Sendai Framework For Disaster Risk Reduction Research Articles

Tinjauan Kebijakan: Evaluasi Efektivitas Upaya Penanggulangan Bencana di Desa Ciwangi

Ciwangi Village in Garut Regency, has the potential for disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides. Therefore, evaluating the effectiveness of disaster management efforts in Ciwangi Village is crucial for mitigating risks and protecting local communities. This research aims to explore the dynamics of disasters that occurred in Ciwangi Village and evaluate the level of effectiveness of mitigation policies, starting from the structural level to the village. This research uses qualitative methods by reviewing Regional Regulations (Perda) related to disaster management in Ciwangi Village, Garut Regency. The review was carried out using in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis. The analysis was carried out by detailing the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) principles at the local level. The results of the analysis are then linked to Chamber Theory to evaluate the effectiveness of policy coordination and implementation at the village level. The research results show that disaster mitigation efforts in Ciwangi Village are still weak in terms of understanding disaster risk, disaster risk management, investment in disaster risk reduction, and disaster preparedness.

Appraising competency gaps among UNESCO-designated heritage site actors in disaster risk reduction innovations

Communities residing in UNESCO-designated sites, characterised by outstanding universal values, face heightened vulnerability during disasters, necessitating innovative Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies. The critical role of well-equipped UNESCO site actors in DRR necessary for achieving the goals of broader international frameworks such as Agenda 2030 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) warrants this needs assessment study. This study uses a descriptive survey design to assess the competency gaps of UNESCO site actors, including managers and staff, for effective utilisation of DRR innovations (DRRI). Employing the Borich Needs Assessment Model and Ranked Discrepancy Model, an online questionnaire garnered 141 responses from 59 countries. Descriptive statistics, significance tests (at p < .05), correlation tests, Mean Weighted Discrepancy Scores, and Ranked Discrepancy Scores yielded noteworthy findings. Despite recognising the importance of DRRI, respondents demonstrated competence lags, emphasizing the need for tailored training programs. Competency gaps were identified across all 14 listed DRRI, with top priorities including disaster prevention radio, telemetry systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, GIS, remote sensing, resilient materials, and disaster risk insurance. Enhancing competencies in DRRI presents a strategic approach to bolstering disaster preparedness, management, and risk reduction efforts, aligning with global conservation and sustainability goals.

Pamanang Haraya (Inherited Vision): a videographic manifest content analysis of Philippine Local Government Units’ (LGUs) tourism practices during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The research assessed the tourism practices of the Philippine local government units (LGUs) during the COVID-19 pandemic through a videographic manifest content analysis of 29 videos produced that were nominated for the ATOP Pearl Awards 2021. Through qualitative research, the researchers identified the similarities and differences between these tourism practices and projects, including the use of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015–2030, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) Framework, and concepts from previous tourism pandemic actions as its foundation. A Repertory Grid and 5C Thematic Network Analysis in concept-driven and data-driven development were utilized to conduct the information analysis. The results of the study paved the way for a new pandemic framework, the PAMANA Framework for Philippine tourism recovery from a disaster or pandemic highlighting its eight thematic processes to determine the effectiveness of a practice or program. This tourism-specific framework aims to address risks brought about by biohazards as the researchers found that previous studies focused on crafting hazard-specific actions to mitigate natural disaster risks. The framework draws a line between several existing frameworks to depict advantages and new proposed practices. Thus, the framework is beneficial for other LGUs, future researchers, and concerned stakeholders working on the recovery of a community to a new normal that includes social, economic, environmental, and cultural areas.

Does governance matter when disaster looms? Zooming into proactive institutional measures for flood risk management

The United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) highlights the importance of local governance and proactive response in disaster risk reduction. Eight years into the SFDRR's adoption, there is a limited assessment of governance principles shaping disaster management by local institutions. This study examines the governance principles influencing flood disaster prevention and preparedness in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. Using qualitative data, we first framed prevention and preparedness as proactive institutional measures (PIMs) and analysed six key indicators. Secondly, we assessed eight governance principles shaping the PIMs. The results show that PIMs, such as training, awareness creation, spatial planning, and application of early warning systems, have been introduced. Yet, notable weaknesses include the lack of enforcement, ineffective plan implementation and inadequate resources. We further illustrate that these weaknesses result from the poor application of governance principles. For instance, community participation and equity occur through informal processes, while the lack of accountability and transparency results in financial misappropriation and institutions neglecting their responsibilities. Also, given the inadequate adaptability, green stormwater infrastructure is not integrated into the infrastructural measures. We recommend strengthening local governments to enable adequate application of governance principles for flood risk management. Good governance requires shifting from reactive measures to embedding PIMs into local governance structures, which can be assessed using governance principles.

Climate-Related Vulnerability Assessment Toward Disaster Risk Reduction: Insight from Pakistan

Abstract Globally, climate-related disasters (CRDs) have become a common phenomenon in the last few decades, increasing vulnerability and causing disaster mortality. To manage disaster risk, the global Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction (SFDRR) provides a solid action plan for disaster risk reduction (DRR) considering all the dimensions of vulnerability. However, countries are still less receptive at the local level to adopting the SFDRR. Also, the global research community did not explore vulnerability features based on the Sendai Framework nor integrated such features with the four priorities of SFDRR. Based on the case of Pakistan, this study seeks to bridge the gap through three objectives. The first objective of the study is to identify the vulnerability features cited in the SFDRR. In addition, the research aims to develop a new vulnerability model by integrating SFDRR’s four priorities. As a second objective, it is intended to develop a decision support framework for ranking and evaluating each of the SFDRR priority action areas under local conditions. A third objective is to assess the impact of climate-induced environmental, socioeconomic and political vulnerabilities on climate-driven mortality. To meet these three different objectives, the authors have adopted a multi-method approach by using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and binary logistic regression method (BLRM). Based on the assessment, the authors suggested some policy implications.

How Does the Central Government Make a Remark in the International Arena of Disaster Risk Reduction? Focusing on the Frequency of Statement Publication at the UN Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

This study aims to clarify the attitudes of each member state on disaster risk reduction (DRR), and the issues that need to be addressed in the international arena of DRR, to move forward with the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR). To this end, we focused on the last three United Nations meetings of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) after the agreement on the SFDRR and analyzed the frequency of publication of official statements by each member state. In addition, the status of these official statements was analyzed in terms of the actual geographical distribution of disaster risk. We clarified that (1) the GPDRR is not necessarily aware of the situation and opinions of all member states; (2) the trends between the frequency of official statement publication and the actual amount of risk are not always closely related; (3) the member states in the Asian and Pacific Ocean region were more active in presenting official statements than those of other continents; in other words, the attitudes of Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and some African member states, which also have high disaster risks, were shared less frequently in the international arena; (4) some least-developed member states are actively making official statements and expressing their intentions despite the limited human and financial resources. The results of this study would be helpful for member states that have not yet made official statements in the past GPDRR to advance their official statement publication and situations in the international arena.

Improving Disaster Preparedness Services for People with Disabilities

Lack of disaster preparedness has contributed to many disaster victims, especially people with disabilities, who are often neglected in making disaster risk reduction plans. In light of the recent World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai, Japan, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030, which establishes new priorities for disaster risk reduction over the next 15 years, this issue has become a hot topic since then. This paper aims to contribute ideas to the Indonesian government in reforming and improving disaster preparedness services for people with disabilities based on successful theories, research, and practices developed in several countries. Through reviewing literature studies related to the issue and interviewing relevant informants in Indonesia, both data sources coped with six strategies that may contribute to improving disaster preparedness for disabled individuals. The strategies as the results of this study are intended to be used as reference material, particularly by the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), in order to aid in the creation of a framework to better comprehend the communication, mobilization, transportation, and medical requirements of people with disabilities in the context of preparing disaster preparedness program scenarios.

Disaster risk analysis of technological failure of industrial estate: a case study

The world has agreed on reducing disaster risks through Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015–2030. Efforts to reduce disaster risks are one way to attain Sustainable Development Goals related to "sustainable cities and communities." The first points of disaster risk reduction priorities inscribed in the SFDRR 2015–2030 incorporate disaster risk studies. While studies on natural disaster risks have been widely conducted, non-natural (manmade) disaster risk studies are relatively scant, parti­cularly for technological failure disasters. In this paper, the author investigates the levels of technological failure disaster risks in Gresik Regency, Indonesia, one of the National Strategic Areas in East Java Province. This study employs a disaster risk analysis encompassing aspects of hazard and vulnerability through map overlays with the help of a Geo­graphical Information System (GIS) to identify areas with risks of techno­logical failure. Results illustrate that a high risk is predominantly spread in areas with high hazards, which is 60 m radius of the industrial area. The findings in this study may help shed light on the hazards that may arise due to technological failures that span not only around the source of hazard, i.e., the industrial areas, but also beyond them, and also conclude that the higher the disaster risk is, the higher the vulnerability of an area will be.

Comprehensive landslide susceptibility map of Central Asia

Abstract. Central Asia is an area characterized by complex tectonics and active deformation; the related seismic activity controls the earthquake hazard level that, due to the occurrence of secondary and tertiary effects, also has direct implications for the hazard related to mass movements such as landslides, which are responsible for an extensive number of casualties every year. Climatically, this region is characterized by strong rainfall gradient contrasts due to the diversity of climate and vegetation zones. The region is drained by large, partly snow- and glacier-fed rivers that cross or terminate in arid forelands; therefore, it is also affected by a significant river flood hazard, mainly in spring and summer seasons. The challenge posed by the combination of different hazards can only be tackled by considering a multi-hazard approach harmonized among the different countries, in agreement with the requirements of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. This work was carried out within the framework of the Strengthening Financial Resilience and Accelerating Risk Reduction in Central Asia (SFRARR) project as part of a multi-hazard approach and is focused on the first landslide susceptibility analysis at a regional scale for Central Asia. To this aim the most detailed landslide inventories, covering both national and transboundary territories, were implemented in a random forest model, together with several independent variables. The proposed approach represents an innovation in terms of resolution (from 30 to 70 m) and extension of the analyzed area with respect to previous regional landslide susceptibility and hazard zonation models applied in Central Asia. The final aim was to provide a useful tool for land use planning and risk reduction strategies for landslide scientists, practitioners, and administrators.

Connectivity of Targets for Disaster Risk Reduction and Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals - Case Study: Major Flood in DKI Jakarta 2020

[Connectivity of Targets for Disaster Risk Reduction and Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals - Case Study: Major Flood in DKI Jakarta 2020]. DKI Jakarta is naturally a flood-prone area, so handling it is not easy to do. Success in handling floods will have a positive impact on development activities, as reflected in low economic losses. The purpose of this study is to review the causes and triggers of major flooding in the DKI Jakarta area in 2020 and seek connectivity between targets in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Researchers collect library materials from various sources that are used to analyze research problems, followed by drawing conclusions. The results showed that the causes of flooding in DKI Jakarta were geological, geomorphological, and river morphometric factors, while the La Nina phenomenon triggered major floods in 2020. The 2020 floods resulted in an economic loss of IDR 960 billion from DKI Jakarta's gross domestic product (701.98 trillion), so the proportion is 0.137 percent. In other words, success in reducing the risk of flood disasters can reduce economic losses and has indirectly encouraged the achievement of several other targets in the SDGs.&#x0D; Keywords: Floods, La Nina, SFDRR, SDGs, DKI Jakarta

Disaster mortalities and the Sendai Framework Target A: Insights from Zimbabwe

In many parts of the world, human losses to disasters have been on the increase during the past three decades. This has slowed down the human development process. In an attempt to curb disaster impact, the world adopted an action-oriented Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) in 2015. Target A of the SFDRR seeks to substantially reduce disaster mortalities by 2030. This study contributes to the SFDRR by bringing in disaster-disaggregated mortality data to assess the progress of Zimbabwe’s commitment in attaining Target A. The data came from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, the Department of Civil Protection and the EM-DAT database. To analyse the data, we conducted 3-year and 5-year moving averages for a period of thirty years to frame a holistic picture of the disaster mortalities in Zimbabwe. We also applied the methodology developed by the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Expert Working Group to determine the mortality rates for the overall and individual disaster type. Results clearly showed that Zimbabwe is making progress in reducing disaster mortalities despite a few spikes across its range of disasters. Major deaths were caused by drought, diarrhoea, malaria and tropical cyclones. Therefore, Zimbabwe needs to invest in drought monitoring and mitigation, cyclone forecasting and early warnings, and the surveillance and prevention of diarrhoeal diseases and malaria in order to substantially reduce the disaster mortality by the year 2030.

A Call for Inclusive Disaster Risk Financing in Indonesia: Addressing Vulnerabilities in High-Risk Areas

Earthquakes are a growing threat to Indonesia, with limited resources for risk mitigation. The current reliance on government relief is unsustainable. Despite Law No. 24/2007 on Disaster Management, inclusive disaster risk financing schemes have yet to be established. This study aims to provide evidence for disaster risk financing strategies in Indonesia, focusing on geological disasters in active fault areas with high population density. Aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) Priority 2, this study seeks to address the financial impact of disasters on governments and societies. By analyzing responses to risk financing following the November 21, 2022 earthquake in Cianjur Regency, this study examines emotional reactions, risk perceptions, and willingness to participate in risk insurance. The findings highlight low participation in insurance programs due to limited insurance literacy and low enrollment in micro earthquake insurance. Material losses from the Cianjur earthquake impose a significant financial burden on the government. There is a critical need for disaster insurance schemes, especially for homes and fixed assets at high risk of land loss due to landslides. Willingness to participate varies among different socioeconomic backgrounds. This article emphasizes the urgency of implementing disaster risk financing in Indonesia, with a focus on the vulnerability of poor and low-income households.

Addressing the interplay of the Sendai Framework with sustainable development goals in Latin America and the Caribbean: moving forward or going backwards?

PurposeThe 2030 agenda for sustainable development and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) constitute an overarching global milestone for creating a better sustainable future worldwide. The risk component of the agenda under the SFDRR must be better embedded into the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and integrating disaster risk management policy with broader development objectives at national and subnational levels in many countries is still a work in progress. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the progress between the SDGs and the SFDRR in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and its complementary featuresDesign/methodology/approachComprehensive and contextualized analyses of the progress of SFDRR and SDGs related to the LAC region need to be fully addressed to examine synergies and trade-offs with the two global agendas. Based on empirical evidence from United Nations global reports, a literature review of DRR and DRM, as well as development planning evidence, this paper addresses the implications of building coherence between the SDGs and the SFDRR in the region.FindingsInterplay and connections of the two agendas are highlighted together with an analysis of coherence among indicators. Despite the richness of several indicators, the examined evidence suggests that derived from the current progress, indicators are unable to completely reflect the dynamics among disaster risk drivers for both the SFDRR and the SDGs in the region.Research limitations/implicationsData availability at UNIDSR as well as at the regional level can limit the scope of the research. When comparing and matching the agendas, results could be further improved upon new releases of data. SFDRR and SDGs have also ground for improvement and countries are doing well but still slow.Practical implicationsThe paper offers new insights and findings for decision/policy makers in Latina America and the Caribbean.Originality/valueThe paper offers an overall understanding of the progress and coherence among SFDRR and SDGs global frameworks and provides insights to identify the gaps and opportunities that need to be addressed to integrate disaster risk reduction into sustainable development planning at national and regional scales in LAC.

Principles and practice: Towards disaster risk reduction in New South Wales, Australia

By ratifying the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the Australian Government has accepted the need to mainstream disaster risk reduction (DRR) principles into policy and procedures. This research explores the extent to which this rhetoric has been actioned, using local-government policy as an indicator. The rationale for this approach is that evidence of DRR integration should be observable in recovery procedures related to the aftermath of disasters, which could extend over a period of years and require transformational changes. Using the targets and priorities of the SFDRR, a meta-synthesis of research conducted since its ratification was used to create a conceptual framework of DRR principles and practices. This framework was then used to conduct a policy analysis of the New South Wales Local Disaster Recovery Plan (NSWLDRP) template for alignment/non-alignment to the principles of the SFDRR, with the intention of indicating where future efforts in policy development should be directed.The analysis revealed gaps in intent between the NSWLDRP template and DRR principles and practices. While some underlying concepts of DRR are incorporated into the plan, such as vulnerability assessments and communication tools, fundamental risk reduction policies, including prevention, mitigation and participatory mechanisms are largely absent. This gap between the principles of the SFDRR and its limited application at the local level in NSW highlights the need for greater mainstreaming of DRR principles in both State and Federal Government frameworks since they direct both local disaster management arrangements and subsequent ongoing community development. The benefits of this includes reduced load on emergency services during extreme events, and increased community resilience after them, including reduced reconstruction and less disruption to community productivity in their aftermath.

Developing a framework on school resilience for risk-informed decision-making

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015–2030 pursues the goal of preventing new risk, reducing existing risk, and managing residual risk through integrated and multi-sectoral interaction. It considers educational infrastructures pivotal, with the framework promoting resilient educational facilities as a global target for 2030. Schools, being a critical infrastructure, are crucial for building resilient cities and forming safe shelters or evacuation points in emergencies, alongside promoting a disaster risk curriculum. Asian countries have experienced multiple hazards and cascading risk patterns of climate change in the last few decades. Many countries such as India and Japan have generated school safety policies and disaster risk reduction plans for attaining the efforts of various frameworks, including SFDRR. While effective policies prevail, inefficient interoperability and disaggregated platforms result in poor ground-level management, such as in schools in hazard-prone areas. Past Incidents such as the 2004 Kumbakonam fire incidence, 2011 East Japan Earthquake, and Tsunami affecting schools point out the need of focusing on risk-informed school selection and planning rather than contemporary syllabus-based school selection.The study aims to develop a ‘School Selection Framework’, which analyses extrinsic and intrinsicfactors associated with school selection and safety, such as academic aspects, physical, human resources, and natural conditions. The methodology involves an integrative literature review on parental school selection, school safety, and resilience indices. It further identifies significant dimensions and indicators of school selection and safety to generate a conceptual framework for risk-informed school selection. The evaluation of articles based on the content analysis resulted in 18 significant dimensions contributing to school selection and school safety that was used to generate a conceptual framework for risk-informed decision-making. The study's outcome is to enhance the school selection process by mitigating the gap between the education system and disaster management, prompting the stakeholders to improve student safety.

A validated geospatial model approach for monitoring progress of the Sendai Framework: The example of people affected in agriculture due to flooding in Ecuador

The lack of data on disaster-related loss and damage, especially in developing countries, obstructs the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR). This weakens the accuracy, timeliness, and quality of the SFDRR monitoring process at the national level. This is the case for the country of Ecuador, who has not reported on the progress of SFDRR Target B, indicator B-5a, the number of workers in agriculture with crops damaged or destroyed. Consequently, this research developed a geospatial model approach to model indicator B-5a in the context of flooding. The model uses Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar and other spatial data to quantify indicator B-5a at a cantonal spatial level across three ecological regions in Ecuador. The results of the model were validated against country provided in-situ measured loss and damage reference data by combining elements of flood exposure and vulnerability. A statistical analysis was used to assess the agreement of the models with reference data and the models' ability to reproduce the reference data. The validation procedure produced models that had high agreement with the reference data, but the models were sensitive to the different ecological regions. This validated geospatial model approach is, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the first attempt to validate geospatially measured Sendai indicators against reference data, and provides an opportunity to support countries without information on disaster-related loss and damage in monitoring indicator B-5a of the SFDRR.

Climatic and Hydrological Factors Affecting the Assessment of Flood Hazards and Resilience Using Modified UNDRR Indicators: Ayutthaya, Thailand

This research aims to investigate the effect of climatic and hydrological factors on flood hazards and assess flood resilience in Ayutthaya, Thailand, using the 10 essentials for making cities resilient modified by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). Flood resilience assessment was performed based on a multi-criteria decision-making approach or the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) of pairwise comparison. The results indicate that runoff is considered the most influential factor in flood hazards, followed by land use, rainfall, and historical flood events, sequentially. Regarding the flood incident management concept, a questionnaire survey (n = 552) was conducted to understand the impacts of flood on local communities. The findings reveal that 50% of respondents had never received any flood information or participated in training sessions on flood preparedness. Most reported their concerns about the inadequate supply of drinking water during a flood. Spearman’s correlation coefficient shows positive correlations between flood disaster relief payments, preparedness training, access to flood hazard mapping, emergency health services, and their flood preparation actions. According to the modified UNDRR indicators, the top three highest AHP values in building community resilience to flood hazards in Ayutthaya are flood risk scenario identification, the effectiveness of emergency flood disaster response, integrated urban planning, and disaster risk reduction. The policy implications of this research include the need for national authorities to better understand the role cities can play a vital role in supporting both national and international climate resilience frameworks, especially Thailand’s National Disaster Management Plan, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The role of public participation in disaster risk reduction initiatives: The case of Katlehong township.

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) has become a policy priority worldwide and in line with this trend, the South African Disaster Management Act and National Disaster Management Framework prioritise DRR in efforts to build resilient communities with local municipalities being required to develop their own Disaster Management Frameworks. The problem is that public participation is treated as of secondary importance yet international agreements such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) actively promote public participation in DRR. A bottom-up approach is the most effective in ensuring successful DRR initiatives at the local level because communities take ownership of these initiatives and gain a better understanding of their risks. Community-based disaster risk reduction originated in the paradigm shift away from the traditional disaster management approach, moving away from reactive responses in the top-down approach in disaster risk management to more proactive responses. This research study explored approaches used for public participation to ensure successful DRR initiatives in Katlehong township. The study is exploratory and descriptive, having used qualitative and quantitative research approaches, which included questionnaires and interviews. The results gleaned from the data suggested that the role of public participation in DRR initiatives is ineffective in Katlehong township because of the reluctance of stakeholders to participate in DRR. Accordingly, it was recommended that the municipality host stakeholder sessions where stakeholders are informed about the role of the centre and about their own role in DRR. Such stakeholder sessions should assist in resolving issues such as confusion about the stakeholders’ roles in DRR and help to obtain buy-in from all the stakeholders.

Critical gaps and implications of risk communication in the global agreements-SFDRR, SDGs, and UNFCCC: 3 select case studies from urban areas of tropics in South Asia.

There has been a consistent rise in urban disasters, particularly in developing countries located in tropical areas. Among various challenges of disaster risk management and climate change impacts, it is noted that most residents are poorly informed about their risk exposure or apposite response. The paper is based on the premise that one important cause for this gap is inadequate emphasis on risk communication at different levels of planning and agreements. Accordingly, it highlights some important gaps in the risk communication across international agreements including Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and evaluates their impacts at the local level. It brings three selected urban case studies located in the tropical areas of the South Asia region that illustrate gaps in risk communication that result in enhanced vulnerability and deviations in response. The findings are based on secondary data and literature focusing on global agreements, risk communication, and disaster response. The paper argues that even though global strategies address urban risks, the fragmented nature of risk communication results in poor response and contributes to losses that occur in disasters. Three critical gaps noted in risk communication include (i) it not prioritized at different levels, (ii) inadequate structures to measure its impacts and stakeholders inclusiveness, and (iii) indifference to cultural diversity and integration. Further, it is suggested that there is a need to redefine risk communication at the global scale that extends beyond warning generation and considers multiple factors influencing response including interlinked vulnerabilities and variations in perceptions emerging from varied geographical, socio-cultural, economic, and political processes.

The roles of human geography in disaster studies

A disaster is an event or series of events which threaten and disrupt the human lives. The studies of disaster are constantly considered related to humans because humans act as the causative factor, victim and at the same time the executant of the effort in disaster handling. Pioneered by Gilbert White and pursued by other experts, human geography later shows the roles in examining issues in disaster studies especially in disaster mitigation. Based on several research and notions, many experts in human geography agree that there is nothing natural in natural disaster. Although the disasters are often affected by geosphere physical phenomenon but various human actions and activities on the face of the earth cause certain population to be more prone to natural disaster. If the risks toward disaster need to be reduced, bigger attention needs to be given to minimize population vulnerability, increase people capacity to overcome disaster and strengthen people capability to adapt to disaster area in a long term. Currently, UN as the responsible party in reducing risk of international disaster has been doing community resilience effort adopting Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005–2015: building the nation and community resilience towards disaster, followed by Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDR) 2015-2030: reducing disaster risk and loss.