CEP). Mr. Simon indicated that the Government of Dominica (GDOM) is highly dissatisfied with the lack of performance of the design consulting firm it has contracted for this project (LY&P), and is considering its options for continuing this work. GDOM will make a decision on the next steps in this project early in the next quarter. Mr. Simon also indicated that he is satisfied with the work carried out by the CDMP.
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 has begun the development of an atlas of 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 have been completed. CMI and CDMP will prepare draft maps for discussion at a national workshop in Antigua, to be held before the end of the year. In preparation for this national workshop, CDMP met with a wide range of government agencies and private organizations to solicit suggestions to be considered during development of the maps and the workshop program. Great interest in the results of this project was expressed during these meetings. The comments and suggestions were subsequently discussed with CMI and CDERA.
TAOS/L Model Development. A test version of the newest update to TAOS/L was released to CDMP at the end of this quarter. Minor problems were identified during testing and corrected. This updated version of the model will be installed at CMI early in the next quarter. Changes included in this update include a new 30 arcsecond-resolution topography/bathymetry database, enhancements requested by CMI and expanded options for exporting results to geographic information systems.
3.4.2 Preparedness and Mitigation Training
During this quarter, CDMP-supported hazard mitigation planning pilot projects began in St. Lucia and Jamaica. In St. Lucia, CDMP will support an October 26 national consultation on the national mitigation plan, which is currently under development. In Jamaica, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management began work 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 will assist 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
The Seismic Research Unit of UWI-St. Augustine completed draft maps of seismic iso-acceleration contours throughout the Caribbean. CDMP and an engineer with experience in addressing seismic hazards reviewed these maps. Comments from these reviews will be incorporated into the final maps
4. Community Disaster Preparedness
Training: The ADMD held two successful courses: 1) Emergency Preparedness In the Event of a Hurricane: 26 participants; 2) Hurricane Preparedness using the Caribbean Hotel Association’s Hurricanes Manual: 19 participants from the Playa Dorada Hotel Association. Both courses received a positive evaluation and generated RD$5,320 in income for the ADMD.
ADMD also sponsored a course to prepare 36 new facilitators for the Community Disaster Preparedness Workshops, program designed by the Red Cross. Among the organizations present were 9 PDA (Proyectos de Desarrollo de Area) affiliated to World Vision International as well as 12 NGOs from various regions nationwide.
Coordination and Communication: During this quarter, the ADMD received 445 minutes of free television time which was used to describe project activities and impact, the country’s natural hazards, and recommend preparatory and mitigative activities. Three articles featured in the Listín Diario highlighted ADMD activities regarding seismic risk and Hurricane Georges’ impact generated great interest. The radio stations also contributed generously by playing the ADMD’s radio spot on what to do before, during and after hurricanes as Hurricane Georges approached. Two interviews were held in Radio Continental and Radio Popular.
During this period also, a total of 43 presentations were given to 2,628 people representing businesses, schools, and communities nationwide. Five presentations were given to a total of 685 children attending summer camp. Two facilitator training workshops were held for 149 teachers.
Community Education: This period, the ADMD co-financed twenty seven (27) Community Disaster Preparedness Workshops in high risk communities. At least 810 adults received orientation as to what a disaster is, how to identify vulnerability, how to identify the community's human and material resources, and how to design a Community Emergency Plan. This program, "Es mejor prevenir", was originally designed by the Red Cross.
An impact survey was approved and carried out this period to determine the importance and direct impact of the Community Disaster Preparedness Workshops. A report will be available next quarter. In addition, positive feedback were received from the field after Hurricane Georges on the usefulness of the ADMD’s community disaster preparedness program and the Community Initiatives.
Information: The 12th Informative Bulletin reviewing project activities from July through September 1998 was delayed by the effects of Hurricane Georges and will be sent during October. The 13th edition will focus on the impact of the hurricane and the lessons learned.
The Compañía Nacional de Seguros aired its TV announcement this hurricane season to raise awareness regarding hurricane season and the potential impact of a hurricane in the typical Dominican family. The thirty second spot gives equal credit to the ADMD. Commercial rate advertising value of this campaign is worth at least RD$2,000,000 (approximately US$133,333).
Community Initiatives: The ADMD surveyed the focal points for the Community Initiatives to determine their effectiveness at withstanding Hurricane Georges which brought heavy rains and Category 3 winds to much of the island. The field reports to date indicate that the following sites performed well: La Unión, Los Alcarrizos; Lavador, Elías Piña; Villa Los Almácigos, Santiago Rodríguez; La Esperanza, Guerra; La Virgen, La Victoria; La Unión, La Victoria; Los Guandules; La Victoria; Miches, El Seybo; Barrio Nuevo, Vicente Noble; La Gallera, San Luis; Barrio Norte, Guaricano; and La Mina, Guaricano.
Prior to the hurricane, the Community Initiatives Facilitator analyzed and corrected 9 project proposals and traveled to supervise the 4 projects in process in Fondo Negro, Vicente Noble; Barrio Nuevo, Vicente Noble; Las Espinas-Los Ranchos, Hato Mayor del Rey; and Uvilla, Tamayo, and maintained contact with the various institutions involved with this activity.
During the period, three proposals for community initiatives were reviewed and approved by the community initiative team, and two containment wall/drainage embankment projects were completed and inaugurated in Vicente Noble: 300 meters in Fondo Negro and 400 meters in Barrio Nuevo.
See the Activities in the Dominican Republic section of the project web site for more information on this activity.
In July, the CDMP national coordinator organized a table top exercise "Guide de Simulacre de Desastres" for the members of the disaster management committee in Jacmel.
A hazard vulnerability study for Jeremie was completed during this quarter. A CDMP consultant and the national coordinator spent one week in Jeremie, held two meetings with the local committee, met with local authorities and communities, collected data, and visited vulnerable sites. The Jeremie representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Planning agreed to become members of the Jeremie committee. A report completed by the consultant provides the basis for action on the vulnerability study. Implementation will commence during the next quarter.
The national coordinator also held meeting with several international- and US-based NGOs about possible collaboration in disaster management. The DIPECHO informed the OAS office in Haiti that the proposal it submitted for strengthening of the CDMP activities in Haiti did not fit within the funding criteria for DIPECHO.
Hurricane Georges
The CDMP national coordinator participated in the meetings called by the Ministry of the Interior to coordinate the response to Georges. A key member of the Jacmel committee indicated that the training he received in the July tabletop exercise helped him substantially in his management of the emergency.
In response to the disaster, CDMP made available $2,500 for each of the three disaster management committees in Jacmel, Les Cayes and Jeremie. These funds were to be used in the purchase of tools, materials and equipment to help in the recovery effort. Following the impact of Georges, the CDMP national coordinator provided advice to the operations of the same three committees.
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
During this quarter, the ‘Structural Vulnerability and Loss Reduction Techniques’ section of the CHA Hurricane Procedures Manual was added to the Papers and Publications section of the CDMP web site. The material developed for this manual—including the CDMP structural vulnerability chapter—was used as the basis for hurricane preparedness workshops for hotels in Curacao and the Dominican Republic. CDMP’s translation of the Hurricane Procedures Manual into Spanish was completed during this quarter; this translation was used in the workshop in the Dominican Republic.
5.3 School/shelter Vulnerability Reduction in OECS
During this quarter, CDMP completed the vulnerability audits for the schools and shelters selected for inclusion in this project. Based on these audits, general guidelines for retrofit of these properties, terms of reference for engineers undertaking the retrofit work and a framework for estimating global retrofit costs were developed. These materials will be used at a final workshop for this activity, scheduled to be held in St. Kitts October 14-15, 1998.
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
In 1994, the CDMP and the World Bank provided assistance to the CARICOM Working Party on Insurance and Reinsurance in preparing a strategic plan for disaster loss reduction and improving risk management in the Caribbean, including the feasibility of establishing a regional reinsurance fund. Critical to determining the viability of such a fund is an understanding of the potential loss associated with a major natural hazard event in the region. To support this effort, the OAS and the World Bank are jointly carrying out a study to estimate the probable maximum losses in public infrastructure from a major hurricane event in the Eastern Caribbean. These estimates will focus on the countries of Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The scope of work for the study was finalized this quarter, and Professor Norris Stubbs, a world-renowned expert in the field of loss estimation was contracted as the lead investigator on this project. He is assisted by local engineers in each of the four target countries in the collection and analysis of the necessary field information. Included in the study of lifeline infrastructure elements are: electrical power generation facilities, airports, seaports, road networks, water and sanitation facilities, waste management sites, schools and hospitals.
The study will produce a comprehensive inventory of all facilities and structures; estimated replacement values; summary of potential retrofitting, protection, or reconstruction needs; and estimated loss potential associated with a maximum likely hurricane event. The resulting information can be used by the countries and the World Bank as a basis for preparing proposals for retrofitting/reconstruction investment projects. The study will be completed by the end of the last quarter of 1998.
Regional Forum on Building Codes and Economic Development
The CDMP was a co-sponsor of the Caribbean/Central American Forum on Building Codes and Economic Development, which was also sponsored by the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCS/BCS), the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Government of Puerto Rico, USAID and CDB. More than 140 participants from over 30 countries participated in this form. Interest among the participants was evidently boosted by the passage of hurricane Georges. The need for effective building codes was fully endorsed. The presentations were informative and demonstrated that the issues related to formulation of appropriate codes, enforcement, compliance and public education are common throughout the region. The working sessions offered an opportunity for in-depth discussions and produced suggestions for regional collaboration in the areas of code formulation and adoption; code enforcement, education and training; and disaster-resistant affordable housing.
The NCS/BCS will convene a meeting in the near future with all co-sponsoring agencies, to develop a joint program for implementation of the forum recommendations. The CDMP will be supporting several of the Caribbean-specific initiatives.
6.1 Hurricane-resistant Home Improvement Program
CDMP and CDB continued to discuss collaboration on CDB’s low-income housing loan programs throughout the region, with CDMP providing safer housing training and guidelines to support the CDB loan funding. These discussions began at the May CDMP TAC meeting. A strategy meeting between CDMP and CDB is planned in conjunction with the School/Shelter Vulnerability Reduction Workshop to be held next quarter in St. Kitts (see section 5.3 above).
St. Lucia
During 1998, CDMP is supporting NRDF in conducting seven community-based safer housing training programs throughout the country. To facilitate local participation, these workshops are held on weekends. Four of the workshops were completed during the first half of the year (Babonneau, Anse La Raye, Canaries and Choiseul) and the final three (La Pointe, Vieux Fort and Soufriere) are planned to be complete by early in the next quarter.
See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.
6.2 Building Code Administration
Responding to a request for assistance from the Government of Grenada, CDMP undertook a mission to Grenada during this quarter to develop a workplan for the adaptation of the OECS model building code for Grenada. This workplan was developed in conjunction with the government agencies responsible for building and construction. Comments by the Government of Grenada and regional experts in building codes have been incorporated into a final plan for development of a national building code. CDMP will begin implementation of this plan in the next quarter.
See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.
The CDMP participated in the launching of an incentive program whereby property owners receive discounts on their premiums after implementing certain prescribed measures that reduce the vulnerability of the property to wind hazard. The program, which was launched in St. Lucia on July 14, and in Antigua and Barbuda on July 16, is being promoted by United Insurance Company Ltd. of Barbados, a regional insurer with operations throughout the Eastern Caribbean. The incentive program was based on the recommendations made by the CDMP for the CARICOM Working Party on Insurance and Reinsurance in 1995.
As part of this initiative, United Insurance is making available to Caribbean property owners a guide to making homes hurricane resistant and a more technical manual for retrofitting of engineered structures. CDMP agreed to support local training and awareness programs that would familiarize homeowners with practical approaches to retrofitting their homes. Representatives of the building trade associations and the building finance community present at the launch called for the adoption of a national building codes as a mechanism to ensure safer construction and minimize losses from disasters.
See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.
8. Dominica Geographic Information System/Environmental Planning Project
A television outreach program covering the applications and benefits of appropriate development planning was completed during this quarter. 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—will be completed by the end of the year. Planning and coordination for these final activities was carried out during this quarter. Survey work and mapping of the Layou River landslide dam required significant amounts of time during this quarter. (See section 9 below.)
See the CDMP progress bulletins on the project web site for more information on this activity.
Hurricane Georges
Hurricane Georges passed through Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Haiti and the Dominican Republic 21–23 September 1998. In the next quarter, CDMP will review ongoing and planned activities in the region to support post-storm recovery and to assist with the incorporation of hazard-resistant approaches into rebuilding and recovery activities. 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 remained stable during this quarter. Based on the water levels of the past few months, the dam is not expected to be overtopped during 1998, although excessive rainfall in the upper watershed could change that prediction. Dredging of the lower river have reduced the level of the riverbed to pre-landslide levels above the Hillsborough Bridge and to 1.5m above pre-landslide levels from the bridge to the mouth of the river.
CDMP has continued its mapping work, in preparation of a dam-break flood analysis. A geomorphological assessment and map of the estimated extent of the landslide plug were completed in Dominica and forwarded to UWI St. Augustine. At UWI, digital elevation maps of the Layou river surrounding and downstream of the dam site were created for use in the flood modeling exercise.