Last updated: 08 October, 2008    

Disaster Mitigation in Asia
Issue No. 10 
31 January 2004

A. From the Region
B. Calls for Submission 
C. Conferences & Courses
D. Useful Resources

FROM THE REGION

ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) endorses priority programmes

The ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) was held from from 9 to 10 December 2003 in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. This was the first meeting of the ACDM and was attended by the delegates from all ASEAN member countries. The meeting discussed and adopted the policies, structure and mechanisms of ACDM; agreed on the 2004 Calendar of activities; and endorsed priority programmes. The revision of ACDM Terms of Reference was also formalized and adopted.

For for details, please visit ACDM website at <http://www.acdm.net/>.

World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18-22 January 2005

Organized by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and hosted by the Government of Japan, the conference will review the Yokohama Strategy and its Plan of Action; identify specific activities aimed at ensuring implementation of the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development on vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management; share best practices and lessons learned to further disaster reduction and identify gaps and challenges; increase awareness of the importance of disaster reduction policies; and increase the reliability and availability of appropriate disaster-related information to the public and disaster management agencies.

For more information, please visit <http://www.unisdr.org/>.

Development of a Hazard Mapping Tool

A German company called Geoka Institute for Geomorphologic Mapping is currently developing a mapping and analysis tool to reveal areas where natural hazards, mostly terrestrial mass movements, will happen if there is strong rainfall. The maps visualize potential risk areas and help to prevent or reduce potential damages. The tool is based on the analysis and interpretation of the variables that determine the surface of the earth: slope and form. In an effort to field test and validate this technology, the Geoka company is looking for institutions, counties, or states interested in having specific areas analyzed.

Any interested people, agencies, or institutions may contact David Din <david.din@eurodin.net>

or visit <http://www.geoka.com> for more information.

International Charter brings space agencies together to support humanitarian relief efforts around the world

An International Charter "Space and Major Disasters" was initiated to enable cooperation among space agencies to achieve a coordinated use of space facilities in the event of natural or technological disasters. The International Charter aims at providing a unified system of space data acquisition and delivery to those affected by natural or man-made disasters through authorized users. The European and French space agencies (ESA and CNES), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are among the active members of the Charter.

For more information, please visit the website at: <http://www.disasterscharter.org/main_e.html>

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