Disaster Risk in the Caribbean Region and Cooperation of JICA for

Disaster Risk Reduction

Hidetomi Oi

Global Environment Department JICA

Summary

Risk and Vulnerability• Caribbean region is one of regions most seriously affected by disasters in the world.

The risk is high particularly for weather related disasters (hurricane, floods, landslides).• The region is vulnerable due to (1) fragile economy depending on mono-culture and

tourism, both being susceptible to weather related disasters accordingly to climate change, and (2) small size of land. A single disaster may affect the entire state.

• However the seriousness is not well known in the world because the damage in absolute terms is not large in small islands states.

Impact of Climate Change• As a result of climate change, The number of heavy precipitation events and

intensity/duration of tropical storms will increase.• Therefore the risk for weather related disasters will become even higher as the climate

change continues.

JICA project for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)• Community disaster management (DM) will be an effective approach for DRR in the

region where a number of communities are in at-risk areas, while governments are still in the process of capacity development for DRR. JICA project “Caribbean Disaster Management Project (CADM)” focuses on community DM.

• “Regional Partnership” being established by CADM is a unique scheme for sustainable and self-reliant implementation of community DM, which will be applicable to other SIDS regions.

Risk and Vulnerability Caribbean Region is one of disaster hot spots in the world.

Natural Disaster

0.019

0.012

0.000

0.010

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

Caribbean World

Dea

ths /

Pop

ulat

ion

(%)

Caribbean

World

Natural Disaster

0.018

0.003

0.000

0.010

0.020

0.030

0.040

0.050

Caribbean World

Dea

ths /

Pop

ulat

ion

(%)

Caribbean

World

All types of disasters

Weather-related disasters

Natural Disaster

7,761

838,905

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

1,000,000

Caribbean World

Num

ber o

f dea

ths

Caribbean

World

Natural Disaster

7,688

235,030

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

1,000,000

Caribbean World

Num

ber o

f dea

ths

Caribbean

World

Risk and VulnerabilityNumber of victims of the Caribbean region is less than that of the whole world in absolute terms but higher in relative terms, particularly for weather related disasters.

Num

ber of the dead

Dead/Population (%

)

Risk and VulnerabilityRisk is high for Hurricanes. Hurricanes frequently pass through the Caribbean sea affecting SIDS one by one with multiple impacts: strong winds, torrential rains leading to flooding and landslides, high waves and storm surges leading to extensive coastal flooding.

Source : USA National Hurricane CenterHurricane tracks (2008) Damage by Ivan

(Grenada)

Risk and Vulnerability

Risk is high for flash floods and landslides (including debris flows) in small islands of volcanic origin. They are caused by localized heavy rainfall over small and steep river catchments.

Jamaica (2009) Barbados (2004)

Risk and Vulnerability

A single disaster may affect nearly whole population.

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

Population

Affected

Antigua & Barbuda

Hurricane

1995

Grenada

Hurricane

2004

St Lucia

Hurricane

1980

Dominica

Hurricane

1979

British Virgin Is.

Hurricane

1989

Source: Population : Data Book of the World(2006) (2001 base)

Number of Affected : EM DAT

Risk and VulnerabilityFragile economy : A single disaster may cause damage

of the order of GDP or more.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Cayman Is Grnada Guyana Belize

Damage

GDP

Mil US$

Hurricane Hurricane Floods Storm 2004 2004 2005 2000

Impact of Climate Change

Climate Change

Increase in extreme precipitation

Precipitation over small steep rivers

Intensification of flash floods, landslides

Increase in intensity/duration of hurricanes

Intensification of winds, torrential rains leading to floods/landslides, storm surge leading to coastal floods

1

4

1

2 2

0

4

2

0

2

1

2

7

5

1

2

0 0 0

1

2 2

3

8

5 5

2

4

5

1

4

0

3

0

5

10

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

1976～1986 1987～19971998～2008

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

×1.5Average3.5 days

1901～19301978～2007

Incidence of daily rainfall over 200mm per yearAverage

5.1 days

（year ）

（N

umber of incidence ）

Incidence of hourly rainfall over 100mm per year（N

umber of incidence ）

Average1.7 days

Average2.0 days

Average3.6 days

× 2.0

Source: JMA

Source: JMA

Impact of Climate Change

Increase in extreme precipitation events (Japan)

Caribbean Disaster Management Project (CADM) Phase 1 (2002-2005) Phase 2 (2009-2011)

Objective• To promote Community DM project under the partnership of

CDEMA, regional organizations and member states.

Activities• Flood risk mapping, establishing flood early warning system

and community disaster management planning for pilot communities under partnership of CDEMA, Regional Team (RT) and National Teams (NTs).

• Pilot communities: one each for eight countries (Barbados, SVG, TT, Belize, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Guyana)

• RT : University of West Indies, University of Guyana, and Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology

• NT : Government organizations, NGOs and communities.

Pilot communities (Phase 1)

Mesopotamia (St.Vincent & Grenadines)

San Juan ( Trinidad and Tobago)

Speighhtstown (Barbados)

CADM Project

Ｂｅｌｉｚｅ

R.

Ｂｅｌｉｚｅ Dominica

Saint Lucia

GrenadaGuyana

Roseau R.

Great R. Mahaica

R.Bois d’Orange

R.

Pilot communities (Phase 2)

Bath Estate

MahaicaBathazarCorinthe

Crooked Tree

CADM Project

Target communities

CADM Project

Speightstown

Bath Estate

Crooked Tree

Mahaica

San Juan

Corinthe

Bathhazar

Pilot communities and river catchment In small rivers, floods reach target communities within 0.5-1.0 hour after rainfall.

Country Community River Catchment area (㎢)

Barbados Speightstown Speightstown 8

St Vincent & Grenadines

Mesopotamia Zenga 9

Trinidad & Tobago

San Juan San Juan 67

Belize Crooked Tree Crooked Tree 8,609

Dominica Bath Estate Roseau 33

St. Lucia Corinthe Bois d’Orange 10

Grenada Bathazar Great 46Guyana Baiboo/Mahaica Mahaica 1,453

CADM Project

CADM Project Partnership of Regional and National Organizations

CDEMA • Coordination Mr. Jeremy Collymore

UWI (TT) • GIS• Flood Analysis

Dr. Jacob OpadyDr. Vincent Cooper

UWI (Jamaica)

• Community DM Dr. Balfour Spence

CIMH • Flood Analysis• Hydrological

Observation

Mr. Kailas NarayanMr. Shawn BoyceMs. Cherie Pounder

Univ. of Guyana

•Community DM Dr. Paulet Bonoe

National Organizations

NEMO(SVG), DEM(Barbados), ODPM(TT),NEMO(Belize), ODM(Dominica), NEMO(St. Lucia), NaDMA(GRENADA), CDC(Guyana)

CADM project (2002-2005, 2009-2011)

BarbadosSt Vincent & Grenadines

Trinidad &Tobago

CDEMARegional Team

UWI, CIMH, Univ. of Guyana

Regional Team

Community DM project will be expanded to other communities with the initiative of NT (existing) in cooperation with RT.

NTs of Pilot States (8)

JICA

National Teams of Pilot States (8)

BelizeDominicaSt LuciaGrenadaGuyana

CDEMA

NTs of other states (10)Community DM project will be initiated and implemented with the initiative of NT (newly organized) in cooperation with RT.

Post CADM (2012-)

CADM Project

Community DM will be implemented for all communities in flood risk areas under the regional partnership self-reliantly without resorting to external assistance.

CADM ProjectFlood hazard map for 100 years return period flood (Speightstown, Barbados)

Evacuation route

Shelter (school)

Inundation area

Evacuation route

Shelter (school)

CADM ProjectCommunity operated early warning is essential for communities which are located in areas at risk of flash floods and landslides. Hydrological equipment suitable for community early warning have been developed (as seen below) and are being disseminated to communities within the Caribbean and other regions.

The observer and the rainfall equipment installed in his house, Speightstown, Barbados

Dr. Opadeyi assembling equipment in workshop, UWI/TT

The advantages : (1) cheep in cost (2) easy for assembly, operation and maintenance (3) safe observation in the house (4) Short, heavy rainfall even in the mid-night will be measured without fail due to the alarm device.

Development of environment friendly technology

River bank protection using waste tires developed by Min. of Public Works of TT .

END