Asia is the most disaster prone region in the world. Among the natural hazards that annually havoc the region, flood is known to be the most destructive to property, crops and infrastructure. The global deaths due to flooding is ranked second only to storm surges, which can be considered a type of flash flood, but is presently not classified as flood disaster.

The need to combat the perennial problem of floods, flooding and the resultant destruction have been at the forefront of concern of most Asian nations.

The Fifth Flood Risk Management (FRM-5) Course offers an integrated approach to respond to this situation. Using lessons learned from both successful and failed experiences with structural, nonstructural and the less structural strategies, the Course enables the participants to understand and analyse causative factors and create recommendations appropriate to his/her country’s flood situation.

The FRM Course, now a regular training event of the ADPC, evolved from one of the projects of the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP). Other courses in the series include Urban Disaster Mitigation, Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction for Cities, and Technological Risk Mitigation for Cities.

The AUDMP is being implemented by ADPC with support from the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID) - Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).

The Course is linked to the various efforts of the ADPC relating to the flood issue. These are the Flood Preparedness Information Network (FINE) in South Asia; the Extreme Climatic Events (ECE) Program; the cooperation between the ADPC and the Mekong River Commission; and the community-based actions of AUDMP’s Training, Resource Materials and Continuing Education (TRMCE) Project. Participants to the FRM-5 will be exposed to these endeavors, to learn from their experience and to establish linkages with them.

The Fifth Flood Risk Mitigation (FRM-5) Course is an integrated approach to development of flood risk reduction strategies that involves engineering, settlement development, public administration, community-based strategies and land use planning (with environmental considerations). This multi-disciplinary treatment of the flood problem and of the requirements of flood risk management is expected to enable a holistic view of the situation and the needed preparedness measures. Cases of responses at the national and local levels are presented to give the mitigation measures concrete applications.

The FRM-5 starts with an overall understanding of the flood issue and moves toward a discovery of the various options and best combinations available to mitigate hazards becoming disasters. The Course concludes with determination of measures desirable and applicable at the national level.

The FRM-5 has four modules that impart the information and skills in flood problem analysis, understanding and appreciation of the various approaches to flood risk reduction, determination of appropriateness of the strategies and/or measures to achieve the desired goal of flood risk/damage reduction. The training methodology includes interactive lecture, film/slides shows/presentations, workshops, individual work, case studies, plenary sessions, panel discussions and field visit cum lecture/interviews.

Module 1: Introductory Sessions

• The Asian Flood Situation
• Global Concerns and Urbanization
• Nature and Characteristics of Floods

Module 2: Flood Risk Assessment

• Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping
• Vulnerability and Flood Damage Assessment
• Capacity Analysis
• Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Module 3: Flood Mitigation Strategies

• The Structural Approach
• Field Visit to Flood “Control” Projects
• The Less Structural Approach
• The Non-Structural Approach
• Institutionalization and Policy Search

Module 4: Learning Application

• Project Development and Management Cycle
• Indicative Planning for Flood Risk Management

This course is designed for the disaster manager with flood hazard in his/her sphere of responsibility or concern. Although the focused area is the Asia-Pacific Region, participants from areas outside this region are welcome to join the Course.
The FRM-5 specially encourages the participation of elected and appointed national and local (city/town) administrators, the development and planning authorities, water engineers and flood control professionals, national agencies’ officials and staff in urban planning, housing, public works, and water resource development and management. The Course is certain to benefit the private land and settlement developers, officials and personnel of relief and rehabilitation agencies, the United Nations and similar international bodies, and NGOs involved in disaster mitigation.

Interested persons can apply directly but preferably be nominated by their employing organization/departments. To register, please fill-out the ADPC Application Form and fax it to the number given at the end of this brochure or write a letter of inquiry to the given address. If you have access to the Internet, you may fill the form on-line at http://www.adpc.net/training/form.html. Further pre-course information will be provided once your nomination is accepted.

Full comprehension of and excellent ability to communicate and write in English are requirements of this course. Instruction is carried out in English. Materials are also printed in English.

Resource persons are selected experts from International Organizations, Educational and Research Institutions, National and Local Governments, Water Resource Specialists, Flood Hazard Mitigation Specialist and experts from ADPC.

The course fee is US$2,000 per participant. Costs of books and materials are included in the fee. Course fee should be paid by money transfer/international demand draft (DD) in advance or by cash at the time of course registration. Kindly confirm your mode of payment. Participants who apply with an advance payment of US$200 by 15th July 2003 will avail of a 10% reduction in the course fee.

All participants will stay at the China Hall of Science and Technology. The daily room rate is US$ 32.00 for single occupancy and US$ 17.50 per person for double occupancy. Participants who prefer to stay in single rooms should inform the ADPC in advance.

The ADPC library contains 6,000 books, 38 journals, 35 newsletters, 495 videos and slides, photographs and maps on various aspects of disaster management. Participants will be able to benefit from this unique collection of materials on disaster management.

The graduates of ADPC Courses are kept in a Roster which serves as a register of experts with whom ADPC maintains links. The Roster is also a resource base of the ADPC for professionals whose specializations are tapped either as consultants for ADPC programs and activities or referred to other international/national organizations needing such expertise. The ADPC graduates are provided with the ADPC Newsletter, either through electronic or postal means, to keep them abreast of developments in the field of disaster management.

Established in 1986, ADPC is a leading regional resource center dedicated to disaster reduction. ADPC works with governments, NGOs and communities of the Asia and Pacific regions to strengthen their capacities in disaster preparedness, mitigation and response through training, technical assistance, regional program management, country project demonstration, information sharing and research.

A national research center, established in 2001, the CDR is directly subordinate to the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR), P.R. China. In China, flood and drought are the most severe natural hazards, which occur most frequently and affect land extensively. This Center is for the study and development of advanced flood disaster mitigation technology; national and international cooperation and information exchange; technical training on flood defense technology; technical consultation for flood control and disaster mitigation on national and international levels.

Training & Education Division
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
Asian Institute of Technology
P.O.Box 4 Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120
Thailand
Tel: (66 2)516-5900-10
Fax: (66 2)5245350/5245382
E-mail: tedadpc@adpc.net
Home Page: www.adpc.net