As part of a coordinated effort by the United Nations Country Team in Thailand, UNDP plays a pivotal role in supporting the Royal Thai Government’s longer-term tsunami recovery, rehabilitation and overall risk management efforts.

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The rapid response by United Nations agencies and other international organizations to the tsunami catastrophe, fuelled by a generous outpouring of public support, has helped victims to move beyond basic survival towards longer term development, according to a three-month review of tsunami-response efforts. The review, issued 100 days after the disaster, shows that contributions already received will be sufficient to continue relief for some five million tsunami survivors in seven countries until the end of the year. Still, plans are now needed for the transition to full reconstruction.(...)

Full CAP Report

More information: Earthquakes & Tsunamis Flash Appeal 2005 // Reducing Risks From Tsunamis: Disaster and Development // Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // Relief web coverage

COPE — Corporate Partnership in Emergencies — facilitates the matching of the private sector's voluntary contributions with the needs of communities hit by natural disasters or humanitarian crises. COPE enables corporations, with their efficient business approach and expertise, to play a vital part in crisis and disaster recovery throughout the world. The first challenge COPE is taking on is the tsunami catastrophe that struck Indian Ocean countries in late December. Coastal communities that suffered great loss of lives and damage need sustained help as well as immediate relief. There are not enough funds to rebuild homes, restore infrastructure and restart livelihoods. In many cases, businesses and other private sector organizations with specialized expertise can make a big difference. (...)

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More information: COPE website // UN Foundation // South-South Trust Fund

In response to the Tsunami that struck the Somali coastline on 26 December 2004, a Humanitarian Response Group meeting, chaired by the acting Humanitarian Coordinator, was convened in Nairobi on 28th December 2004. As a result, the HRG decided to develop a Tsunami Task Force to facilitate on daily basis, coordination of humanitarian response with interagency initiatives in Garowe and Bossaso (Puntland) in addition to sharing information with OCHA HQ for inclusion in the daily regional Tsunami situation reports issued by Geneva. Following the drafting of the Somalia section of the Regional Tsunami Flash Appeal, the activities of the Task Force came to an end. (...)

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More information: Relief web coverage // UNDP Somalia Country Office // DRU and Somalia

About 490 fishing villages along the Andaman coast and islands were affected by the Tsunami that struck on 26 December 2004. The impact on these villages ranges from some broken fishing equipment on the beach to complete and utter devastation with great loss of life. The worst affected village, Ban Nam Khem lost about half of its population of 6,000, nearly 80% of its infrastructure, and most fishing boats and equipment. In total it is estimated that 3,402 small fishing boats and nearly 1,127 large fishing trawlers were destroyed or seriously damaged by the tsunami in Thailand. More than 459 rais of fish/shrimp farms and more than 7,000 fish/shrimp ponds were damaged. It is estimated that the livelihood of 100,000 – 120,000 people have been affected. The rough estimate of total loss in the fishing industry is currently around 500 million baht.
Full Assessment Report
More information: Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Asia: UNDP Update No. 6 // UNDP Thailand Country Office // DRU and Thailand // More Situation Reports on Thailand // Relief web coverage // UNOSAT Maps & Satellite Imagery on the Earthquakes & Tsunamis in Asia // OCHA Situation Reports

Fifteen days after the tsunami unleashed havoc in South and South East Asia, causing 155,000 deaths, leaving over five million homeless, and destroying the livelihood of thousands, the tsunami relief and early recovery effort is in full swing thanks to the unrelenting work and commitment of the national governments, the affected communities, the local and international NGOs and the UN system. Special recognition should be given to the our UNDP colleagues on the ground and the supporting bureaus in headquarters who are cutting through red tape to make staff and monies immediately available to assist in the recovery effort.
Full UNDP Update No 6 // Reducing Risks From Tsunamis: Disaster and Development
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // UNOSAT Maps & Satellite Imagery on the Earthquakes & Tsunamis in Asia // OCHA Situation Reports

On December 26, 2004, a tsunami catalyzed by a series of strong earthquakes (the highest rating 8.9 on the Richter Scale) in the area of the western coast of Northern Sumatra, Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands, swept over the South and South-East Asia region reaching the shores of East Africa. Within minutes, many lives were lost (confirmed numbers of deaths are now reaching 150,000), populations were displaced, livelihoods, homes and infrastructures were destroyed, and hard-earned development gains were set back decades. As surviving victims obtain access to food aid and water provided by a far-reaching international humanitarian relief effort, many are raising questions: Why did this happen? What could we have done to prevent it? What will the impact be? And what can we do to help countries recover? These are not new questions. Nor are they questions without answers. The key lies in understanding the relationship between disaster and development. While the occurrence of natural phenomena like earthquakes, cyclones, drought, and tsunamis may ultimately be unavoidable, the magnitude of the resulting disaster is directly linked to prior development choices made by governments, local communities, and international actors.
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More information: More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // UNOSAT Maps & Satellite Imagery on the Earthquakes & Tsunamis in Asia // OCHA Situation Reports

Worldwide solidarity with the affected populations has been swift and generous, and must continue well beyond the immediate disaster period. This flash appeal reflects the efforts of some forty United Nations (UN) agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to plan and implement a strategic, efficient, and coordinated response to the needs of some 5 million people. Programmes focus on keeping people alive and supporting their efforts to recover, for example in the agriculture, education, health, food, shelter, or water and sanitation sectors. Reaching isolated communities is a serious challenge because of the destruction of transport infrastructure and communication systems. This requires the establishment of complex logistics and operations platforms. Strong coordination with Governments and between Governments and the international aid community will ensure that assistance is efficient and reaches the people who need aid most. This Flash Appeal focuses on supporting people in Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Seychelles, Somalia and Sri Lanka from January to the end of June 2005, and calls for US$ 977 million to fund the critical work of some forty UN agencies and NGOs.
Full Flash Appeal for Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunamis (2.5MB - 95 pages)
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // UNOSAT Maps & Satellite Imagery on the Earthquakes & Tsunamis in Asia // OCHA Situation Reports

With relief teams gaining access to some of the more remote areas affected by the tsunami, information on the extent of the devastation caused by the disaster has been pouring in. Casualty estimates are continuing to rise with the current number expected to surpass 150,000 dead. Millions of people have been left homeless with their livelihoods destroyed, infrastructure smashed, and water supplies contaminated. While the focus of UN agency activity is currently on the humanitarian relief effort, UNDP has already begun to support national authorities in recovery planning. Key initiatives underway include: an early inter-agency recovery assessment mission, preparations for a flash appeal, planning for in-depth coordinated UN agency damage and loss assessments, and the first steps towards developing a UN System Recovery Framework for affected countries.
Full UNDP Update No 5
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // UNOSAT Maps & Satellite Imagery on the Earthquakes & Tsunamis in Asia // OCHA Situation Reports

The death toll in the South and South-East Asia region as well as the East African coasts continues to rise dramatically, and is estimated to reach up to 80,000 - 90,000 or more lives lost. This is coupled with enormous population displacements, as well as the loss of livelihoods, homes, infrastructure and hard-earned development gains in many countries including India, Indonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Reports indicate that there has been some level of impact in other places such as the Seychelles, Myanmar, and Somalia. Estimates speak of about 5 million people in need of assistance, making this one of the worst disasters in the region in many decades and also one of the most complex humanitarian and recovery operations ever. Close coordination and cooperation amongst governments, the UN family and the international community at large will be of utmost importance during the coming weeks and months.
Full story - Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Asia: UNDP Update No. 4
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // UNOSAT Maps & Satellite Imagery on the Earthquakes & Tsunamis in Asia // OCHA Situation Reports

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More information: UNDP Update No.4 // Relief web coverage

Three days after the earthquake and tsunamis hit extensive areas of Asia and even East African coasts, the death toll continues to rise. Sources coincide in a figure of around 45,000 deaths with massive population displacements and enormous loss of livelihoods, homes, infrastructure and hard-earned development gains in many countries including India, Indonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Preliminary reports indicate that there may be some level of impact in other places such as the Seychelles. This the worst disaster in the region in many decades and one of the most complex humanitarian and recovery operations ever, which will continue to require close coordination and cooperation amongst governments, the UN family and the international community at large.
Full story - Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Asia: UNDP Update No. 3
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // OCHA Situation Reports

The staff of the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) in both Delhi and Geneva are in on-going contact with its Country Offices in the region since the events occurred. UNDP released an initial US$500,000 in emergency funds within the first 48 hours of the disaster. Also technical staff has been deployed to the most affected countries/areas with the aim to assist the UN family and government authorities to commence analysing the disaster situation in the context of recovery and development. The planning and conceptualization of early recovery efforts will ensure that risk reduction measures will be included into post-disaster reconstruction and development efforts.
Full story - Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Asia: UNDP Update No. 2
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // OCHA Situation Reports

For the second time in 2004, a natural disaster of considerable magnitude has simultaneously affected several countries. The Caribbean hurricane season and the earthquakes and tsunamis in Asia are yet another evidence that in terms of cause and consequence disaster risk is now becoming a global problem rather than an issue limited to hazard prone areas. The Southern Asia disaster is in many ways unprecedented. It combined two phenomena, the outreach and force of which hit several countries and extensive coastal lines. Some of these countries were not considered amongst the most vulnerable to earthquakes in UNDP’s recently published global report “Reducing Disaster Risk – A Challenge for Development” and its innovative Disaster Risk and Relative Vulnerability Indexes, although tsunamis are not explicitly included in this research. This is a clear indication of the dynamic nature of vulnerability and of the need to continue advocating for disaster risk reduction as part of the development agendas, even in countries where vulnerability has not been a traditional cause for concern. BCPR staff in both Delhi and Geneva started gathering information and contacting Country Offices in the region very soon after the disaster and as a result, emergency funds are being quickly released and technical staff is ready for immediate deployment to the most affected countries/areas.
Full story - Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Asia: UNDP Update No. 1
More information: Global report - Reducing Disaster Risk // DRU and Asia // Relief web coverage // OCHA Situation Reports