Enhancing Preparedness and Early Warning in Disaster Risk Reduction Fifth Technical Conference on Management of Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Regional Association V at PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA 20-24 April 2009 by CHE GAYAH ISMAIL MALAYSIAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT
Enhancing Preparedness and Early Warning in Disaster Risk Reduction Outlines Natural Hazards affecting Malaysia Disaster Statistics Need and Important Elements in EWS Enhancing Malaysian Multi-Hazard EWS Enhancing Preparedness and Response Capability Conclusion
Natural Hazards affecting Malaysia Weather related Hazards Floods / Flash Floods Strong Wind and Rough Sea Thunderstorms / Lightings Tropical Storms / Typhoons Forest Fires / Haze Agricultural Droughts Geophysical Hazards Earthquakes Local / Regional Tsunamis Landslides
2008 Disasters
Disasters Affecting Malaysia during 1965 2004 Type of Disaster No. of events No of People Killed No of People Affected Flood 24 243 899,620 Cyclone 6 294 55,805 Tsunami 1 68 7,721 Drought 1 0 5,000
Economic Losses from Natural Disasters
Natural Disaster Occurrence and Loss of Lives
Need for Early Warning Systems On 26 December 2004, a large earthquake of 9.3 on the Richter scale occurred west of Aceh in Sumatra, Indonesia has generated a massive and disastrous Indian Ocean Tsunami that struck the coasts of a number of countries in the region. This unprecedented tsunami had killed hundreds of thousands of people in several countries bordering the Indian Ocean. On 2 May 2008, Cyclone Nargisis made landfall in Myanmar causing catastrophic destruction and at least 146,000 fatalities with thousands more people missing. Damage was estimated at over USD 10 billion. There is little doubt that thousands of lives could have been saved if early warning systems for tsunami and typhoon had been in place in the Indian Ocean region and Myanmar.
End-to to-end Early Warning System The objective of end-to-end early warning systems is to empowered individuals and communities threatened by hazards to act in sufficient time and in appropriate manner so as to reduce the possibility of personal injury, lost of life, damage to property and the environment, and loss of livelihoods. A complete and effective early warning system comprises four inter related elements Risk Knowledge Systematically collecting data and undertake risk assessments Monitoring and Warning Service Developed hazard monitoring and early warning services Dissemination and Communication Communicate risk information and early warning Response Capability Build national and community response capabilities A weakness or failure in any one part could result a failure in the whole system
Risk Knowledge Tsunami Modelling and Impact Studies for the North-Western Coast of Peninsular Malaysia - DID Seismic and Tsunami Hazards and Risks Study In Malaysia - MOSTI
Enhancing Weather Warning System Additional Satellite Receiving System for both geostationary and polar orbiting satellites to receive data from different satellites such as MTSAT, FY2B, NOAA Series and FY2C Series and MODIS. Upgrading conventional radars in Radar Observation Network to Doppler Radars for better coverage and weather information. Expanding Surface Observation by setting up more denser network of Automatic Weather Station (AWS). Improving Numerical Models and increasing the computation speed by installing high end computer clusters. Improving ICT network for faster and more efficient delivery, higher capacity data exchange and storage.
Mobile Forecast Office
Strengthening of MNTEWS Additional 3 seismic stations to 14 existing broadband seismic stations for better detection of local earthquakes. Setting up new strong motion network in Klang Valley for study on effect of ground motion due earthquakes on infrastructures. Additional 16 tide gauges to 6 existing tide gauges for better monitoring of tsunamis and high tide events. Additional 14 coastal camera to 4 existing coastal camera for monitoring tsunamis, high tides and severe weather. Additional 10 sirens to 13 existing sirens for more effective and wider coverage warning dissemination. Fixed Line Alert System (FLAS) is an innovation in multihazard warning dissemination.
Multi-Hazard Dissemination Platform Short Messaging Service (SMS) TV Broadcast Radio Broadcast Facsimile Telephone (dedicated Hotlines) Electronic and Print Media Fixed Line Alert System (FLAS) Public Announcement (SIREN) MMD Website
International Cooperation Sub - Committee of Meteorology and Geophysics (SCMG) Sub Regional Forrest Fire Arrangement (SRFA) ASEAN Earthquakes Information Center (AEIC) Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) WMO Typhoon Committee WMO Regional Association V IOC - Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) IOC - Pacific Tsunami Warning System (PTWS) Inter-governmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
ENHANCING PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE CAPABILITY
Priorities for Action Coordinated approach in preparation, prevention, response and handling of disasters Policies and Guidelines Mitigation Projects Capacity Development International Cooperation
Multi-Agencies Involvement National Security Council Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) Rescue and Fire Department Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Health Department Social Development Dept Malaysian Civil Defense Works Department Academy of Sciences Malaysia Minerals & Geosciences Department Drainage and Irrigation Department Malaysian Armed Force RELA Municipal Councils Telekom Malaysia Tenaga Nasional Berhad University Malaya University Putra Malaysia
Policies and Guidelines National Security Council Directive No. 20 Policy and Mechanism on Natural Disaster and Relief Management Environment Act 1987 EIA for all large scale development South Johore Coastal Resources Management Plan Integrated Coastal Zone Management for coastal development and industries National Plan on Slope comprehensive slope management National Physical Planning Committee comprehensive physical development policies
Mitigation Projects
Capacity Development Annual National Seminar on Extreme Weather and Climate Change HCD program International Workshop, Seminar Public and Media Awareness Program Training
Public and Media Awareness on Extreme Weather, Earthquakes and Tsunami No Year No of Programs No of People Attended 1 2007 6 800 2 2008 12 1592 3 2009 19 2000
Public Awareness Program on Tsunami EXHIBITION DIALOG SESSION COMMUNITY INVOLVEMNT Q & A SESSION WITH PRESS
Tsunami Drills And Exercises No Location Number of people involved Date 1 Pacific Wave 06 Exercise (Tuaran, Sabah) > 2000 people 26 May 2006 2 Tsunami Drill > 1000 people 17 December 2007 (Langkawi, Kedah) 3 Pacific Wave 08 Exercise Disaster Management Groups 29 October 2008
Tsunami Drill Exercises Save Evacuation Area Siren located at mosque rooftop Route to tsunami save evacuation zone. Fire and Rescue Department involvement.
Public Awareness Campaign on Earthquake 1. 30 Nov, 2007, 10.13 am M3.5 2. 30 Nov, 2007, 10.42 am M2.8 3. 30 Nov, 2007, 8.42 pm M3.2 4. 04 Dec, 2007, 6.12 pm M3.0 5. 05 Dec, 2007, 3.57 am M3.3 6. 06 Dec, 2007, 11.53 pm M2.7 7. 09 Dec, 2007, 8.55 pm M3.5 8. 12 Dec, 2007, 6.01 pm M3.2 9. 31 Dec, 2007, 5.19 pm M2.5 10. 10 Jan, 2008, 11.38 pm M3.0 11. 13 Jan, 2008, 10.24 am M2.5 12. 13 Jan, 2008, 6.18 pm M2.9 13. 14 Jan, 2008, 11.45 pm M3.4 1 8 4 13 1 5 0 2 6 9 7 1 3 12 1 3.30 Earthquake Event around Bukit Tinggi 101.90
Public Awareness Program on Earthquake Public Address by Minister Briefing to Private Company Multi-Agency Briefing Session Local Government and Public
Tsunami Evacuation Map 2 3 4 1 5
Conclusion A complete and effective early warning system comprises four inter related elements Risk Knowledge Monitoring and Warning Service Dissemination and Communication Response Capability A weakness or failure in any one part could result a failure in the whole system
Thank You