Draft Report
ACHIEVEMENT REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER
MANAGEMENT, (JULY – DECEMBER 2012)
As requested by the Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs vide
letter No. CHA/PPD(M-07)/2012/236 dated 23 January 2013, achievement of the activities
implemented by the Department of Disaster Management during the period July-December 2012
is reported as here under for onward submission to the Government.
1.
PREPARATION AND MITIGATION DIVISION
a) Vulnerability Assessment Checklists for critical buildings such as schools and health
facilities
The DDM, along with relevant focal agencies of the government, technical expertise from
GeoHazards International (GHI) and with financial support from GFDRR project for “Building
Bhutanese Capacities for Seismic Resilience” has formulated Vulnerability Assessment
Checklists for critical buildings such as schools and health facilities and trained more than 70
engineers (national and local levels) during the period.
b) Development of National Action Plan for School and Hospital Safety
Health, School and their facilities are the most vulnerable areas in the times of disasters. The
ability to keep the hospitals, schools and their facilities functional and safe during disasters is
crucial to ensure important emergency and services to people when they need it the most.
The DDM in collaboration with the GHI has formulated the long term National Action Plan
(NAP) for School and Hospital/BHU safety. The plans are being formulated by the health and
school working groups respectively, with a long term (10 years +) vision and with mitigation and
preparedness
activities
covering
structural
and
non-structural
measures.
Immediate
recommendations from the action planning process has been presented to the two parent
Ministries – Health and Education, most of which have already been incorporated in the 11th
FYP. The National Action Plan was also handed over to the concerned ministries.
c) Community Based Disaster Risk Management Training of Trainers program
The community based approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction recognizes the fact that in the
immediate aftermath of a Disaster, the first response always comes from the community itself.
1
Draft Report
Community – Based DRR seeks ways to help amongst communities effectively by using local
resources and capacities to better prepare for Disasters, and to adapt measures to reduce their
vulnerability.
The Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) training provides practical tools
for design and implementation of program for reducing disaster risks and vulnerabilities and
build community capacity to promote a culture of safety. It enhances adaptive capacity to and
creates awareness in reducing disaster risks in Bhutan. With the CBDRM training, communities
understand the disaster risk management framework and basic concepts related to disasters. The
CBDRM also helps to identify and make proper and effective Dzongkhag Disaster Management
Plans, which ultimately addresses the disaster risks in the communities. The CBDRM ToT for
Zhemgang Dzongkhag was conducted with the financial and technical support of IFRC. For the
Chiwog level, CBDRM planning was conducted for 105 Chiowgs of Bumthang, Punakha and
Wangdue Phodrang through Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment and Mapping under
GLOF project.
d) Workshop on Disaster Preparedness and Response for Safe School/Safe School
Initiative/Program and conduct of Mock Drills
The school children are most vulnerable to the effect of disaster. In order to address this issue,
the DDM carried out series of activities to educate and raise awareness on disaster risk reduction
in schools. The “Workshop on Disaster Preparedness and Response for Safe School” aimed
at building capacity of teachers on broad aspects of preparedness planning and testing of
preparedness through evacuation drills was conducted in several dzongkhags.
The workshop includes basic training on first aid and fire safety, identification of safe
evacuation routes and helped to draw an evacuation plans based on existing hazards and
vulnerabilities concerning school structures, non-structural mitigation techniques, continuing
school education (education in emergencies) and disaster risk reduction concept in general.
The ToT for Safe School Initiative Program/Workshop on Disaster Preparedness and Response
for Safe School, along with mock drill on earthquake was conducted for schools under Wangdue
Dzongkhag and trained around 65 principals and teachers. Similar training was also conducted
for schools under Trongsa, Dagana and Mongar Dzongkhags in collaboration with Department
2
Draft Report
of School Education under Ministry of Education. More than 200 Principals/Viceprincipals/School teachers, DEOs ADEOs and Teachers were trained under the program. One of
the impacts of the training program was that these participants came out with school disaster
management plans (SDMP), which is important and useful to the respective school to prepare
and plan for the disasters.
e) Disaster Preparedness and Sensitization Training Program on Dzong Fire Safety.
Following the devastating fire on Wangduephodrang Dzong, risk of similar fire accidents exists
in all other Dzongs, Monasteries and Lhakhangs. The urgency to enhance the disaster response
and preparedness capacities for those structures have been recognized. For this, DDM initiated
and implemented sensitization program with the following objectives;
I.
To bring together participants from various Lhakhangs & Goendeys in the Dzongkhag to
discuss the existing threats and reduce disaster risk particularly related to fire.
II.
To form Dzong/Lhakhang & Goendey Fire Safety Committees with specific Roles and
Responsibilities (of the Committees)
III.
To operate fire extinguishers and other firefighting equipment.
IV.
To understand Do’s and Don’ts during fire incidents.
V.
To familiarize the participants on the importance of the Evacuation Plan and come up
with concerned Dzong, Lhakhang & Goendeys Evacuation Plans/Contingency Plan.
So far, this sensitization training program was conducted in four Dzongkhags of Paro,
Bumthang, Gasa and Trongsa Dzongkhags and around 220 Dzongkhag Officials, Lopons and
Gelongs of Rabdey and representatives from other Religious Institutions have attended the
training.
f) Public awareness program on the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risk and on
automatic GLOF Early Warning System (EWS) in Lunana
During the perioid, DDM conducted awareness program on the impending disaster risks from
GLOF for communities of Lunana and on automatic GLOF EWS. More than 141 people from 4
villages of Lunana (i.e. Thanza, Tenchey, Tshoju and Lhedhi), Lunana Community Primary
School and Tshoju ECR attended the awareness campaign.
3
Draft Report
The objective of the awareness program was to sensitize and orient communities in the area and
other stakeholders on the impending disaster risks, in particular from GLOF and made them
aware to the following;

Understanding of overall disaster management system in the country and threat posed by
various disaster hazards and its safety measures;

Establishment of an appropriate community based early warning and information
dissemination system amongst the vulnerable communities in Lunana area (Thanza,
Tenchey, Tshojo, Lhedhi and Threga Wache villages);

Form a Community based EWS team and Disaster Management Committee to provide
effective response during the disasters within the community
g) Mock drill on Glacial lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Evacuation drill
Under the project “Reducing Climate Change Induced Risks and Vulnerabilities from Glacial
Lake Outburst Floods in Punakha-Wangdue and Chamkhar Valleys”, (Mock drill on GLOF
EWS), the DDM in collaboration with the Department of Hydro-met Services (DHMS),
Dzongkhag and Gewog Administrations conducted the GLOF Evacuation mock drills by
activating sirens (for Early Warning) installed in different vulnerable communities along the
Punatsangchu Valley.
The GLoF evacuation mock drills was conducted to ensure fast, organized and smooth
evacuation during emergencies and also to test the functionality and effectiveness of GLOF EWS
that were installed in the valley. People from the vulnerable communities including school
teachers, students, monks from Punakha Dzong and Shedra, government officials from the
Dzongkhag and local functionaries also took part in drill on GLOF EWS.
h) Observation of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
The DDM in collaboration with relevant stakeholders had observed the International Day for
Disaster Risk Reduction since 2008, as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster
reduction initiatives concentrating on disaster awareness, prevention, mitigation and
preparedness.
4
Draft Report
The Day is normally celebrated with awareness and education program for public and schools on
related disaster risks in the country. For the 2012 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
(IDDRR), the Day was observed at Damphu Higher Secondary School under Tsirang Dzongkhag
with participation of teachers and students representatives of the 9 Schools in Tsirang.
1. Japan Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Support for the proposal
on “ Improving Resilience to Seismic Risk in Bhutan”
The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) through Department of Public Accounts
(DPA) under Ministry of Finance and the World Bank obtained US$1,285,500 grant under the
Japan Policy and Human Resource Development (PHRD) TA Grant to support the project on
“Improving Resilience to Seismic Risk” in Bhutan. The project’s goal is to improve Bhutan’s
resilience to seismic risk aimed at 1) improving the understanding of earthquake hazard in the
country; 2) strengthening the capacity to carry out vulnerability assessment of critical buildings
and infrastructure; and 3) enhanced capacities to built / repair or retrofit important buildings.
The project will be implemented by the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) in
collaboration with the Department of Geology & Mines (DGM), Department of Engineering
Services (DES) and Department of Culture (DoC).
2. RESPONSE AND RELIEF DIVISION
a) Revision of National Disaster Risk Management Framework (NDRMF), 2006
The NDRMF, 2006 has served as the key policy document in preparedness, mitigation and
response activities in areas of disaster management. However, with changing policies and needs
as well as with the adoption of the Disaster Management Bill, it was important and necessary to
revise the NDRMF document to align with the provisions of the DM Bill and incorporate other
important policy issues. The new institutional re-structuring within the government and
experiences of the recent past disasters also demands to incorporate changing priorities in the
document. Further, the DDM upgraded into Department in 2008 with bigger roles and
responsibility to implement disaster management activities more effectively and efficiently.
5
Draft Report
Accordingly, with the support of the UNDP Office, NDRMF document has been revised. A
Taskforce, with members from different ministries and agencies was formed to provide input to
the revision of the document. The consultative workshop was conducted in October 2012
amongst the Taskforce members to review and validate the document and final revised draft
document was shared for further comments. While not many of members had comments, some
officials from UNDP provided their final thoughts, for which consultant had been requested to
revisit the documents. The document is expected to finalize soon.
b) All Hazards Incident Management and Facilitative Training
In continuation to previous trainings related incident command system (ICS), all hazards
Incident Management Team for disaster management and facilitative instructor training was held
in November 2012, in collaboration with the US Department of Forest Service and Bhutan
Foundation. The training was conducted with technical expertise from the United States
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and financial support from the US Agency for
International Development/Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance.
The training was attended by disaster management focal persons from all 20 Dzongkhags,
officials from relevant stakeholders and members of NaSART. The programme focused on
operation of functions of disaster management teams in keeping the principles of ICS to manage
emergency incidents. The training provided an opportunity to learn/experience on how to
function disaster management in a team as well as under different command and general staff
position. It ensures efficient and effective use of resources, maintain communications and
operate safely to respond to the needs of citizens during disasters.
The second week of the training designed to trained participants to be effective facilitative
instructors so that can be a good ToT in the dzongkhags.
c) Training on SAR for the NaSART
In order to develop the capacity and skills of the National Search and Rescue Team (NaSART),
the Road Traffic Accident (RTA) and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) training was conducted
during the first week of the January 2013, with the technical backstopping by the Falck-Nutec, a
SAR firm from the Netherlands. The main purpose of the training was to build the capacity of
NaSART members and make disaster response more effective. The NaSART being the multi-
6
Draft Report
sectoral team will focus on rapid response during major disasters and also as act as master
trainers for Local SAR Teams.
The training was supported through the GFDRR/World Bank, in coordination with the FalckNutec of the Netherlands.
d) Training on Bhutan Disaster Assessment Tools and Mechanisms Training
With the financial support from UNCEF, the DDM conducted trainings on Disaster Assessment
Tools and Mechanisms in four regions (Paro, Samdrup Jongkhar, Bumthang and Phuntsholing),
covering all 20 dzongkhags. While Bhutan experienced several disasters in the past, the Standard
Assessment Tools and Standard Operating Procedures were lacking. The disaster reports were
sent in different formats: inconsistent, incompatible and difficult to interpret and analyze, thus
leading to delays in carrying out effective Response and Relief Operations in the affected
Dzongkhags.
In order to overcome above difficulties, the BDA tools and mechanism system had been created
and put in place, which is a standard tool for carrying out assessments after disasters across all
Dzongkhags. The training enabled Dzongkhags disaster focal persons to build their capacity on
how to use the Bhutan Disaster Assessment Tools to assess the needs of the people at the time of
emergencies/disasters.
3.
RECOVERY AND RE-CONSTRUCTION DIVISION
a) Training on Good Construction Practices
In the aftermath of 18th September 2011 Earthquake, the Recovery and Reconstruction Division,
Department of Disaster Management conducted the Good Construction Training in four hardest
hit Dzongkhags (Haa, Chhukha, Paro and Samtse). The Training was conducted with support
from the UNDP under Build Back Better Project. The primary objective of the training was to
build and strength the capacity of Districts Engineers and local Artisans in disaster resilient
techniques, especially building back the damaged infrastructures incorporating disaster resilient
components. In total, 70 District Engineers, 144 local Artisans and 182 homeowners were trained
and sensitized on the good construction practices.
7
Draft Report
The training has helped the District engineers to reconfirm the Principles of “Good Construction
Practices” at Dzongkhag and Gewog level constructions and monitor the future reconstruction in
line with guideline provided during training.
Similarly, local artisans also gain knowledge to incorporate the disaster resilient component in
rebuilding the damaged houses in their locality. The homeowners were made to understand the
basic critical aspects of good construction practices and equip them with enough knowledge and
capacity for inspection and monitoring during re-construction of their houses.
b) Finalization of Damage Categorization Format for earthquake.
The Standard Damage Categorization Format for earthquake was finalized after a two day
consultative workshop conducted among the districts Engineers, DM focal persons and other
relevant officials. It enabled the participants to reflect and based on the past devastating
earthquakes which demanded such important tool for immediate and faster damage
categorization.
The format is user friendly and can be used by even non-technical people in the field. As desired
this format would definitely accelerate damage assessment and categorization after disaster.
Further, the format has been adopted to ensure fair and just assessment of the damages,
unhindered relief operations and for smooth recovery support.
8