Technical Services
Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and Recovery

Introduction

ADPC's technical assistance on post-disaster damage, loss and needs assessment and recovery planning forms a key component of its mission to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia-Pacific region by working with governments, development partners and key stakeholders.

Since the devastating earthquake in Gujarat, India in 2001,ADPC has supported multiple countries' post-disaster assessment and recovery planning in Asia. Post-disaster assessment involves the timely and accurate estimation of damages, losses, impacts, and needs across different sectors such as transportation, health, and agriculture. The assessment feeds directly into recovery planning, which aims to re-establish basic public services to normalize the socio-economic conditions, as well as source capital investments for long-term reconstruction.

There is a growing international recognition that governments must take the full lead in assessment and recovery planning, with support from various development partners. Therefore, ADPC aims to build country and regional institutional arrangements and capacities to anticipate and prepare for post-disaster assessment and recovery, using internationally-accepted methodologies, which are adapted to specific country requirements.


Approach

The approach adopted by ADPC's technical assistance to countries on post-disaster assessment and recovery planning is guided by the following principles:

  • The processes are country-specific and aim to high efficacy
  • Guidelines are easy to understand and easily accessible
  • Guidelines are practical at the sub-national levels
  • Capacities are built based on country-specific processes
  • Pools of trained officials are established and engaged in each country

Through its internal and external network of specialists, ADPC is ready to discuss countries' requirements and to engage in further technical assistance on post-disaster needs assessment and recovery planning.


Experience

ADPC's prior experience in post-disaster needs assessments includes the following:

  • Developing Online Post Disaster Damage and Loss Reporting System for Sri Lanka
  • Developing post-disaster needs assessment and recovery planning methodology and delivering capacity-building support for the Government of India
  • Strengthening capacities, tools and processes at national and sub-national levels to hasten the recovery process following disaster events in Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines
  • Establishment of an Asian expert group on disaster recovery from government agencies, regional bodies, technical institutes, and NGOs
  • Developing a regional handbook and toolkit for disaster recovery practitioners: government officials, UN agencies, and NGOs
  • Institutional and capacity-building support for sub-national post-disaster reconstruction activities in Khammouane province, Lao PDR
  • Adapting post-disaster needs assessment and recovery planning methodology and delivering capacity-building support for the Government of Lao PDR
  • Joint assessment team member and technical assistance to adapt the post-disaster needs assessment methodology for the post-Ketsana recovery in Cambodia and Lao PDR
  • Providing post-disaster recovery assistance to the Government of Myanmar in cooperation with ASEAN after Cyclone Nargis
  • Conducting a regional study on the socio-economic impacts of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
  • Delivering capacity-building support for post-tsunami damage and loss estimation in affected countries
  • Developing damage and loss assessment methodology and delivering capacity-building support for the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority
  • Conducting regional and national training and workshops on damage assessment and needs analysis
  • Joint assessment team member for damage and loss assessment after the 2001 Gujarat earthquake

Publications

Strengthening Capacities for Sub-national
Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and Reconstruction

Published on: 07/01/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Impact Stories and Case Studies

Language: English

Summary DaLNA Process Wallchart for
Sectors in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 01/01/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: English

Summary DaLNA Process Wallchart for
Sectors in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 01/01/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: Lao

The Economic Impact of the 26 December 2004
Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami in Thailand

Published on: 01/01/2006

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Technical Papers

Language: English

Regional Analysis of Socio-Economic Impacts
of the December 2004 Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami

Published on: 01/01/2006

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Technical Papers

Language: English

Sectoral Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment
in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 01/01/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: Lao

Sectoral Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment
in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 01/01/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: English

Handbook for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Planning
in Lao PDR

Published on: 01/01/2012

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: English

Typhoon Haima in the Lao People's Democratic Republic:
Joint Damage, Losses, and Needs Assessment

Published on: 08/01/2011

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Progress and Assessment Reports

Language: English

Planning, Budgeting and Financing:
Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Activities
in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 07/08/2014

Department: Climate Change and Climate Risk Management

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: Lao

Planning, Budgeting and Financing:
Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Activities
in Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 07/08/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: English

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment (DaLNA) in
Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 07/08/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: Lao

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
Damage, Loss and Needs Assessment (DaLNA) in
Khammouane Province, Lao PDR

Published on: 07/08/2014

Department: Disaster Risk Management System

Type: Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Language: English

External links

Through these links, you can find more information on post-disaster needs assessment and recovery:
International Recovery Platform
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery