Roundtable:

ROLE OF MEDIA IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Mohammad Abdul Qayyum

(Additional Secretary)
National Project Director, CDMP II
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

COUNTRY PROFILE
Number 1 as most climate vulnerable nation
Number 5 in the world risk index 2012

DROUGHT - Affects about 8.3 million of land.

FLASH FLOOD - Unpredictable, uncertain.
FLOOD - Inundates more areas, increases river erosion, breaches
embankments, damages infrastructures.

SALINITY INTRUSION - Spreading intrusion from 1.5 to 2.5 Mha

(2007). Projected displacement: 6-8 m by 2050
CYCLONE - Remain to be the deadliest and most destructive
hazard. It has recurring events, lingering aftermath, complex
recovery.
AND
CLIMATE CHANGE HAZARDS, EARTHQUAKES, FIRE BREAKOUT,
INFRASTRUCTURE COLLAPSE ETC.

BANGLADESH SHIFTED THE PARADIGM FROM RESPONSE/RELIEF-ORIENTED

TO COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH AND RISK REDUCTION CULTURE SINCE MID 1980S

CAUSES OF HIGH VULNERABILITY

Population density
Poverty
Location (high exposure)
Development policy
Urban migration and unplanned urbanization
Weak warning system
Centralized Administrative Structure
Weak in risk governance
Climate change
Traditional and conventional hazards cyclone, flood
Emerging and complex hazards
o Salinity intrusion, urban fire, infrastructural collapse, constant
reminder earthquake

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

Bangladesh rivers receive runoff from a catchment of 1.72 million

sq-km, around 12 times its land area
Brahmaputra Basin
552,000 sq-km

CHINA
INDIA
Ganges Basin
1,087,000 sq-km

BHUTAN

INDIA

BANGLADESH
Meghna Basin
82,000 sqkm
BAY O F BE N GAL
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

Plate and fault in and around Bangladesh

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

HAZARDS
Geographical
factors
Deltaic low lands
(30% land only 1m
above sea level)

VULNERABILITIES
Type of hazard

Flood, tidal surge, salinity

intrusion, tsunami, sea
level rise (SLR)

Vast floodplains
and wetlands

Floods, siltation, drought,

flashflood, waterlogging,
pollution,

Network of 300
rivers

Flood, erosion, siltation,

arsenic, transport
accidents etc.

Fault lines and

trenches

Earthquake, landslides,
soil erosion,

Funnel-shaped
coastline

Cyclone, Storm/tidal
surge, tsunami. Local
tornado / norwester

Hot and humid

climate

drought, hailstorm, heavy

rain, malaria other
vectors, pest infestation.

Socio/economic
Vulnerability
factors
High & dense
Large number of casualties even in
population
localised events, limited adaptive
spatial options.
Massive &
Living in risk prone areas, inability
persistent
to absorb shocks
poverty
Low human
Lack risk knowledge, lack credible
resource
risk reduction / adaptive
capacities
innovations
Gender disparity Women who are more prone have
less control over reduction /
adaptive resources
4-6% yearly
Unplanned overcrowded cities, unurbanization
engineered structures,
70% agriProne to hydro meteorological
dependent
hazards, less control over assets

Gaps in
governance &
politics

Weak coordination, unpredictable

investment on reduction /
adaptation

DISASTER DAMAGE AND LOSS STATISTICS

Year 1971-2013
Dis. Type

No. of
occurrence

No. of
killed

Total affected

Total damage (in

thousand USD)

Drought

18

25,002,000

Earthquake (seismic activity)

36

19,125

500,000

Epidemic

29

10188

3,042,429

Extreme temperature

22

2440

414,200

Flood

79

41943

290,241,100

11,808,000

Industrial Accident

13

1676

1,357

Storm including Tropical Cyclone

132

174223

56,068,246

5,393,901

Transport Accident

153

12560

3,970

440

243,084

Total

17,701,901

DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN DEATH RATES, BUT MOUNTING ASSETS AND ECONOMIC LOSSES
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

PROBABLE EARTHQUAKE
CONSEQUENCES
Area

Prediction

Dhaka City Corporation Area/7.5 magnitude

An estimated 326,000 buildings, building
replacement value (excluding contents) of
16,740 millions of dollars.

An estimated 72,316
buildings will be damaged
beyond repair.

Chittagong City Corporation Area/8.5

magnitude
An estimated 182,000 buildings, building
replacement value of 3,378 millions of dollars.

There are an estimated

142,856 buildings that will
be damaged beyond repair.

Sylhet City Corporation Area/8.0 magnitude

An estimated 52,000 buildings in the area with
a total building replacement value of 926
millions of dollars.

There are an estimated

24,944 buildings that will
be damaged beyond repair.

Sources: CDMP (2009), Risk Assessment of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet City Corporation Area

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

MEDIA AND DISASTER

Media is for the society

Society needs information
Information is service and also rights
Government needs watchdog

Timely, accurate and sensitive communications are costeffective means of saving lives, reducing property damage,
and increasing public understanding.
Such communications can educate, warn, inform and
empower people to take practical steps to protect
themselves from natural hazards.
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

Early Warning / Evacuation

KEY
Normal
Development Growth
MAJOR DISASTER EVENT
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
RECOVERY

Re-establishment of Sustainable Livelihoods

Search and rescue

Burying the death

Restoration of Infrastructural Services

Re-establish Logistical Routes/

Clearing Rubble

Temporary Accommodation and Repair/Rebuilding of Houses

Management, Coordination
& Information Sharing

Management, Coordination & Information Sharing

Provision of Humanitarian
Assistance

DISASTER RISK
REDUCTION (DRR)

Provision of Targeted
Early Recovery Assistance

Initial Damage &

Needs Assessment

Detailed Damage &

Needs Assessment

Psychosocial Support and Community Health & Well-Being Recovery

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

TALKING POINTS

Hazards are on the rise and will continue to make news

DRM is a socio-political issue
DRM is an economic issue
DRM is a human right issue
DRM is an environmental issue
DRM is a cultural issue
DRM is a gender issue
DRM provides good investigative and in-depth stories
DRM is NOT only a disaster story
DRM is everybodys business

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)

Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

For more information contact:

Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Disaster Management & Relief Bhaban (6th Floor)
92-93 Mohakhali C/A, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh, Tel: (+88 02) 989 0937, 882 1255
Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP II)
Ministry of Disaster Management & Relief

Website: www.cdmp.org.bd

Photo: Otin Dewan/CDMP

Thank you