Natural Disasters in the Asia-Pacific region
UNDP continues recovery operations in disaster-affected Asia-Pacific countries
In just 13 days, beginning on 29 September 2009, more than 2,000 people in Southeast Asia and the Pacific were killed by a relentless barrage of typhoons, tsunamis, and earthquakes. In the ensuing weeks, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) have channeled human and financial resources to the region, aiding in recovery activities and seeking to reduce the affected countries’ exposure to future such disasters.
After deadly typhoons Ketsana and Parma struck the Philippines, causing USD 382 million in damages, UNDP deployed several staff to the affected islands of Luzon and Mindanao. A disaster risk reduction expert is currently aiding the UNDP country office in early recovery activities, and a dedicated early recovery advisor is supporting the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s office. UNDP deployed another expert to work on the post-disaster needs assessment, and a fourth is assisting in the development and implementation of a health, education, livelihoods and protection plan on Mindanao.
In Indonesia, UNDP is on the ground in Sumatra, where powerful earthquakes took the lives of more than 1,000 people on 30 September and 1 October. The agency is leading efforts in livelihood recovery, conflict prevention, and disaster risk reduction, in addition to supporting the ongoing post-disaster needs assessment. UNDP is also contracting with local NGOs for the clearance of rubble and heavy debris.
On 29 September the South Pacific island nations of Tonga and Samoa were both inundated by tsunami waves, triggered by an undersea earthquake. BCPR Director Jordan Ryan subsequently visited both countries, offering funding for recovery coordination and assessment activities. The bureau has approved a USD 300,000 proposal to restore livelihoods, enhance community-based early warning systems, and promote disaster-resistant housing in Tonga, where damages have been approximated at USD 10 million. A similar proposal for Samoa is in development.
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