Disaster response and river infrastructure management during the 2015 Myanmar floods: A case in the Bago River Basin

Abstract

In July-August 2015, massive floods caused extensive and severe damage throughout Myanmar. We investigated the disaster response of the Myanmar government, prevailing weather conditions, and river infrastructure function in the Bago River Basin. We found that disaster risk reduction was managed through the Emergency Operation Centre, provided for in the National Natural Disaster Management Law, enacted in 2013. For the first time the disaster response system in Myanmar functioned also at a local level, with local agencies sharing relevant data and providing information to the public. It was evident that authorities in the Bago River Basin had learnt from the floods of 2011 and had implemented structural and non-structural measures for flood risk reduction.