Disaster Management in Lao PDR

By: Ms. Bouasy Thammasack

NDMO Lao PDR

1
 Overview
1. Country Profile
2. Hazards and Disasters
3. National Disaster Management
Framework
4. Programs and activities on DRM
5. Conclusion
• Additional
1. Country Profile

3
„ Population of 5,6 (2005 est)
„ Capital City – Vientiane
„ Land area of 236,800 sq. km.
„ Covered by forest 46%
„ Mountainous 70 %
Two Seasons: (Dry and Rainy)
* Dry: Mid October to Mid April with low
humidity and temperature (Northeast Monsoon
Effect).
* Rainy: Mid May to Mid October with heavy
rainfall and high humidity (Southwest monsoon).
* Annual rainfall ranges from 1,400 – 3,500 mm.
2. Hazards and Disaster in Laos

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2. Hazards and Disaster in Lao PDR
Natural Disaster:

Flood ( river flood and flash flood)

Drought
Epidemic (human and animal Disease),
including Birth flu
Pest
Earthquake Windstorm
Landslide

Man-made
UXO
Fire
Road Accidents
Severe flooding has occurred in 1966, 1976, 1978, 1995, 1996
and 2000.

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 Flood 2005: Map of planted areas
damaged by flood 2005
- Provinces affected 16
- Districts affected 84
- Villages affected 2510
- Families affected 85,530
- People affected 480,913
- Ha of rice damaged
55,955
- 5 people dead
- Total estimated cost of flood
damages around
- 18 ,314,000 US$

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Flood 2005

9
Flood 2005

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 Strong wind ( Lom bamu )

19:25, date 10/5/2006, strong wind around 108

km/h. Destroy houses. 11
 Flash flood from heavy rain at 13 :00 Œ
15:00 PM

Flash flood at Numghan village, LuangNamtha Province on

7/8/2006 ( 5 districts and 132 Villages affected ) 12
Police evacuated people to the high ground

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The need to recovery and
Rehabilitation

14
 Flood from strong wind ( Sangxa )
Attapue province

Flood caused to houses damages in 1 October 15

 3. National Disaster
Management Framework in Laos

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 3. National Disaster Management
Framework in Lao PDR
„ Legal Framework

„ National Disaster Management Committee

„ National Disaster Management Office

„ Provincial Disaster Management Committee

„ District Disaster Management Committee

„ Focal point at all levels

„ Strategic Plan on Disaster Risk Management

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 National Disaster Management Committee
„ The NDMC consisting of representative from 13 key ministries:

1. Minister of Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare Chairman.

2. Vice – Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Vice – Chairman
3. Chief of Cabinet Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vice – Chairman
4. Chief of Cabinet Ministry of Defense Member
5. Chief of Cabinet Ministry of Interior Member
6. Chief of Cabinet Ministry of Education Member
7. Director of Budget Department, Ministry of Finance Member
8. Director of Transportation Department, Ministry of
Communication, Transport, Post and Construction Member
9. Director of Industry Department, Ministry of Industry
and Handicrafts Member
10. Director of Hygiene Department, Ministry of Health Member
11. Director of Mass Media Department, Ministry of
Information and Culture Member
12. Director of Social Welfare Department, Ministry of Labour
and Social Welfare Member
13. Chairman of Lao Red Cross Member

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 Organization Chart for Disaster Management in Lao PDR

Vice
Vice Prime
Prime
Minister’s
Minister’s Office
Office

National Disaster Management

Committee (NDMC) Ministry of Labour and
Social Welfare (MLSW)
Ministry Focal
Points (MFP) National Disaster
Management Office
Provincial Focal (NDMO)
Points in Unit Provincial Disaster
(PFPU) Management Ministry Focal Points in Unit (FPU)
Committee (PDMC) - Road accident
- Fire Brigade
District Focal District Disaster - Flood & drought Protection
Points in Unit Management -Lao Red Cross
(DFPU) Committee (DDMC) -- Meteorological department

Village Disaster
Protection Unit
(VDPU)
Legend
Belonging line
Coordination line

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NDMO role and responsibilities are:
„ A. Taking care about coordination and cooperation
disaster management activities within country and
outsider:
„ Providing expert advice to the NDMC.
„ Promoting coordination with ministerial focal points and with
partners.
„ Promoting disaster mitigation and preparedness activities at the
local level.
„ Implementing community awareness activities (including of
projects).
„ Providing training, guidelines and plans to make disaster risk
management more effective.
„ Establishing disaster management implementation teams at the
national, provincial and district level.

„ B. In order to carry out these responsibilities, the NDMO

has four functional units:
„ Relief
„ Disaster Management Planning
„ Information and Dissemination
„ Training 20
„ C. Each unit is under the leadership of a Unit
Manager. Currently about 9 staff are employed
at the NDMO.

„ Beside coordinating disaster risk management

activities within the government sector, the NDMO is
an implementing partner of the World Food
Programme (WFP) and a number of disaster
preparedness, prevention and mitigation projects of
International and Non-Government Organizations
such as Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC),
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Care
International Laos, Concern World Wide Laos, World
Vision Laos.

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 Policy-Strategy Aims:
„ 1.1 Safeguard sustainable development and reduce the
damage of natural or manmade disasters to community,
society and country economy.
„ 1.2 Shift strategy from relief and mitigation after
disaster impact to community, society and economy of
government organizations to preparedness before
disaster strike emphasizing on flood, drought, landslide
and fire parallel with continuing mitigate in post disaster
period.
„ 1.3 Turn from responsibility of only government
agency to people centered in dealing with disaster by
building capability for community
„ 1.4 Promote forever protection of the environment
and country rich such as: forest, land and water.
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4. Programs and Activities on
DRM in Laos

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4. Programs and Activities on DRM
in Lao PDR
„ In implementing National Strategy, NDMO has
initiated, persuaded, convinced and helped to
insert and integrate DM concept and main ideas
into sector’s works and projects
„ Building strong Network with country’s
stakeholders and partners
„ Actively participated in ASEAN activity, regional
and international activities on DM
„ Working very closely with UN Agencies,
InterNGOs, NGOs and others…..

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 Capacity Building - Training
Training Courses:
• Disaster Risk Management for
PDMC, DDMC, Media, Army,
Police, School Teachers,
Women Unions, Education
Senior Officials.
• ToT Training on CBDM for
PDMC and DDMC.
• Community Based on DRM
for DDMC and VDPU.
• Planning and Implementation
of Flood Preparedness Programs
at Provincial and District
Levels.
 CBDM Projects - Project Cooperation with WVL
„ To enhanced capabilities of local
DMC and communities on DRM
„ Reduced community vulnerabilities.
„ Structures and capacity in place -DDMC
and VDPU to prepared for, and response
to the natural disasters.
„ Increased awareness of the target
population, in particular the most
vulnerable groups - particularly women
and children about disaster risk
management.
„ Increased household food security of
families in the 35 target communities,
with better/ more coping mechanisms in
place through increased options in
agriculture and income-generating
activities.
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 Remote Areas Disaster Preparedness
and Response Project - NDMO & CARE

„ To reduce the disaster risk

of the communities in the
Mountainous and remote
areas.
„ Enhanced capacity of local
DM and communities on
DRM
„ Promotion of livelihood
activities.

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 Disaster Risk Reduction Projects
NDMO - Oxfam Australia
„ To gradually reduce vulnerability of
poor women and men to natural and
man-made disasters through
community-based approaches to
disaster management
„ Key risks and coping mechanisms
specific to village and district identified
in 30 villages
„ 30 DMCs at village, 1 DMC at district
and 1 DMC at provincial level
strengthened and delivering effective
DM services to and within the target
communities
„ Risk mitigation strategies implemented
by local bodies in 30 target villages
„ Local capacity to develop and manage
DM activities is strengthened at OAus,
village, district and provincial
government levels
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 Public Awareness and Education
Teaching on DM in primary school

„ Organized ASEAN Day and

International Days on DRR
(second week of October).
„ Integrate DRM into school
curriculum.
„ Work closely with Media:
Lao National Radio and TV,
etc. Art competition for road and fire accident
„ Print posters, brochures reduction

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The Celebration of World and Asian
Disaster Reduction Day on
10/10/2007.
( in Laos ).

All Ministries, Embassies, UN

Systems, NGOs, Private sectors
and the residents of Vientiane
Capital.
 Up Coming Projects
„ LANGOCA PROGRAMS: SCA, ADPC, WVL
and Oxfam Aus:
„ SIHMP - Sayaboury Integrated Hazard Management Program
(Long Term)
„ TDRA - Tools for District Risk Assessment (Short Term)DREC
„ - Disaster Risk Education for Children (Short Term)
„ CBDRR project.
„ Remote Areas Disaster Risk Reduction Project.

„ MRC-ADPC-NDMO:
„ Flood Preparedness Response.

„ NDMO-MoE-ADPC:
„ DRM into school curriculum

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 Conclusion
„ Disaster Risk Reduction is essential and priorities to the
national development plans and programs.
„ Current systems and initiatives on DRM need to be enhanced
and strengthened.
„ Building community disaster preparedness and response
capacity are particularly important.
„ Government and non-government alike work together with clear
goals, roles and designated responsibilities.
„ Partnerships and linkages with the international community should
be pursued to ensure a rapid and substantive response in the event
of a major disaster that overwhelms Lao PDR’ capacity.
„ Training is an important aspect of disaster preparedness; as such it
should be carried out at every level in a coordinated, standardized
and consolidated manner, utilizing the considerable experience and
expertise readily available in-country.
„ Strategies prioritizing the acquisition and upgrading of current
equipment will need to be developed.

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 My responsibility
„ Information Unit.
„ International focal point for ADRC, ADPC, JAXA
„ Project Coordinator with NGOs in Laos :
-Save Children Australia.( CBDM )

„ Assist Training Unit to organize DRR training at

all level.
( Develop material on DM, CBDM manual, PRA
tool)

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 My perspective to be here

„ Learning how to use Satellite data for

disaster management in Laos.

„ Learning how to request ALOS

observation in case of emergency
occur.

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 Future plan by using satellite data
„ Capacity building on How to request ALOS
observation, Remote Sensing and GIS ( for
NDMO staffs )
„ Coordinate closely with Water Resource and
Environment Agency for using satellite data on
Disaster Management.
„ Leaning and Using satellite data for DPP (making
Hazard Mapping in disaster prone area and
education and awareness in school )

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Thank you very much
Luang Prabang from Phu Si

For your attention

The Royal Palace from Phu Si 36