IPCC Report.pdf - Adam Curry

Case StudiesChapter 9lined by the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans. Thisregion is the least-populated coastal area in the country and has beenpart of a major reforestation effort in recent years (Hossain et al., 2008).The Sundarbans provided an effective attenuation buffer during Sidr,greatly reducing the impact of the storm surge (Government ofBangladesh, 2008).In contrast to Bangladesh, Myanmar has very little experience withprevious powerful tropical cyclones. The landfall of Nargis was the firsttime in recorded history that Myanmar experienced a cyclone of such amagnitude and severity (Lateef, 2009) and little warning was provided.9.2.5.2.3. Outcomes – Indian Ocean cyclonesDespite Nargis being both slightly less powerful and affecting fewerpeople than Sidr, it resulted in human losses that were much higher.Bangladesh and Myanmar are both very poor countries with low levelsof HDI (World Bank, 2011a). The relatively small differences in povertyand development cannot explain the discrepancy in the impacts of Sidrand Nargis. However, the governance indicators developed by the WorldBank (Kaufmann et al., 2010) suggest significant differences betweenBangladesh and Myanmar in the quality of governance, notably in voiceand accountability, rule of law, regulatory quality, and governmenteffectiveness. Low quality of governance, and especially voice andaccountability, has been highlighted as a major vulnerability componentfor human mortality due to tropical cyclones (Peduzzi et al., 2009).9.2.5.3. Mesoamerican Hurricanes9.2.5.3.1. Description of events – Mesoamerican hurricanesCentral America and Mexico (Mesoamerica) are heavily affected bystrong tropical storms. From 1-13 October 2005, Hurricane Stan affectedthe Atlantic coast of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.Stan was a relatively weak storm that only briefly reached hurricanestatus. It was associated with a larger non-tropical storm system thatresulted in torrential rains and caused debris flows, rockslides, andwidespread flooding. Guatemala reported more than 1,500 fatalities andthousands of missing people. El Salvador reported 69 fatalities whileMexico reported 36 (CRED, 2009). Wilma hit one week later (19-24October). It was an intense cyclone in the Atlantic (National HurricaneCenter, 2006; Table 9-2), with winds reaching a speed of 297 km h -1 .Wilma caused 12 fatalities in Haiti, 8 in Mexico, and 4 in the United States.Most residents in western Cuba, and tourists and local inhabitants inthe Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, were evacuated (CRED, 2009).9.2.5.3.2. Interventions – Mesoamerican hurricanesWhile Stan mainly affected the poor indigenous regions of Guatemala,El Salvador, and Chiapas, Wilma affected the international beach resortof Cancun. A joint study of Mexico’s response to the hurricanes fundedby the World Bank and conducted through the Economic Commissionfor Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC, 2006) and its Commissionfor Latin American and the Caribbean and the Mexican National Centerfor Prevention of Disasters (García et al., 2006) showed that Stancaused about US$ 2.2 billion damage in that country, 65% of whichwere direct losses and 35% due to future impacts on agriculturalproduction. About 70% of these damages were reported in the state ofChiapas (Oswald Spring, 2011), representing 5% of the GDP of the state.Comparing the management of the two hurricanes by the Mexicanauthorities, in the same month and year, highlights important issues inDRM. Evacuation of areas in Mexico affected by Stan only started duringthe emergency phase, when floods in 98 rivers had already affected800 communities. 100,000 people fled from the mountain regions toimprovised shelters – mostly schools – and ‘guest families’ (OswaldSpring, 2010). In comparison, following the early alert for Wilma, peoplewere evacuated from dangerous places, most tourists were moved tosafe areas, and local inhabitants and remaining tourists were taken toshelters (García et al., 2006). Before the hurricane hit the coast, heavymachines and emergency groups were mobilized in the region, toreestablish water, electricity, communications, and health servicesimmediately after the event. After the disaster, all ministries wereinvolved in reopening the airport and tourist facilities as quickly aspossible. By December, most hotels were operating, and the sand lostfrom the beaches had been reestablished (Oswald Spring, 2011).9.2.5.3.3. Outcomes – Mesoamerican hurricanesComparing government responses to these two hurricanes in the samemonth, it is possible to note vastly different official actions in terms ofearly warning, evacuation, and reconstruction (Oswald Spring, 2011).The federal institutions in charge of DRM functioned well duringHurricane Wilma. A massive recovery support strategy restored almostall services and hotels in Cancun within two months, with a significantportion of costs being covered by insurance companies (García et al.,2006). The government response to Stan left the poor indigenouspopulation with limited advice, insufficient disaster relief, and scantreconstruction support, especially among the most marginal groups(Oswald Spring, 2011).9.2.5.4. Lessons IdentifiedComparative studies of disaster risk management practices for tropicalcyclones demonstrate that choices and outcomes for response to climaticextreme events are triggered by multiple interacting processes, andcompeting priorities. Indigenous, poor, and illiterate people have lowresilience, limited resources, and are highly exposed without earlywarnings and DRM. Government response to similar extreme eventsmay be quite different in neighboring countries, or even within the samecountry.504