Report on Disaster Management
System of Myanmar andVisiting Researcher Program
Nwet Yin Aye
Head of International Relation Division
Department of Relief and Resettlement
17-12-2007

CONTENTS
General Profile of Myanmar
Disaster Management System of Myanmar
What I Have Learned in Japan
ADRC activities
Disaster management mechanism of JapanThe most impressive experience in Japan
Anticipated Action Plan

1

GENERAL PROFILE OF MYANMAR
Located in southeast Asia
the 2nd largest country in
ASEAN (678,500) sq km.
Bangladesh, India, China, Laosand Thailand as neighbors and1930 km coastline with the Bayof Bengal and Andaman sea
Geographically situatedbetween two highly populous
nations: China and India
Strategic location near major
Indian ocean shipping lane

Geographical Features•Latitude 9.8 – 29.8°N•Longitude 92.2 -101.1°E•Tropical monsoon climate•Eastern Shan Plateau,
mountains,four main rivers,
central dry zone and evergreen
forest•Lowest point Andaman sea 0m & highest point Mt. Khakabo
razi 5881 m•Active earthquake belt known
as Alpine Himalayan.

2Administrative divisions
 7 states and 7 divisions aredivided in equal status Former capital : Yangon
 Administrative : Nay Pyi Taw
capitalGDP by sector:(320 km northof Yangon)

Agriculture(54.7)%
Services(34.7)%
Industry(10.6)%[2006 estd.]

Resources:

Export partners :Timber, jade, ruby, rice,
bean and pulses, fresh
water and marine products,
rubber, natural gas andhydropower
Thailand, India, China andJapan3

Population:

58 million(2005-2006)

Population
Density per sq. km:

83 (2005)

Percent of
Urban population:

29 (2003)

National language:

Myanmar

Religion:

Buddhist (89) %Christian (4) %Muslim (4) %Others (3) %Disaster Management System ofMyanmarNatural Disaster

Man-made Disaster

FloodCyclones

TsunamiEarthquake

Urban Fire

4

PERCENTAGE OF DISASTER OUTBREAK IN
MYANMAR( 1997-98 to 2006-07 )Flood 12%

Storm 11%
Other 8%Fire 69%

Outbreak of Disaster(1997-98 to 2006-07)
400
350

339

Number of Cases

300
250

244
207

200

173

181

150

150

150

160

150Cases

114

100
500
1997- 1998- 1999- 2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004- 2005- 200698
9900
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
Fiscal Year5

Recent Major Disaster
YearDisaster2004 Tsunami
2006 Cyclone Mala
2007 Cyclone Akash

killedinjuredNo. ofvictims

Lossesestimated(US$)

6137144223-2592
42856
10570

264.26 mil
210.12 mil
982.12 mil

DISASTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OFMYANMARORGANIZATIONAL SET-UP
Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement

Social Welfare
Dept

Relief and Resettlement
Dept

Fire Service
Dept

6INSTITUTIONAL EFFORT
25-01-2005
Notification No. 14/2005 of the State Peaceand Development Council
Central Committee on National Disaster
Prevention was formed.

Central Committee on National Disaster
Prevention
Prime Minister

Chairman

Secretary(1),State Peace andDevelopment Council

Vice Chairman(15) Ministers Concerned

MemberMayor (YGN, MDY)

Member

Minister (SWRR)

Secretary

Person Assigned by chairmanJoint Secretary7

Organization Chart of Central Committee, WorkingCommittee and Sub-committees
Central Committee for National Disaster Prevention
Management Working Committee for National Disaster Prevention

Sub-committee forInformation and Education

Sub-committee for Clearing
Ways and Transportation

Sub-committee for
Emergency Communication

Sub-committee for Mitigation andEstablishing of Emergency Shelter

Sub-committee for
Search and Rescue

Sub-committee for
HealthSub-committee for Information oflosses and Emergency AssistanceSub-committee for Rehabilitation
and Reconstruction

Sub-committee forAssessment of losses

Sub-committee for
Security

What I have learned in Japan
ADRC ACTIVITIES• Established as an internationalorganization on 30 July 1998
• Located in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture,Japan• The objective is “ To facilitate
multinational cooperation for disaster
reduction I the Asian region”.

8

25 Member Countries, 5 Advisor Countries,
1 Observer

Pakistan

Location of Member Countries
Eastern Asia
Southeast Asia

Central Asia
Western Asia
Southern Asia
Oceania: Japan, Korea, China,Mongolia: Philippine, Vietnam, Lao PDR,Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand,
Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia: Armenia, Kyrgyz, Kazakhstan,Tajikistan, Uzbekistan: Russia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal,
Sri Lanka: PNG

9

ADRC’s Activities
1. Information Sharing(Organizing International Meetings& Seminars, Disaster Information,Publications, Development of Tools,
GLIDE)
2. Human Resource Development(Seminars &Trainings, Cooperative Project,
VR Programs, Developments of Tools suchas TDRM)
3. Building Community Capabilities(Development of CBHM & Town Watching
Method, Tsunami Awareness Projects)

Disaster Management Mechanism of JapanJapan• Only 0.25 % of land area on the planet, hershare for natural disaster is pretty much.
• Typhoon, torrential rain, landslide, debris
flow, earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption,snow avalanches are the gifts of nature toJapan.
• A nation giving ODA to 186 countries andregion worldwide.
• A nation supporting 20% budget for UN.
• Nation of High Tech and High economic
development.
• People are gentle, polite but with “phoenix”
spirit10

National Government

47 Prefecture Government

1819 Cities, villages and municipal government

Disaster Management Law and Systems• Japan has suffered many disastrous catastrophes, andthat conditions made Japan well developed in disastermanagement law and systems. There are very colorfullaws we can learn in Japan.
• Followings are disaster-related laws divided by type:
No of Acts
(1) Acts on water-induced disaster(10)(2) Acts on earthquake(8)(3) Act on snowfall(1)(4) Act on volcanic eruption(1)(5) Act on Technological disaster(2)(Nuclear Disasters & Petroleum IndustrialComplexes)

11

Continued
No of Act(6 ) Acts on Government Services(Fire Services & Meteorological Services)(7 ) Acts on urban management(8 ) Act on infrastructures(Railway Improvement Act &Airport Improvement Act)(9 ) Act on Financial measures(10) Act on recovery and reconstruction(11) Acts on Basic Emergency Response( Disaster Relief Act andDisaster Countermeasure Basic Act)

(2)
(3)
(2)

(15)
(4)
(2)

Lesson Learned from Japan• Best utilization of high technology especiallyin early warning system using GIS & RS
• Harmonious Integration of DRR in all phasesof disaster circle• Well developed disaster culture and the ideaof importance of community involvement• Best Example of coordination andcooperation between related agencies indisaster management system

12Disaster Reduction Awareness andDisaster Knowledge Dissemination• 1st September- Disaster Reduction Day• 30th August
to 5th September- Disaster Reduction Week

• 17th January- Disaster Reduction andVolunteer Day- Disaster Reduction andVolunteer Week

• 15th-21st January

13

Visited Facilities, and Lectures
Learned in Japan• Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial• Miki City Disaster Park
• Erosion Control Works in Hyogo prefecture• Cabinet Office of Japan• JMA Meteorological Science Hall
• Metropolitan Outer Underground Discharge
Channel• ICHARM (at Tsukuba)• Nagashima “Waju no sato”

Continued• Himeji City (Himeji Fire Bureau)• Hiroshima University• Takenaka Museum• Awaji island “Nojima Fault Museum”• Maiko High School• Ako and Kamigoori City Disaster ReductionDrill• Retrofitting of Existing Building• Town Watching Method & Hazard Mapping• CBDRM• Beppu City(3rd AWCS)

14

The Most Impressive Experience in JapanThe Great HanshinAwaji Earthquake
Memorial Museum• E-Defense’s Shaking
Table Test

Tokyo Metropolitan Area
Underground Discharge Channel

15Disaster Reduction Drills at Kamigoori

16

ADRC’s Town Watching and Hazard Mapping

Anticipated Action PlanFirst Stage• ICT Capacity Building for Staffs• Ministry’s Website Upgrading to share information• To provide the experiences and knowledge to otherrelevant agencies (Department of Meteorology andHydrology/ Department of Irrigation/ Department ofGeneral Administration/ Fire Services Department)• To Raise Public Awareness in schools and local
community through involvement in disaster reduction
exercises and get knowledge on self-protecting
measures in case of emergencies, and to educate aswell as through mass media

17

Second Stage• To develop Tsunami Hazard Map, FloodHazard Map, and Inundation Area Map inFlood prone Areas• To build self-sustained DRR Capacity in
Myanmar based on the lessons learned inJapan• To establish close collaboration andcoordination with related entities (GOs,NGOs & International Organizations)Third Stage• To propose for passing a law like Disaster
Countermeasure Basic Act of Japan in
adaptation with Myanmar environment andculture, and to establish disaster resilient
society.

18

Thank you very much for your kindattention (Kyay zoo tin bah de)19