Open University of Mauritius

CEMBA [OUpm003]
CEMPA [OUpm004]
MBA GENERAL [OUpm005]
MBA SPECIALISATION [OUpm006]
MBA EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP [OUpm007]
EXAMINATIONS FOR: Nov/Dec 2020

MODULE: Disaster Management

[OUpm0032203/OUpm0042203/
OUpm0052203/OUpm0062203/Oupm0072203]

DATE: Thursday 19 November 2020

DURATION: 3 HOURS

READING TIME: 15 Minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1. This paper consists of Section A and B.
2. Section A is COMPULSORY.
3. Answer any TWO (2) questions from Section B.
4. Always start a new question on a fresh page.
5. Total marks 100.

This question paper contains 4 questions and 4 pages.

Page 1 of 4
 SECTION A

COMPULSORY
QUESTION 1 [40 MARKS]

Flash floods, mudslides kill 13 people in South Korea

Days of heavy rain trigger floods and mud slides, leaving 13 people dead and forcing
more than 1,000 from their homes. Flash floods and mud slides triggered by days of heavy
rains have killed at least 13 people and left 13 others missing in South Korea, according
to officials.

More than 1,000 people were also forced from their homes in the capital Seoul and the
surrounding provinces, the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters
said on Tuesday, warning of more severe weather in the coming days.

Six of the 13 victims died after a landslide buried temporary housing at a makeshift work
site on a mountainside in Geyonggi Province, according to Yonhap news agency.

The 13 missing included a 60-year-old man whose truck was swept away in a flash flood
in North Chungcheong province, the agency reported.

The flooding has inundated more than 5,751 hectares (14,211 acres) of farmland and
flooded parts of key highways and bridges in Seoul, Yonhap said, prompting the
government to mobilise more than 25,000 police officers and volunteers to tackle the
damage.

Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Paju in South Korea, said weather officials were
forecasting between 50-100 mm of rain for Tuesday.

“The interior of South Korea is very hilly, very mountainous, and since the weekend we’ve
had this torrential rain that have been causing flash floods and mud slides,” he said.

“Sadly, some of the people who’ve died or who are still missing have been caught in some
of those mud slides. It’s all made worse by the fact we have Typhoon Hagupit working its
way through China. It’s going to be downgraded to a tropical storm, but it is still feeding
moisture into this weather system that stubbornly remains straddled across the Korean
Peninsula.”

President Moon Jae-in was set to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday, after he had
urged national and regional authorities to “make all-out efforts to prevent further loss of
life” the previous day.

Work crews also returned to operation by Tuesday most of the flooded roads and bridges
along the Han River in central Seoul that had backed up traffic and damaged
infrastructure, Yonhap said.
Page 2 of 4
In neighbouring North Korea, state media warned of possible flooding, saying that some
areas were also experiencing heavy rainfall.

Citing unidentified South Korean government sources, Yonhap said North Korea opened
the floodgates of a border dam on Monday without advance notice to its neighbour.

(Adapted from: Al Jazeera, Aug 20)

Use the above case study to answer the following questions:

(a) The concept of Disaster Management Cycle (DMC) has entered disaster
management efforts over the past few years, especially since the Yokohama
Conference (1994).

With reference to the above case study, discuss two of the components of the
DMC which are as follows:

(i) Mitigation Phase

(ii) Preparedness Phase.

(15 Marks)

(b) People around the world recorded record-breaking devastation, much of it caused
by higher-than-usual temperatures on land and at sea. Climate experts say that in
a warming world, these fatal events will continue to worsen (Hilary Brueck, 2017).

Discuss the reasons for the increase in the number of disasters around the world.

(15 Marks)

(c) Referring to the above case study, explain how community participation is
important in planning for disasters. (10 Marks)

Page 3 of 4
 SECTION B
ANSWER ANY TWO (2) QUESTIONS

QUESTION 2 [30 MARKS]

Disaster recovery is a complex and challenging process that involves all sectors of a
community as well as outside interests. In many cases, it is not even clear if and when
recovery has been achieved because of varying stakeholder goals for the community, for
example with some wanting it returned to what is considered its pre-disaster status and
others wanting it to undergo change to realize a vision in which advances are made in
risk reduction and other areas (Anderson 2008).

Discuss five possible barriers and solutions that an emergency manager may face during
a recovery phase.

QUESTION 3 [30 MARKS]

According to UNISDR (2015), “The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-
2030 outlines seven clear targets and four priorities for action to prevent new and reduce
existing disaster risks”

Discuss the above statement in light of the seven clear targets and four priorities for
action.

QUESTION 4 [30 MARKS]

Effective emergency preparedness and disaster reduction requires the participation of
entire communities and all levels of Government.
Discuss the above statement.

Page 4 of 4