United Nations Office For Disaster Risk Reduction Research Articles

DRR pioneers: interview with Ben Wisner

PurposeThe transcript provides an overview of the development of the field and changing paradigms in this regard.Design/methodology/approachThe transcript was developed in the context of a United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) project on the history of disaster risk reduction (DRR).FindingsThe transcript traces the initial discussions of how the At Risk book was conceived and presents new dimensions and challenges within the field.Originality/valueThe interview highlights the importance of the need to document the transitions, developments and paradigm changes in the field over time.

DRR pioneer interview with Thea Hilhorst

PurposeThe transcript takes you on a journey of the book mapping vulnerability and the developments thereafter.Design/methodology/approachThe transcript and video was developed in the context of a United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) project on the History of DRR.FindingsThis interview highlights how DRR is central to conflict settings as well.Originality/valueThe interview provides reflections on DRR in conflict settings.

DRR Interview with Terry Cannon: disaster studies: why is class being ignored?

PurposeThe transcript is of one from a number of interviews with disaster risk reduction (DRR) “pioneers” carried out in 2022 as a part of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) project to record the history of the field. It aims to enable one of the “pioneers” to explain his role in the emergence of disaster studies and provide critical commentary on what he considers is wrong with current DRR approaches.Design/methodology/approachTerry Cannon was interviewed to explain the beginnings of his involvement in disasters research and to comment on his views on progress in the field of disaster risk reduction since his early work in the 1980s. The transcript and video were developed in the context of the UNDRR project on the history of DRR.FindingsThe interview provides an account of the origins of the book “At Risk” and why it was considered necessary. This is put into the context of how the field of DRR has emerged since the 1980s. It elicits opinions on what he considers the gaps in both his early work (especially in the book “At Risk” of which he was a co-author) and in the field of DRR recently.Originality/valueIt provides historical context on how early disaster research developed the alternative framework of “social construction” of disasters, in opposition to the idea that they are “natural”. It challenges some of the approaches that have emerged as DRR and has been institutionalised, including its increasing difficulty in supporting the ideas of social construction.

‘We knew a cyclone was imminent’: Hazard preparedness and disaster management efficiency nexus in coastal Bangladesh

Natural hazard-prone countries in the global south adopted an anticipatory-preparedness approach in disaster risk reduction (DRR) by shifting away from the response and rehabilitation approach. It was highly associated with the policy recommendations of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) framework. Nevertheless, challenges remained in managing disaster risks due to heterogeneous efficiency among disaster managers. This research examines the institutional effectiveness of the disaster management agency in cyclone-prone areas in southwestern coastal Bangladesh through network analysis. This research also explores institutional efficiency's impact on household preparedness in mitigating losses. We collected two distinct data sets from the local Union Disaster Management Committee (UDMC) and households in the same operational area of UDMC that were at risk of cyclonic disasters. To evaluate the effectiveness of local disaster management institutions, we conducted structured interviews with 336 representatives, spanning eight UDMCs in the cyclone-prone regions. To assess the impact of institutional performance (specifically, the UDMCs) on household disaster preparedness and loss mitigation, we collected data from 696 at-risk households. These households were located within the operational zones of the eight UDMCs, and the data was obtained using a structured questionnaire. Based on the application of social network analysis, our findings demonstrated that UDMC members were more active in the aftermath of disasters, as confirmed by three centrality measures - degree, eigenvector, and betweenness. Consequently, upon employing the Negative Binomial and Poisson regression models, we found a positive association between household engagement with UDMCs and participation in disaster preparedness training. This training appeared to enhance the knowledge and capacity of the respondents. The spill-over effects from disaster preparedness appeared to bolster the resilience of at-risk households, assist them in avoiding disaster-induced damages, and maintain consumption stability in the wake of disasters.

Nature-based Solution for Local Watershed and Coastal Flood Mitigation in Indonesia

This study evaluates the effectiveness of program implementation that combines Integrated Community-based Risk Reduction (ICBRR) with Nature-based Solution (NbS) in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara and Tanggamus, Regency of Lampung Province. The method used is qualitative measurement using indicators of NbS achievement by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Union for Conservation and Nature (IUCN), and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Data were collected from quarterly evaluation reports by program implementers: the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and American Red Cross (Amcross) and interviews with program implementers. The results showed that the broad concept of NbS is difficult to apply and measure in short-duration programs because it takes a longer time to see significant and balanced changes in each variable, especially in the variables of net gain biodiversity, livelihood improvement, and regional policy integration. However, the program that has been implemented has been able to initiate an implementation framework that is easily understood at the local level and brings NbS to the context of community needs and capabilities.

Disaster risk reduction (DRR) pioneers interview with Charlotte Benson [1

PurposeThis transcript provides a historical overview of the discussions on economics in disaster risk reduction.Design/methodology/approachThe transcript and video was developed in the context of a United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) project on the History of DRR.FindingsThe transcript discusses how the work on the economic impacts of disasters started and evolved over time.Originality/valueThe interview highlights the importance of studying and understanding risk and risk creation in disaster risk management.

Interview between Bruno Haghebaert and Ian Davis concerning the early days of disaster risk reduction 1970–2000

PurposeThe interview documents early days in the field of disaster risk reduction.Design/methodology/approachThe transcript and video were developed in the context of a United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) project on the History of DRR.FindingsThe transcript presents important developments during the 1980s with valuable lessons about risk reduction.Originality/valueIt takes the readers on a history of the journey of DRR over three decades.

DRR pioneers interview with Andrew Maskrey and Allan Lavell

PurposeThe interview traces the early discussions in the context of disasters as developmental failures.Design/methodology/approachThe transcript and video was developed in the context of a United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) project on the history of DRR.FindingsThe interview traces the development of disaster risk reduction discussions in different contexts such as “LA RED” network in Latin America.Originality/valueThe interview clearly highlights the need to not forget the early thoughts on vulnerability and disaster risk.

Hurricane risk assessment in a multi-hazard context for Dominica in the Caribbean

Hurricanes can trigger widespread landslides and flooding creating compound hazards and multiple risks for vulnerable populations. An example is the island of Dominica in the Caribbean, where the population lives predominantly along the coast close to sea level and is subject to storm surge, with steep topography rising behind, with a propensity for landslides and flash river flooding. The simultaneous occurrence of the multiple hazards amplifies their impacts and couples with physical and social vulnerabilities to threaten lives, livelihoods, and the environment. Neglecting compound hazards underestimates overall risk. Using a whole island macroscale, (level-I) analysis, susceptibility scenarios for hurricanes, triggered landslides, and floods were developed by incorporating physical process parameters. The susceptibilities were combined with vulnerability indicators to map spatial patterns of hurricane multi-risks in Dominica. The analysis adopted a coupled approach involving the frequency ratio (FR), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and geographic information system (GIS). Detailed hazard modelling was done at selected sites (level-II), incorporating storm surge estimates, landslide runout simulations, and steady flow analysis for floods. High-resolution terrain data and simulation models, the Rapid Mass Movement Simulation (RAMMS) and the hydrologic engineering center’s river analysis system (HEC-RAS), were employed. Ground validation confirmed reasonable agreement between projected and observed scenarios across different spatial scales. Following the United Nations Office for disaster risk reduction (UNDRR) call for the inclusion of local, traditional, and indigenous knowledge, feedback, and expert opinion to improve understanding of disaster risk, 17 interviews with local experts and 4 participatory workshops with residents were conducted, and findings were incorporated into the analysis, so as to gain insights into risk perceptions. The study’s outcomes encompass projections and quantification of hurricane compound hazards, vulnerabilities, accumulated risks, and an understanding of local priorities. These findings will inform decision-making processes for risk mitigation choices and community actions by providing a new framework for multi-hazard risk assessment that is easy to implement in combining different data forms.

Integrating “Top-Down” and “Community-Centric” Approaches for Community-Based Flood Early Warning Systems in Namibia

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) resolutely endorses the development of people-centred early warning systems. Moreover, several scientific studies have deprecated the vast technology-driven technocratic approaches to implementing these systems, contending the prioritisation of communities and their contextualised needs for systems that ensure effective risk protection and resilience building. However, both the UNDRR and the scientific literature have failed to define appropriate means of implementation (MoI) for community-based early warning system (CBEWS) development. Floods are a major hazard annually impacting several communities in rural sub-Saharan Africa, and though several opportunities for participatory systems have been identified, investment in developing countries is often lagging, and no defined mechanism for developing these systems exists. Adopting a modified Integrated Emergency Management Framework, this study demonstrates that an impact-based CBEWS can be established by leveraging existing resources, institutions and stakeholders, essentially merging last-mile and first-mile approaches. The study further reveals that directly linking technical capacities with community-based efforts allows communities to define system development parameters, strengthen risk knowledge and response, and build resilience for improved physical, economic and environmental protection, essentially bridging the gap between first and last-mile approaches. The study also highlights the need for governments to appropriately streamline DRR to improve coordination and communication.

Special Issue on ICoE Taipei Integrated Research on Disaster Risk

Established in 2010 as an integrated research program for disaster risk reduction, the IRDR ICoE Taipei is co-sponsored by the International Science Council (ISC) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). In the past decade, the IRDR ICoE Taipei has received hundreds of participants around the world to the more than a dozen international training workshops (AI, Advanced Institute) it has organized. These workshops focused mostly on the capacity building program for disaster risk reduction. Bearing this in mind, one important motivation for this Special Issue was to encourage the participants of each Advanced Institute, in particular those who were awarded Seed Grants to conduct one-year projects following each workshop, to publish the results of their studies on the topics related to disaster risk reduction. In this Special Issue, the first paper provides a brief review of the capacity building program of the IRDR ICoE Taipei, followed by three research articles. Viola van Onselen and her co-workers in Taiwan present a methodology of strategies of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, with several case studies in coastal environments of Taiwan. Shyamli Singh of India proposes an integrated system for sustainable rice economics linking from farm to market, a case study on one of the largest rice production fields on the Indo-Gangetic plain. From the engineering perspective, Wen-Yi Huang and his colleagues in Taiwan and Australia present a paper dealing with the reinforcement of soil walls to prevent geohazards on the roads. This is the first special issue produced as a collaboration between the IRDR ICoE Taipei and the JDR, with great support from the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) and Academia Sinica of Taiwan. We hope there will be more Special Issues to come in the next few years.

Building parliamentary capacities for advancing the disaster risk reduction agenda: Notes and reflections from a capacity-building field training for parliamentarians of the Americas and the Caribbean

As the escalating impacts of climate change exert greater pressure on national governments and their constituents, particularly in marginalized communities, legislators will need to leverage their roles to support national and local efforts to build disaster resilience. This will require a better understanding of risk, but also of the interconnections between the climate and disaster agendas. This is vital for legislators to strategically apply their capabilities to achieving the targets outlined by their respective national governments. The role of individual national parliamentarians in advancing the priorities of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction remains largely unexplored in scholarly research. However, these individuals play pivotal social and political roles with varying degrees of power, networks, and local influence. Such roles can enhance communities' capacity to participate in building disaster resilience. A significant hurdle for parliamentarians is comprehending the priorities and mechanisms necessary to develop a robust and coherent disaster risk management system. This involves navigating the intricate conceptual dimensions of the disaster risk reduction agenda and bridging these concepts with their everyday functions as parliamentarians. We contend that field briefings and co-production offer an effective platform for enhancing parliamentarians' capacity to grasp the concepts surrounding climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. This article presents reflections drawn from a parliamentary training on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction with insights from the three-day capacity-building workshop with national legislators from the Americas and the Caribbean. The project was done in partnership between the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and an inter-parliamentary organization.

The UNDRR/ISC Hazard Definition and Classification Review and Hazard Information Profiles and Links to the Sendai Framework, the SDGs, and the Paris Agreement

Introduction:The 'all hazards' approach that the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction calls for ‘to strengthen technical and scientific capacity to capitalize on and consolidate existing knowledge and to develop and apply methodologies and models to assess disaster risks, vulnerabilities and exposure to all hazards;’ (paragraph 24 j)’ needed clarification.Method:Following extensive scientific consultation, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the International Science Council (ISC) published in 2020 the UNDRR/ISC Hazard definition and classification review. This was followed by the UNDRR/ISC Hazard Information Profiles: Supplement to UNDRR-ISC Hazard Definition & Classification Review–Technical Report (2021). This Supplement consists of a description of each of the 302 hazard information profiles (HIPs), which was developed using a consultative process by scientists and experts across the globe.Results:The UNDRR/ISC Hazard Information Profiles (HIPs) provide a common set of hazard definitions and other information relevant to informing the strategies and actions of governments and stakeholders, and for managing the risks associated with hazards. They can be used whenever and wherever for assessment, planning, and action related to hazards. As such, they relate to the design, implementation, and monitoring of disaster risk reduction and risk-informed investments at all levels.Conclusion:The science-based structure of the HIPs serves to avoid confusion and duplication in the classification of hazards. It also promotes up-to-date information derived from the ‘data revolution, rigorous accountability mechanisms and renewed global partnerships’. The HIPs support the implementation of not only the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, but also the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030, the Paris Agreement and International Health Regulations (2005). In 2022 an International Science Council Policy Brief was published describing the use of UNDRR/ISC HIPs to manage risk and implement the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction.

Gender, Culture, and Disaster in Post–3.11 Japan by Mire Koikari

Reviewed by: Gender, Culture, and Disaster in Post–3.11 Japan by Mire Koikari Margherita Long (bio) Gender, Culture, and Disaster in Post–3.11 Japan. By Mire Koikari. Bloomsbury Academic, 2020. xii, 196 pages. $120.00, cloth; $39.95, paper; $35.95, E-book. One of the most satisfying things this book does is reclaim feminism from a government policy called danjo kyōdō (男女共同), or gender coparticipation. Originally included in the Danjo Kyōdō Sankaku Kihonhō (Basic Act for Gender Equal Society, 1999), the concept gained new relevance after 3.11 when the Abe Shinzō administration adopted its principles to promote Japan as a champion of "gender and resilience whose expertise benefits other nations in Asia and the Pacific" (p. 45). Author Mire Koikari, a senior scholar of sociology and women's studies, performs close readings of disaster manuals for women issued by An-an magazine, Kurowassan magazine, trade presses, and the Tokyo municipal government. She shows how, far from promoting gender equality, the "risk management" and resilience (kyōjinka) discourses that proliferated after 3.11 call on women to embrace traditionally gendered care work and hold themselves, not the state, responsible for keeping families safe. Particularly powerful is Koikari's critique of a set of 2014 pamphlets issued by Abe's Gender Equality Bureau in English ("Learning from Adversity") and Japanese ("Danjo kyōdō sankaku [End Page 145] no shiten no bōsai, fukkō no torikumi shishin"). The pamphlets argue that, as the "chief agents" of resilience building, women must "share leadership roles in all aspects of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) process" (pp. 44, 62). If women hold at least 30 per cent of leadership roles, the pamphlets maintain, then sanitary napkins and infant items won't be forgotten from stockpiled supplies, and childcare, eldercare, and sexual assault prevention won't be forgotten at evacuation shelters. Koikari points to the slippage between the terms "equality" and "coparticipation," noting that the former is missing from the substance of the policies and guidebooks and that the latter "sanctif[ies] maternal duties and obligations" (p. 65). Her point is that feminism should open spaces for thought and action outside neoliberalism and neoconservatism, rather than accept them as the status quo. She quotes David Harvey on the perverse cycle in which neoliberalism and neoconservatism reinforce each other, because atomization, individualism, and competition in a neoliberal economy create instability, insecurity, and disorder, and these in turn lead to nationalist calls for morality, solidarity, and tradition (p. 20). Reading calls for care work by women as calls for just this sort of nationalism and tradition, Koikari traces Abe's post–3.11 policy to a June 2011 symposium convened by women instrumental in crafting the 1999 Danjo Kyōdō Sankaku legislation. During and after the 2011 symposium, all advocated "gender coparticipation" in disaster recovery, all pressed the government to adopt their ideas, and all, according to Koikari, "consider their mobilization a successful instance of women's and feminist activism" (p. 69). Readers get a glimpse of what might have prompted Koikari to write her book when we read about organizations set up by these same figures. Launched after the success of the 2011 symposium, their groups Women's Network for East Japan Disaster: Rise Together! and Japan Women's Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (JWNDRR), became "conspicuous presences" (p. 69) at international events hosted by, for instance, the United Nations. They also "actively pursu[ed] partnerships with the University of Hawai'i, the University of Delaware, United Nations University, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)" (p. 69). What must it have been like for Koikari, a professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies at the University of Hawai'i, to have been asked to partner with the JWNDRR? It is an interesting question for feminist academics on the left these days when feminist discourses, in Koikari's words, are "increasingly appropriated to enable, rather than obstruct, the entrenchment of dominant political, economic and cultural dynamics" (p. 71). If indeed an offer of collaboration was made, I think we can assume Koikari declined it. When we...

Increasing economic losses from natural disasters as a last decade trend

Two main methods were used for this article: individual regression analyses on historical data and a three-stage methodology to estimate direct losses, sector losses, and GDP losses that are attributable to natural disasters. The paper analyses using data from the insurance company Swiss Re on economic losses from natural disasters in recent years. In addition, statistics for 20 years (2002-2022) collected by CRED and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) are analysed. The global losses from natural disasters in the last ten years are also assessed. An upward trend in the annual increase of global economic damage from natural disasters is identified. The largest natural disasters in the world in terms of economic damage 2013-2022 are considered in detail. The data of damage from the listed natural disasters are compared with the economic damage from the earthquake in Turkey in 2023. The article considers the indicator of economic damage caused by natural disasters by region and concludes that it is heterogeneous. The correlation of economic losses of countries with the highest economic losses from natural disasters in the last 20 years with their level of GDP is examined. The World Bank’s estimate of annual damage from natural disasters is given. The conclusion gives a forecast for the period from 2022 to 2050 by Ortec Finance to estimate the direct losses, sector losses, and GDP losses that are attributable to natural disasters. Also in the conclusion, confirms the trend of recent decades is the increase in the magnitude of economic losses from natural disasters of global nature, which supports the hypothesis of the study. The conclusion gives a forecast of increase in economic losses from natural disasters in the near future.

Understanding the impacts of floods on learning quality, school facilities, and educational recovery in Indonesia.

This research is among the first pieces of work to use the comprehensive school safety (CSS) framework to assess the impacts of floods on quality learning and education infrastructure. The CSS framework is employed here to identify the level of disruption to education services following floods in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2013. The paper poses three key questions, concerning: (i) disruption to children's access to quality education during the flood emergency in 2013 and the early recovery phase; (ii) the impact of the floods on a school's physical infrastructure; and (iii) the effectiveness and level of success of the 2013 flood responses by relevant stakeholders. Combining quantitative and qualitative strategies, the paper examines the experiences of 100 schools in Jakarta. The findings suggest that the CSS framework offers a more nuanced approach to assessing post-disaster education needs. Moreover, it is also relevant for examining the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and relative losses in the education sector.

An adaptation of a macroscale methodology to assess the direct economic losses caused by Tropical Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe.

Tropical cyclones are among the costliest disasters in the world, with reported losses amounting to billions of US dollars on an annual basis. To reduce the impact of disasters including cyclones, Zimbabwe signed the Sendai Framework whose Target C is aimed at reducing the direct economic losses of disasters. Under the direction of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), an open-ended intergovernmental expert working group (OIEWG) developed a simple methodology for estimating direct disaster-economic loss. Therefore, this study tested the applicability of the OIEWG methodology in assessing the direct economic losses induced by Tropical Cyclone Idai (TCI) in Zimbabwe. The results revealed that TCI inflicted huge losses in most sectors of the economy, notably the housing, agriculture and the critical infrastructure. The sectoral analysis approach of the OIEWG methodology worked well in distinguishing direct and indirect loses as well as in underlining the need to adopt and effectively implement adequate risk reduction strategies in the built environment. Strengthening such strategies such as the ‘build back better’ principle, cyclone forecasting and warning systems and constructing cyclone-resilient infrastructure is critical in order to minimise direct losses attributed to cyclones.

Cities' urban resilience in the face of urban sprawl challenges

Motives: The research deals with the issue of urban sprawl on agricultural lands. It is an urban problem caused by rapid urbanization and poor planning. It is considered one problem that threatens cities with environmental and health disasters. It also threatens agricultural life and the green belt surrounding cities. Changes in urban sprawl on agricultural land are associated with complex processes that lead to multiple social, economic, political, and environmental risks and thus pose a threat and an obstacle to the sustainability of cities. Aim: The research aims to study and evaluate the reality of the city of Baghdad and the extent of its ability and flexibility to withstand the disaster of urban sprawl on agricultural lands. The research also the aim of this research to identify the gaps and the reasons that led to this disaster and reach solutions that may reduce this phenomenon that burdens the economy and the Iraqi people who suffer from difficult economic conditions. In addition to raising awareness about the effects of urban sprawl on agricultural lands and the environment, clarifying the role of participation and the limits of responsibility that can be entrusted to government and academic agencies at all levels, individually or collectively, to participate and find solutions to the risk of extensive urban sprawl. Results: In assessing the reality of the study area, the research relied on the city resilience scorecard, which the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and with the support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Commission. Field surveys and the opinions of specialists were relied upon to study the reality of the city of Baghdad to determine the extent to which it was affected by the disaster of encroachment on agricultural lands. There are gaps between planning and contemporary challenges among the most important research findings. Planning is increasingly decoupled from the contemporary urban challenges associated with rapid urbanization. The results of the practical study showed that the division of land uses in the city of Baghdad is not deep and incomplete. Also, it is not regularly reviewed according to the map of the expected risks, including the state of urban sprawl on agricultural lands in the city. Consequently, the city’s inability to withstand the disaster resulting from urban sprawl and the problems that result from it in the environmental, health, or social aspects. Based on the results, the research reached a set of recommendations, including the need for continuous updating to detect urban sprawl on agricultural lands. This is done using the latest remote sensing data and taking quick precautions against these expansions, in addition to the importance of updating building controls and standards regularly (or periodically) to take the changing data and evidence about risks to enhance the city of Baghdad’s ability to withstand the disaster of the decline of agricultural lands.

Systematic identification of heat events associated with emergency admissions to enhance the heat-health action plan in a subtropical city: a data-driven approach.

According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), a heat-health action plan should address various impacts of hazards at different levels, including an early warning system to monitor risks and behaviour enhancement to increase disaster preparedness. It is necessary to comply with guidelines regarding heat duration/intensity. In this study, we developed a data-driven approach to rapidly and systematically estimate the impacts of various heat events on emergency admissions among the adult population (n = 7,086,966) in Hong Kong in order to enhance the heat-health action plan. Immediate, short-term, and long-term impacts determined by 1-day, 4-day, and 8-day windows were estimated to identify specific heat events suitable for early warnings. In addition, underestimated risk, determined by a continuous increase in heat risk after days without significant emergency admissions, was estimated to evaluate potential maladaptive behaviours among a specific subpopulation. Based on age- and gender-specific analyses, 1D, 1D1N, and 2D2N were observed to have a stronger immediate impact on emergency admissions. 1D1N and 2D2N also showed notable short-term and long-term impacts. Based on heat vulnerability factors (age and gender), 2D2N was a higher-priority extreme heat event for early warning measures than 1D1N. Furthermore, men aged 19 to 64 had the highest underestimated risk. Specifically, they had IRR values of 1.113 [1.087, 1.140], 1.061 [1.035, 1.087], and 1.069 [1.043, 1.095] during lag days 3-5 of 3D2N, respectively, possibly due to a lack of adaptive behaviour. By adopting our approach, the duration of heat events with significant health impacts can be identified in order to further enhance relevant heat stress information. This framework can be applied to other cities with a similar background for rapid assessment.

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).