3. Collection and Dissemination of Disaster Information

3-2. Database on Disaster Risk Reduction
3-2-1. Latest Disaster Information
When a natural disaster occurs, information on the extent of the damage, the situation of theaffected area and emergency response and relief is collected and disseminated by media, local andcentral governments, international organizations, research institutions, civil societies, NGOs, and soon in affected countries and throughout the world. Most of such information was usually provided
individually and it took time and labor to get all the necessary information, whch prevented fromagile data collection activities in case of emergency.
Under these circumstances, organizations such as the Centre for Research on the Epidemiologyof Disasters, Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) and the UN Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) have been gathering global disaster
information to make disaster information.
ADRC has developed a database and published the latest disaster information on its website inorder to contribute as a clearinghouse of disaster information from various sources since September
1998. Summarized information with direct links to the original information sources provided on its
website enables rapid search and retrieval of information. In particular, the database provides a briefsummary of disasters (dates, locations, and overviews), brief outlines of damage situations, link
information categorized by reports/articles, geographic data, emergency relief information, urgent
reports from ADRC member countries and graphic information. Such information is continually
updated in accordance with further information release.
Figure 3-2-1-1 to Figure 3-2-1-4 shows information flow of ADRC’s website starting from top
page to related organizational information. The earthquake in Nepal, August 2015 was taken asexample. In the top page, the disaster appears as latest disaster, linked to detailed information(Figure 3-2-1-1). The detailed information has links to GLIDE number, space imagery obtained in
Sentinel Asia framework, and national disaster management organization of the country when it is
ADRC’s member country (Figure 3-2-1-2 to 3-2-1-4).
The information originates mainly from announcements of disaster relevant organizations
including the ADRC’s member countries, situation reports from the UNOCHA ReliefWeb,
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and media reports. The
latest disaster information site also links to the website page of the disaster management
organization and the disaster management information within ADRC’s website, which works as aportal to various kinds of information.
In addition, the database connected to the link to the other site “JAXA DMSS” to enhance thevalue to ADRC’s website using the satellite image data taken at the affected site after the natural
disasters when the emergency satellite observation was conducted. The database provides
information of more than 2,074 disasters in the world as of 21 January 2016.

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Figure 3-2-1-1 ADRC Latest Disaster Information (above) andDetails of Disaster Information (below)

Figure 3-2-1-2 GLIDE Number of the disaster16

3. Collection and Dissemination of Disaster Information

Figure 3-2-1-3 Satellite imageries of the disaster in Sentinel Asia

Figure 3-2-1-4 Information on Disaster Risk Reduction of the Member Country17

3-2-2. Multilanguage Glossary on Disaster Reduction(1) Provision of Multi-language Glossary on Natural Disasters
The Multi-language Glossary on Natural Disasters was compiled through the activities of theUnited Nation’s IDNDR launched in 1990. It can be easily searched in six languages including
Chinese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish by choosing an input language and atarget language. To make the glossary available to a broader audience, ADRC has been providing
online translation services. The six-language glossary is thus now available on ADRC website.
The glossary contains technical terms which may be hard to find in ordinary dictionaries, andcan be utilized by those working personnel in the disaster field to read technical documents
related to Disaster Reduction.
(2) Native Language Activities by Visiting Researchers
Since 2008, ADRC has been compiling “Multilanguage Dictionaries” of the languages used inmember countries with the help of the visiting researchers. The dictionary includes largely 1,130
basic “disaster reduction terms” based on English terms.
Side by side translation lists have already been completed by the visiting researchers from
Bhutan, Kyrgyz (Kyrgyz and Russian), Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, SriLanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen (Arabic) by March 2016, and uploaded in theformat of “Multilingual Dictionaries (Tentative)” on ADRC website separate from the“Multi-language Glossary.” They are intended to serve as reference materials for disaster
reduction activities in member countries.

Fig.3-2-2-1 Multi-language Dictionaries for Disaster Reduction (Provisional Translation)18

3. Collection and Dissemination of Disaster Information

3-2-3. Asian Disaster Reduction Center Newsletter: ADRCHighlights
ADRC has been using the Internet and e-mail to share information with its counterparts in themember countries, and other relevant parties. As one of its mainstay tools for information
dissemination, ADRC has been issuing the newsletter “ADRC Highlights” since 1 June 1999. It had
been issued twice a month until FY 2007, and has been issued once a month since the renewal of its
design in FY 2008.

Fig. 3-2-3-1 ADRC Highlights(April 2015: Japanese edition, English edition, Russian edition)

The newsletter is made available on the website. It is also e-mailed in English, Russian andJapanese to the ADRC counterparts and former visiting researchers, former GLobal IDEntifier
number (GLIDE) visiting researchers, participants in the past ADRC annual meetings, visitors toADRC, trainees in JICA's training courses which ADRC were involved in, and participants ininternational conferences ADRC took part in to strengthen relations with. Also ADRC registers
e-mail addresses of those who wish to subscribe the newsletter upon the receipt of request e-mail.
The numbers of subscribers in English, Russian and Japanese, are 2,418, 205 and 909 respectively
as of January 2016.
The contents include articles on the latest ADRC activities, reports on international conferences,and other events which ADRC staff attended and gave presentations in, as well as national reportsby the ADRC visiting researchers from member countries. Several conferences which werecoordinated by ADRC in the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction werereported in 2015.

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Table 3-2-3-1 Headlines from ADRC Highlights (FY2015)

Vol.

265

Main Articles
1.
2.

Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 2015
ADRC/IRP Participates in the Preparatory Meeting for the Earthquake Preparedness
Conference in Metro Manila, Philippines

1.

SATREPS Chile Project -Research Project on Enhancement of Technology to
Develop Tsunami-Resilient CommunityADRC Staff Profile No.46 -Mr. Kazuhito UEDA, Researcher266
2.

1.
2.

ISDR Asia Partnership (IAP) meeting
ADRC/IRP Promotes and Implements Multilateral Cooperation on DisasterReduction and Recovery through participation in the Indian Ocean Rim Association(IORA)-led International Conference in Tanzania

268

1.

Town-Watching for Disaster Reduction

269

1.

JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program: Raising Awareness of Disaster

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Greetings from new ADRC Executive Director, Ms. Kyoko KONDO
JICA's Knowledge Co-Creation Program on “Comprehensive Disaster Managementfor Central Asia and the Caucasus 2015”
ADRC Visiting Researcher Report -Mr. Vigen Harutyunyan (Armenia)
ADRC Internship, Ms. Norika Yamamura
ADRC Internship, Mr. Krisztian Benyo

271

1.
2.

ADRC Visiting Researcher Report -Mr. Fozilov Elyor (Uzbekistan)
ADRC Visiting Researcher Report -Mr. Tahir Mehmood (Pakistan)

272

1.

The First Steering Committee (FSC) Meeting of the Sentinel Asia Step 3

1.

Sentinel Asia Initiative Tsunami Working Session and the 22nd Session of theAsia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-22)
Demonstration of a Push-Type Information Dissemination Device in the Kurihama
Neighborhood of Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture

267

270

273

2.

274

1.
2.

Happy New Year 2016 -Masanori HAMADA, Chairman, ADRCADRC Visiting Researcher Report -Mr. Chathura Liyanaarachchige (Sri Lanka)

203. Collection and Dissemination of Disaster Information

275

1.
2.

ADRC Visiting Researcher Report - Mr. Andrew Lalhruaia (India)
ADRC Visiting Researcher Report - Mr. Mohamed Inayath (Maldives)

276

1.

Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction 201621