Early Warning System in Lao PDR - GFDRR
Early Warning System in Lao PDR - GFDRR
Early Warning System in Lao PDR - GFDRR
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<strong>Early</strong> <strong>Warn<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>System</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>Lao</strong> <strong>PDR</strong><br />
By<br />
Virana Sonnas<strong>in</strong>h<br />
Plann<strong>in</strong>g Division<br />
Plann<strong>in</strong>g and Cooperation Division<br />
M<strong>in</strong>istry of Natural Resources and Environment
Country Background<br />
Description<br />
Country or prov<strong>in</strong>ces<br />
Yunan Mynmar <strong>Lao</strong> <strong>PDR</strong> Thailand Cambodia Viet Nam MRB<br />
Area (km2) 165000 24000 202000 184000 155000 65000 795000<br />
Catment<br />
/country<br />
(percent)<br />
Population<br />
(million)<br />
MRB<br />
(percent<br />
38 4 97 36 86 20<br />
4.905 9.800 23.230 16.920 54.755<br />
21 3 25 23 20 8 100
mean monthly runoff (m3/s)<br />
Country Background<br />
45,000<br />
40,000<br />
35,000<br />
30,000<br />
25,000<br />
20,000<br />
Vietnam<br />
Cambodia<br />
Thailand<br />
<strong>Lao</strong>s<br />
Myanmar<br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>a<br />
15,000<br />
10,000<br />
5,000<br />
0<br />
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec<br />
Area<br />
(km2)<br />
Average<br />
flow<br />
(m3/sec)<br />
from area<br />
Average<br />
flow<br />
(percent)<br />
Country or prov<strong>in</strong>ces<br />
YN MM LA TH CAM VN MRB<br />
165000 24000 202000 184000 155000 65000 795000<br />
2410 300 5270 2560 2860 1660 15,060<br />
16 2 35 18 18 11 100
Country Bacground
Flood<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
Vientiane<br />
Capital<br />
1966
Flood<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
Northern<br />
prov<strong>in</strong>ce of<br />
Luangnamtha<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2006
Institutional Arrangement for<br />
Disaster Management <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lao</strong> <strong>PDR</strong><br />
National Disaster Management Committee<br />
1 M<strong>in</strong>ister of Labor and Social Welfare Chairman<br />
2 M<strong>in</strong>ister of Agriculture and Forestry Vice Chairman<br />
3 Chief of Cab<strong>in</strong>et , M<strong>in</strong>istry of Foreign Affaires Vice Chairman<br />
4 Chief of Cab<strong>in</strong>et, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Defense Member<br />
5 Chief of Cab<strong>in</strong>et, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Security Member<br />
6 Chief of Cab<strong>in</strong>et, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Education Member<br />
7 Director General of Budget Department, M<strong>in</strong>istry of F<strong>in</strong>ance Member<br />
8 Director General of Transport Department, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Public Works and<br />
Transport<br />
Member<br />
9 Director of Industry Department, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Industry and Commerce Member<br />
10 Director of Hygiene Department, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Public Health Member<br />
11 Director of Mass Media Department, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Information and Culture Member<br />
12 Director of Social Welfare Department, M<strong>in</strong>istry of Labors and Social Welfare Member<br />
13 Chairman of <strong>Lao</strong> Red Cross Society Member
Flood Forecast<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>Warn<strong>in</strong>g</strong>, and<br />
Dissem<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
Department of<br />
Meteorology<br />
and Hydrology<br />
forecast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
•17 ma<strong>in</strong> synoptic surface station<br />
•33 secondary synoptic stations<br />
•113 ra<strong>in</strong> gauges. Staff gauges<br />
are 119 Staff gauges<br />
•49 discharge measurement<br />
stations<br />
•C-Band Doppler radar at DMH<br />
Headquarter<br />
•MTSAT – 1R satellite receiv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
station<br />
<strong>Warn<strong>in</strong>g</strong><br />
Dissem<strong>in</strong>ation
Flood Forecast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Flood Forecast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
The preparation of daily<br />
flood bullet<strong>in</strong>s is<br />
completed at 10:00 am.<br />
The product of flood<br />
forecast<strong>in</strong>g lead time is 48<br />
hours (from 7:00 am today<br />
to 7:00 am day after<br />
tomorrow) and update<br />
daily. The flood forecast<strong>in</strong>g<br />
is ma<strong>in</strong>ly water levels and<br />
the forecast<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>cluds<br />
only 6 stations<br />
( Luangprabang, Vientiane,<br />
Paksane, Thakek,<br />
Savanakhet, and Pakse)<br />
HVT, forecast = (HLB, yesterday – HLB, day before yesterday)*0.35 + HVT, today<br />
Where:<br />
HVT = water level observes on 7:00 am (local time) at hydrological station Vientiane Km4<br />
HLB = water level observes on 7:00 am (local time) at hydrological station Luangprabang
Flood <strong>Warn<strong>in</strong>g</strong> and Dissem<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
Nearly warn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
In the case the water level forecast at that<br />
station will expect to be at 0.50 m below<br />
warn<strong>in</strong>g level. DMH has to provide the<br />
warn<strong>in</strong>g and timely deliver<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
Mass media and M<strong>in</strong>istry of Agriculture<br />
and Forestry<br />
Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister’s Office, LNMC and<br />
NDMO<br />
DMH make an <strong>in</strong>terview to mass media<br />
DMH sent the warn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation to<br />
PAFO and PHM and to focus areas<br />
The warn<strong>in</strong>g message is broadcasted<br />
through national and local radio stations<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g daily programme for disaster<br />
management<br />
Urgent warn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
In the case the water level exceeds warn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
level. DMH has to provide the urgent<br />
warn<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
Mass media and DMH makes an <strong>in</strong>terview<br />
to mass media<br />
DMH report to M<strong>in</strong>istry of Agriculture and<br />
Forestry and later report to Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister<br />
Prime M<strong>in</strong>ister’s Office, and LNMC<br />
DMH sent the warn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation to<br />
PAFO and PHM and to focus areas<br />
At the same time DMH sends urgent<br />
warn<strong>in</strong>g to NDMO<br />
NDMO sends the urgent warn<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
Prov<strong>in</strong>cial disaster management office and<br />
later to district office and focus areas<br />
National radio stations will broadcast the<br />
warn<strong>in</strong>g massage through its program<br />
regularly
Lessons learnt<br />
• The flood<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Vientiane capital <strong>in</strong> 2008 is severe and exceed the<br />
historical highest record <strong>in</strong> 1966<br />
• The timely flood forecast<strong>in</strong>g and dissem<strong>in</strong>ation provided by Department of<br />
Meteorology and Hydrology was helpful for mak<strong>in</strong>g arrangements and<br />
prepar<strong>in</strong>g measures by each level of Government l<strong>in</strong>es Agencies <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lao</strong><br />
<strong>PDR</strong>.<br />
• Lack of tool for flood victims evacuation such as boat, rescue team no<br />
means access to flood<strong>in</strong>g areas.<br />
• Improvements of data coverage are particularly needed over north of<br />
Luangprabang <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lao</strong> <strong>PDR</strong> <strong>in</strong> favor of accurate flood forecast<strong>in</strong>g along the<br />
Mekong River.<br />
• Awareness on utilize Meteorological / Hydrological <strong>in</strong>formation to users<br />
and disasters prevention to flood risk community need to be improved.<br />
• The strong political commitment is very crucial for successful large scale<br />
flood preparedness<br />
• The unplanned urban development and spontaneous settlements escalate<br />
the flood damages and losses<br />
• no standard format for assess<strong>in</strong>g flood damages results <strong>in</strong> the misuse of<br />
the resources