Disaster Risk Reduction Management System
in
Sasayama Municipality

Bal Bahadur Malla
Visiting Researcher (Nepal )Asian Disaster Reduction Center
Kobe, Japan.

I. Research Backgroundthe number of people at risk growing every year – 90% populationin developing countries with smallest share of resources – burden of
exposure to disasters – disaster threaten the poor most – disasterincreasing and are unable to afford the reconstruction and recovery– culture of prevention – deserves importance.

1Sasayama City in Hyogo

II. A Brief Account of Sasayama Municipality
Location:- mid-western part of hyogo Prefecture – four towns( Sasayama,
Nisiki, Tannan and Konda)-Sasayama City – Funai County,Kyoto P.
to the east, Toyono County, Osaka P. to the south – Tannan andNishiki City of Tokai County Hyogo P. to the north and west –total land area,377.61 sq. km. – total population, 47,142.
Physical Features:- elevation 221.64 m. – extent of town: 31.4 km (eastwest) and 24.7 km. (north- south) – ¾ mountainous city from
400 to 800m – ¼ agriculture and settlements – mountains
covered by forests
Economy:- fertile soil for rice production – climate suitable for cereal
products – famous for black soyabeans, yams, chesnut,
mushroom, tea – more than two million tourist visit.

2III. Methodology
secondary data and information – primary data generated byinterview, questionnaires, expert judgments, field visits andmeetings
IV. Limitation of the Research Study
Disaster reduction management system in Sasayama Municipality –an approach to disaster prevention and mitigation – awarenessprograms

Introductory Meeting with Authorities

3

Courtesy Speech by Deputy Mayor

Authorities Briefing on Disaster Management System

4Briefing on Landslide Treatment

Observation of Landslide Treatment

5

V. Disasters in Sasayama City
Earthquakes
Landslides
FloodsFires
Typhoons
Droughts

VI. Disaster Risk Analysis
1.What Disaster Risk is:- The probability of harmful consequences, or
expected loss of lives, people injured, property, livelihoods, economic activity
disrupted or environment damaged resulting from interactions between
natural or human induced hazards and vulnerability capable condition isregarded as Risk.
Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability
Disaster Risk = f (Hazard, Exposure, Vulnerability)
where Vulnerability = f (physical, economic,
social, environmental, political,..)Risk = Vulnerability x Hazard - Mitigation

6

2. Identification of Disaster Risks
i. Hazards Identification
Hazards
Earthquakes
FloodsLandslides
Typhoons
Fires
Drought

Locationwhole city
8 places
761 places
whole city
7 places
whole city

ii. Vulnerability / Capacity Identification(a). Physical Vulnerability / Capacity
1.Basic Services (water, telephone, electricity, gas,..)2.Emergency Facilities (fire brigade, police ambulance)
3.School Building and Health Facilities
4.Building of High Occupancy (theatre, hall, church, mo
5.Historical Monuments and Assets (museum, library..)
6.Transportation Facilities (railway, bus route)(b). Social Vulnerability / Capacity
1. Well-being of Individuals
2. Literacy & Education
3. Peace and Security
4. Social Equity
5. Ethnic Minority
6. Infants and Ageing People
7. Disadvantaged and Marginalized Group
8. Disabled & Handicapped
9. Public Health7

(c). Economic Vulnerability / Capacity
1. Economic Status of Individuals
2. Individual Economic Reserves
3. Level of Debt
4. Degree of access to Credit, Loans & Insurance
5. Degree of Economic Diversification
6. Access to Critical and Basic Socio-Eco. Infras.
7. Situation of Agriculture Production(d). Environmental Vulnerability / Capacity
1. Natural Resource Depletion
2. Resilience within Ecological Systems
3. Exposure to Hazardous Pollutants
4. Biodiversity
5. Water Scarcity
6. Wild Land Fires
7. Desertification

3. Risk Assessment
I. Hazard Assessment

Hazards

Location

Probability

Intensity

ImpactEarthquakes

whole cityhighmediummediumFloods8 places

high

,,

,,

Landslides

761places

,,

,,

low

Typhoons

whole city

,,

high

mediumFires

7 places

lowmediumlow

Drought

whole city

high

high

,,

8

Establishment of Priorities
Hazards
Earthquakes
FloodsLandslides
Typhoons
Drought

Priorities
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th

The Acceptable Level of Risks

highii. Vulnerability / Capacity Assessment (VCA(a). Physical Infrastructure Vulnerability/Capacity Ass. (ph. VCA)
Physical Factors
Basic Services (Lifelines)
Emergency Facilities
School Building & Health Facility
Buildings of High Occupancy
Historical Monument
Transportation Facilities

Assessment (Capacity)
high
,,
,,
,,
,,
,,

9

(b). Social Vulnerability / Capacity Assessment (soc. VCA).
Social Factors
Well-being of Individuals
Literacy & Education
Peace and Security
Social Equity
Ethnic Minority
Infants and Ageing People
Disadvantaged and Marginalized GroupDisabled & Handicapped People
Public Health

Assessment (Capacity)
high
,,
,,
,,
no
low
no
low
high

(c). Economic Vulnerability / Capacity Assessment (eco. VCA)
Economic Factors
Assessment (capacity)
Economic Status of Individuals
highIndividual Economic reserves,,
Levels of Debt
low
Degree of Access to Credit, Loans & Insurance
highDegree of Economic Diversification,,
Access to Critical and Basic Socio-Eco. Infrast.
,,
Situation of Agricultural Production,,

10

(d). Environmental Vulnerability / Capacity (env VCA)
Environmental Factors
Natural Resource Depletion
Resilience within Ecological Systems
Exposure to Hazardous Pollutants
Maintenance of Biodiversity
Water Scarcity
Wild Land Fires
Desertification

Assessment (Capacity)
low
high
low
high
low
,,
,,

Vulnerability / Capacity Analysis
show high level capacity to fight against disasters – vulnerability of physical,
social, economic and environmental conditions has decreased – The SocioEconomic and Gender Analysis shows effective change agents rather thanbeneficiaries only – equipped with sufficient knowledge of disasters andmaterial to fight against them – impact of disasters very low.

11VII. Disaster Risk Reduction Measures
1.Disaster Prevention (Precautionary Measures)
i. Hazard Prevention (How hazards can be removed or avoided)(a). Earthquake: “Earth is alive, moving and changing”(b). Floods: plantation in the flood prone areas – implementationof land use planning.
(c). Landslides: plantation in landslide threatened areas –construction of erosion control dams.
(d). Typhoons: forest establishment and conservation – constructionof tidal walls(e). Fires: management of awareness programs – regular monitoringof dangerous materials and fire prone zones(f). Drought: conservation of natural resources – preparation ofreservoirs (drinking& irrigation)

ii. Vulnerability Reduction Measures (Prevention)
1.Physical Infrastructures
Earthquakes: anti-seismic design buildings and infrastructure– retrofitting of vulnerable buildings and infrs.
Floods: acquiring, demolishing and relocating critical facility –construction of flood proofing buildings and infrs.
Landslides: plantation and conservation of forest in landslideareas – construction of retaining walls
Fires: regular management of fire awareness – proper inspectionof new building constructions.
Typhoons: improvement and retrofitting of critical facility toresist wind related disasters – installation of storm shutters andup gradation of roofs.

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2. Social Vulnerability / Capacity (Prevention)
Earthquakes: to impart anti-seismic awareness knowledge – toretrofit or dismantle the vulnerable houses
Floods: to provide the knowledge of flood prevention andawareness programs – to predict heavy rainfall for all.
Landslides: to remove public houses, institutions, health centersfrom landslide areas – to warn infants ageing anddisabled to have access to landslide threatened areas
Fires: regular inspection of fire prone settlement – removal of
dangerous materials from social settlement areas
Drought: construction of reservoirs – protection of natural water
resources
Typhoons: awareness raising programs for elders – constructionof hurricane walls

3. Economic Vulnerability / Capacity (Prevention)
Earthquakes: proper site selection for economic infrastructure
retrofitting of industrial and business centers andfinancial institutions.
Floods: establishment of industries, business complexes, financial
institutions in non-flooding areas – constructions ofbasins, dykes, barriers, flood walls, sabo or earth dams,
flood
Landslides: protection of forests in and around landslide
prone areas – prohibition of constructing eco. infr inlandslide threatened areas
Fires: provision of sufficient fire protection measures in
economic infrastructures – prohibition of economic in
the fire prone zones.
Typhoons: improvement and retrofitting of buildings to resist
wind, storm shutters and upgrading roofs.

13

4. Environmental Vulnerability / Capacity
Earthquakes: protection of natural resources & biodiversity
Floods: preservation of forests and afforestation in flood prone
areas – diversion of floods to non-natural resource site
Landslides: conservation of forests and afforestation in bareland – identification of landslide prone areas and theirprotection
Fires: protection of forests constructing fire lines – constructionof fire break zones for environmental sites protection

2. Disaster Risk Mitigation Measures (making less severe, moderate)
Hazard Mitigation- management of workshops, seminars, training & bus tours- development of video tapes, pamphlets, posters, etc.
- television and radio programs on disaster mitigation- disaster and environmental topic in School Curriculum- system of ‘town watching’ program
Vulnerability Mitigation- preparation of risk vulnerability mitigation plans and land
improvement plans- development of land zoning plan and building codes- conducting engineering studies and designing of critical facilty- vulnerability mitigation incentives- technical assistance to resolve hazard risk issues

143. Plans and Programs for Disaster Risk Reduction(a). Plans and Projects
i. The Basic Disaster Management Plan
ii. The Disaster Management Operation Planiii. The Local Disaster Management Plan
iv. River Flood Control Projectv. Land Use Planning(b). Programsi. National Land Conservation
ii. Public Awareness Raising Programsiii. Local Voluntary Disaster Management Organization
iv. Disaster Management Drills
v. Self Defense Community Organizations for Na. Dis.
Vi. Education & Trainingvii. Information Management.

viii. Risk Reduction Management (Institutional Capacity
1. Institutional Framework

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Municipality’s Responsibilities for Disaster Risk Reduction
i. to protect the area of city, the life and limb of its people,
residents and their property from disasters.
ii. to prepare and promote implementation of local disastermanagement plan
2. Administrative Decisions
3. Policy development
4. Operation Skills
5. Responsibilities

IX. Existing Acts & Laws on Disaster Risk Reduction
1. Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act, 1961.
2. The Sabo Law, 1987.
3. Landslide Prevention Law, 1958
4. Sediment Related Disaster Prevention Law, 2000
5. Flood Control Act, 2001.
6. Sediment Disaster Management Countermeasures for
Sediment Disaster Prone Areas Act
7. Fire Laws (Fire Service Orgn. Law, 1947 & Fire Service Law)
8. Large Scale Earthquake Countermeasures Act, 1976
9. Law on the Prevention of Disasters in Petroleum Industrial
Complex, 1975
10. Laws Regulating Building Design: Building Standard
Law,1950, Registered Architect Law,1950 & Industry
Law,1949

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X. Findings and Recommendations
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Disaster risk identification as a first prerequisite for Disaster Risk Reduction
Management System
Implementation of Land use Planning has made the city possible to adjust increasing
population, migration, demand for settlements without aggravating the disastersituation.
Provision of providing hazard maps to residents, library resources and disaster data
access through print and computer media.
Provision of vulnerability mitigation incentives such as loans, subsidies and grant
programs.
Management of technical assistance for resolving hazard risk issues and reduction
measuresPreparation and implementation of vulnerability reduction plans for disaster risk
reduction
Formulation of Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act with plans for disaster risk
reduction – Basic, Operation and Local Plans.
Designation of public awareness day and week: 1st Sept – “Disaster ManagementDay”, 30th Aug to 5th Sept – “Disaster Management Week” and 17th Jan – “ Disaster
Management and Volunteer Day

Local Voluntary Disaster Management organizations with local people
participation for immediate help and rescue in emergency and raising
consciousness and awareness among people about disasters.
Self Defense Community Organization for Natural Disaster forhandling disaster activities in the community under the initiation of thegovernment.
National Land Conservation program a prerequisite for disaster risk
reduction in a community for protecting land, lives and property fromdisasters.
Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act has made the Municipal
Government responsible for discharging the primary responsibilities ofdisaster countermeasures.
The Basic Act has assigned the residents the responsibility ofcontributing to the cause of disaster prevention by taking their own
measures to prepare for disaster and participating in Voluntary Disaster
Prevention Group.

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14.

15.

16.
17.

18.

The Municipal Government enjoys the full-fledged power to formulate andimplement the disaster prevention plans to protect its own areas of thecity, according to the Act.
City Disaster Prevention Council with the authority to formulate Area
Disaster Prevention Plan for the city and renew and revise the plan every
year if it deems necessary.
Establishment of Fire Fighting Unit in Municipality
Provision of requests / recommendations by the chairman of LDPC or the
representative of Joint Committee of LDPC for effective and accurate
implementation of designated area disaster prevention plans.
Formulation of Sabo Law, Landslide Law, Fire Law, Building Standard
Law and other many disaster specific laws

For Continuous Response
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Weather forecasting (accurate and timely) has a significant role in reducing
hydro meteorological disaster risk reduction.
Management of workshops and seminars for government officials andemployees of private business and the general public, and “disaster bus
tours” to politicians and the decision makers for the effective plans andpolicies.
Organization of community groups and conducting team building exercisesfor disaster risk reduction
Management of ‘Town Watching’ programs and workshops forneighborhood blocs and organizations
Management of ‘Fire Prevention Week’ twice a year in March (1-7) and in
November (9-15) just before spring and winter seasons and provision of
special fire fighting drills on 26th Jan. every year.

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6.

Disaster Reduction Leaders’ Training course in the weekend to foster
community leaders’ knowledge about disasters and making at least one
leader in every 30- 50 households

Action Plan for Recommendations
For Immediate Response
SN Proposed Activities

Implementing
AgencySupporting Agency

Time Frame.

1

Disaster risk identification
and assessment

Related ministries
and Departments

Cabinet, NPC

Dec. 20052

Formation of land use
planning law

Ministry of Land
Reforms and Mgmt.

Ministry of Law and Dec. 2006
Justice; Cabinet

3

Preparation of hazard maps
and publicity

Ministry of Home
Affairs and related
ministries

Cabinet, NPC

Dec.2005

4

Vulnerability mitigation
incentives

,,

,,

,,

5

Hazard risk technicalassistance unit,,

Ministry of Finance,,

6Preparation of vulnerability
reduction plans,,

Cabinet, NPC

,,

19

7

Formulation of disastercountermeasure act.

,,

Ministry of Law
and Justice; NPC

Dec, 2006

8

Designation of publicawareness day and weeks

Ministry of Home
Affairs

CabinetDec. 20059

Formation of local voluntary ,,organization groups

Cabinet; Law andJusticeDec. 2005
Dec. 2005

10 Formation of Self Defense
Community Organization,,,,

11 Formulation of Land
Conservation Act

Ministry of Land
Reforms and
Mgmt.

Cabinet; MinistryDec. 2006of Law and Justice

12 Making municipality
responsible for primarydisaster countermeasures

Ministry of Home
Affairs,,

Dec. 2005

13 Management of residents’
responsibility for disastercountermeasures

,,

,,

,,

14

Delegation of power to
Municipality for disasterprevention plans

,,

,,

,,

15

Establishment of FireFighting Unit in
Municipality

Ministry ofHome Affairs

Cabinet; Ministry of
Law and JusticeDec. 2005

16

Designated area Disaster
Prevention Plans on
Request

,,

,,

,,

17

Formulation of Sabo Law,
Landslide Law, Fire Laws,
Building Standard Laws,,,,

Dec. 200620

For Continuous Response
1

Weather Forecasting(accurate and timely)

Ministry of Water
Resources

Meteorologica Continuoul Departments2ManagementofWorkshops, Seminars for
Government and private
employees and public
community groups

Ministry of Home
Affairs

Cabinet;Related
Ministries,,

3

Team Building Exercises

,,

,,

,,

4

Town Watching Program

,,

,,

,,

5

Fire Drills and Educational
Activities

,,

,,

,,

6

Disaster Reduction
Leaders’ Training Course

,,

,,

,,

7

Fire Prevention Week andSpecial Fire Fighting Drills

,,

,,

,,

Asian Disaster Reduction Center and Visiting Research Program

The establishment of ADRC as a hub of regional cooperation in Asia is alandmark in the history of Disaster Reduction. Most of the South Asian
countries are poor and the burden of disaster impacts fall on these countries
because disaster impacts are severe on poverty. So, considering this situation,
ADRC has initiated a stupendous task of disaster reduction in this region –the only way left to survive the disaster impacts. To achieve the goal, ADRC
has launched, inter alia, VR Program.
ADRC’s attempt to achieve some of its goals by creating the network of VRs
in member countries is a practical and far-sighted attempt which is useful to
ADRC as well as member countries. The most important problem that wehave been facing in our country is lack of human resource of disaster
reduction management which is being fulfilled, to some extent, by VR
Program. It has provided opportunity to learn disaster related issues andchallenges in the region thereby enhancing the knowledge of disaster risk
reduction.

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Contd.

Further, VR Program is an effective tool for collecting disaster informationfrom member countries. They should be further enhanced and mobilized
properly to establish strong relationship between ADRC and the member
countries. In my opinion, VR should be given investigative and intensive typeof research works.
As a VR, I got chance to enhance my knowledge of disasters at thisorganization and will try to continue it in my country too. During my stay, I
got homely environment which made my stay abroad easy and comfortable. I
appreciate you all ADRC’s staffs for your continuous, dependable, altruistic
and justifiable cooperation extended to me.
I am grateful to you all and will remain grateful for ever. In fact, this has beena part and parcel of my life.

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