Showing papers on "Disaster recovery published in 2014"

Learning from Megadisasters : lessons from the great east Japan earthquake

Abstract: On March 11, 2011, an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 occurred in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan's Tohoku region. The Great East Japan Earthquake was the first disaster ever recorded that included an earthquake, a tsunami, a nuclear power plant accident, a power supply failure, and a large-scale disruption of supply chains. This report consolidates the set of 36 Knowledge Notes, research results of the joint study undertaken by the Government of Japan and the World Bank. It summarizes the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami and provides guidance to other disaster-prone countries for mainstreaming disaster risk management in their development policies. It is clear that financial resources alone are not sufficient to deal with disasters and to spur development. Technical assistance and capacity building are equally important. In Japan's case, the project learned how communities can play a critical role in preparing for and coping with natural disasters. Communities can help prevent damage from spreading, maintain social order, and provide support to the vulnerable. Only through technical cooperation can such know-how be passed on to other countries and be adapted to their local circumstances. The chapters that make up the main body of this report are built around the disciplines employed in the traditional disaster risk management cycle. Grouped into seven thematic clusters that track that cycle, the chapters treat structural measures (part 1) and nonstructural measures (part 2) as preventive options. Also covered is the emergency responses put in place after March 11 (part 3) and described the planning behind the reconstruction process (part 4). The handling of risk assessment and communication before and after the disaster are the subject of part 5. Part 6 deals with risk financing, insurance, and fiscal and financial management; part 7 with the progress of recovery and relocation.

On human-agent collectives

Abstract: HACs offer a new science for exploring the computational and human aspects of society.

Powering Through the Storm: Microgrids Operation for More Efficient Disaster Recovery

Abstract: Disasters, whether natural or man-made, compromise the quality of life for all involved. In such situations, expeditious recovery activities are deemed imperative and irreplaceable for the restoration of normalcy. However, recovery activities rely heavily on the critical infrastructures that supply basic needs like electricity, water, information, and transportation. When disasters strike, it is likely that the critical infrastructures themselves are affected significantly, hampering efficient recovery processes, thus presenting a Catch-22 conundrum. In this article, we present examples from different parts of the world where distributed energy resources, organized in a microgrid, were used to provide reliable electricity supply in the wake of disasters, allowing recovery and rebuilding efforts to occur with relatively greater efficiency.

How bonding and bridging networks contribute to disaster resilience and recovery on the Bangladeshi coast

Abstract: Bonding relationships (with family members and relatives) and bridging relationships (with neighbours and friends) are key elements of social networks. These relationships play a vital role in how a community responds to extreme climate events, including cyclones and storm surges. This study investigates how bonding and bridging relationships contribute to recovery from disaster, using the two coastal villages of Bangladesh affected by Cyclone Sidr as case studies. We investigated these contributions through using household surveys, focus groups, meetings with NGOs and local and national key informants. Results show that after a cyclone, affected communities draw heavily on their bonding and bridging relationships to face the immediate crisis. Support through bonding and bridging networks—sharing food, providing comfort, mutual works, etc.—is very important initially. As the time after the disaster increases, these networks perform less well, because of the limited physical and financial capital. After a period of time, bridging relationships become less active and sometimes break down due to poverty, disaster impact, and competition and conflict over access to external support. Bonding relationships, however, do not break down; rather, they continue contributing to the recovery process by reducing food intake, helping with alternative income, and livelihood options through temporary migration and so on. For longer-term recovery, however, disaster victims usually need support through linking social networks, e.g. from the national and international NGOs, local government, and Community-based Organisations. The study concludes by exploring policy options for strengthening the capacities of bonding and bridging networks for disaster recovery and promoting resilience.

Adaptive Planning for Disaster Recovery and Resiliency: An Evaluation of 87 Local Recovery Plans in Eight States

Abstract: Problem, research strategy and findings: A pre-disaster recovery plan that considers how a community should be redeveloped is a logical first step to support resiliency during high uncertainty and

Small business disaster recovery: a research framework

Abstract: Exogenous, non-normative shocks to small businesses such as natural disasters have been understudied. Moreover, most disaster research on small businesses has focused on business recovery as a dichotomy at one point in time. However, disaster recovery for small businesses is an iterative process set in the context of individual, family/household, and community recovery over time. A new dynamic research framework for small business recovery is proposed which allows for a shared framework and vocabulary.

Social Capital, Sensemaking, and Recovery: Japanese Companies and the 2011 Earthquake:

Abstract: The earthquake that hit East Japan in March 2011 caused massive damage. While widespread disruption to global supply chains was predicted, production resumed with remarkable speed. This article describes how resources from the networks of damaged companies were rapidly mobilized and deployed, enabling rapid restoration of production. It uses the concepts of social capital and sensemaking to explain the speed of recovery. Social capital facilitated rapid mobilization, and strategies to build shared mental models permitted effective coordination under complex and rapidly evolving conditions. The ability to mobilize and focus resources is crucial to disaster recovery.

Disaster Recovery and Community Renewal: Housing Approaches

Abstract: How we understand and measure success in disaster recovery establishes the policy platform for how governments prepare for future events. In the past two decades, observers have recognized that the return to pre-event conditions is often unworkable-not only because the pre-event conditions were hazardous, but also because the disaster has created a new normal, requiring new ways of thinking and planning. Disaster recovery means more than restoring physical infrastructure and reconstructing housing and commercial buildings. Recovery is now linked to the concepts of resilience and community renewal, with social, economic, institutional, infrastructural, ecological, and community dimensions. Recent research has helped to identify the linkages among several factors: the welfare of individuals; the welfare of households; business and civic recovery; and the importance of health, education, housing, employment, and environmental conditions in recovery. The capacity for renewal, reorganization, and development is critical for ultimately going beyond recovery to community resilience. The range of approaches to the recovery process after recent earthquakes in Chile, China, Haiti, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, and other countries offers insights into successful policies and challenges to integrating housing and recovery at the human and civic levels.IntroductionJobs and housing are often cited as the key elements of disaster recovery. Individuals and communities struck by an earthquake, hurricane, or other calamity cannot "return to normal" unless people have means of supporting themselves and places to live. For residents and for the community as a whole, however, normalcy also requires that community services such as roads, bridges, and the utility infrastructure be functional; schools, health care, and social services be available; and banks, businesses, and governments be functioning. The way recovery is defined, the way it is financed, and the metrics used to evaluate its success or failure are critical to the kinds of assistance policies governments devise.The concept of disaster resilience can be defined simply as the capacity to rebound from future disasters. Several efforts are under way in the United States and globally among researchers and policymakers to develop the means of measuring and monitoring community resilience. Although no single model can quantify disaster resilience, the growing consensus is that resilience is a multifaceted concept, with social, economic, institutional, infrastructural, ecological, and community dimensions (NRC, 2010; Peacock et al., 2008). Several sets of resilience indicators or attributes can serve as baselines for measuring recovery progress and outcomes after a disaster event (Bruneau et al., 2003; CARRI, 2009; Cutter, Burton, and Emrich, 2010; Miles and Chang, 2006; Norris et al., 2008; Twigg, 2009). Community functions such as infrastructure, housing, economic viability, and social conditions are typically listed as performance indicators. This excellent work on resilience has advanced understanding of the multifaceted components of recovery and provided metrics for measurement, but there is a need to translate academic concepts into programs to help people in affected communities and local governments and to redefine policies in agencies at the national government level.Theory, unfortunately, is way ahead of practice. Even with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMAs) development of the National Disaster Recovery Framework, several problems make implementing forward-thinking ideas on resilience and recovery problematic.1. Lack of preparedness for recovery. With the exception of a few cities in Japan and California, most jurisdictions and most individuals are not prepared for any major disaster or national emergency. Not only are individuals unprepared, communities are largely uninsured and have unrealistic expectations that government will make them whole. …

Social Capital, Community Resilience, and Faith-Based Organizations in Disaster Recovery: A Case Study of Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church

Abstract: Because governmental structures put in place to mitigate disaster risks and aid communities in the disaster recovery process have, at times, proven to be inadequate, reliance on other types of organizations is necessary for some communities to survive. Although there are a number of different actors that played a role in the reestablishment of communities within New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina took place, the Mary Queen of Vietnam (MQVN) Catholic Church is a prime example of how a community-based organization stepped in to address the needs of its community. This article examines how MQVN garnered social capital within its surrounding community to pursue successful community development in the absence of and opposition to governmental support and political resistance. This article will first review the government failure and decrease in civic trust that fostered a robust third-sector response in disaster recovery and redevelopment. Then, using social capital theory, the article supports the notion that civic distrust and confidence is derived from government and institutional performance, rather than increasing individualism or declining social trust. Finally, implications for federal disaster policy and third-sector disaster interventions are proposed. In August of 2005, Hurricane Katina struck the Gulf Coast, flooding 80 percent of the City of New Orleans (Associated Press, 2005). Until Superstorm Sandy, this disaster was seen as the most destructive natural disaster to impact the United States in recorded history. The disaster illustrated the social vulnerability of urban populations living in hazard prone regions, serving as a vivid reminder to developed nations that regardless of a nation’s level of development, their communities are still vulnerable to severe natural phenomena. Moreover, the disaster illustrated that a community’s vulnerability to disasters was not only a product of the built environment’s varying resistance to disasters and a community’s physical proximity to hazards, but also a byproduct of social dynamics that contribute to the vulnerability of populations (Cutter et al., 2008; Miller & Rivera, 2008). The subsequent effects of these social dynamics, when placed under the pressure of a severe natural disaster, illustrates to both the directly affected communities and the rest of the nation, that organizational,

The role of social capital and public policy in disaster recovery: A case study of Tamil Nadu State, India

Abstract: The objective of this research is to determine what important roles are played by social capital in the implementation of recovery policies for areas affected by disasters. We will compare two districts in India where tsunami recovery has either failed or been successful. In 2004, the Sumatra Tsunami in the Indian Ocean killed more than 14,000 people and left 50,000 people homeless. Regardless of the cultural background or ethnicity of victims, disaster recovery greatly depends on social capital. This research included a questionnaire survey administered to people in two tsunami-affected districts and compared the types of social capital that can be associated with disaster recovery. The result is that the style of each community prior to the disaster and the presence of a strong village leader are both crucial for the successful implementation of a recovery program. We believe that social capital significantly affects successful policy implementation, which will lead people to utilize government resources for disaster recovery.

A non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm for the location and districting planning of earthquake shelters

Abstract: The improvement of emergency coping capacity is one of the most efficient measures for mitigating disaster impact. Shelter planning is an important strategy to reduce the number of casualties and injuries and facilitate disaster recovery. This study aims to address earthquake shelter location selection and the districting planning of service areas jointly. A bi-objective model is proposed to minimise the total evacuation distance and the total cost, subject to capacity and contiguity constraints. A non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is developed to tackle the bi-objective model, which involves a multitude of decision variables. To fit the model, the chromosome structure, initialisation process and genetic operators in the algorithm are specifically designed to maintain the contiguity of the service area. And a hybrid strategy of bidirectional multi-point crossover and bidirectional single-point crossover helps promote the diversity of the solutions and accelerate the convergence. Moreover, the Pareto...

Nontraditional Participation in Disaster Recovery Planning: Cases From China, India, and the United States

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findings: Stakeholder participation facilitates efficient identification of recovery needs, dynamic exchange of information, and consolidation of diverse perspective

Time-varying disaster recovery model for interdependent economic systems using hybrid input–output and event tree analysis

Abstract: Disasters damage physical infrastructure systems, disrupt the movement of people and commodities, and cause significant economic losses. This paper develops an I–O model extension using an event tree analysis to assess the propagation of disaster effects across interdependent economic sectors using the inoperability and economic loss metrics. Inoperability, a dimensionless index that ranges between 0 and 1, indicates the extent to which a sector's production deviates below its normal state. On the other hand, economic loss is the monetary worth of the drop in output incurred in each sector of the economy due to the disaster. The new dynamic I–O extension is capable of adjusting the inoperability parameters within the disaster timeline to reflect events that can either degrade or enhance the predicted paths of sector recovery. It was implemented to the Nashville region – a metropolitan area in the USA known for its vibrant music and the tourism industry. The Nashville region is frequently hit by natural di...

On-the-fly establishment of multihop wireless access networks for disaster recovery

Abstract: This article proposes a novel approach to onthe- fly establishment of multihop wireless access networks (OEMAN) for disaster response. OEMAN extends Internet connectivity from surviving access points to disaster victims using their own mobile devices. OEMAN is set up on demand using wireless virtualization to create virtual access points on mobile devices. Virtual access points greedily form a tree-based topology, configured automatically for naming and addressing, which is then used to provide multihop wireless Internet access to users. Ordinary users can easily connect to the Internet through OEMAN as if they are connected through conventional access points. After connecting, users naturally contribute to the network extension, realizing the self-supporting capability of a disaster's local communities. The proposed scheme establishes a wireless access network quickly, which is essential in emergency relief situations. Furthermore, OEMAN is transparent to users and cost effective as it does not require additional hardware. Experimental evaluations on top of our preliminary prototype over Windows-based laptops confirm OEMAN's feasibility and its effectiveness for multihop paths of up to seven hops, and standard Internet services such as audio and video streaming.

A Proposed Disaster Literacy Model

Abstract: Although numerous government, nonprofit, and relief organizations have endeavored to educate and prepare the American public for disasters, adults with physical, mental, and educational disabilities remain among the most vulnerable and least prepared subgroups of the population. The lack of alignment between the literacy demands of existing disaster preparedness and recovery materials and the literacy skills of many vulnerable subgroups limits their ability to understand and effectively use potentially life-saving information. We review the literature on literacy and vulnerable populations, propose a new model for disaster literacy, and describe opportunities for incorporating best practices into planning and preparedness activities. Disaster literacy is defined here as an individual's ability to read, understand, and use information to make informed decisions and follow instructions in the context of mitigating, preparing, responding, and recovering from a disaster. Recommendations are made for developing and evaluating disaster communication materials for vulnerable populations. To meet and improve the disaster literacy of vulnerable populations we suggest pilot-testing and evaluation be routinely used to inform selection of media type, message, and point of contact.

Validating indicators of disaster recovery with qualitative research.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION Recovery from disasters is a critical function of federal, state, and local governments, yet measurable, validated indicators of community recovery remain unidentified. A list of potential recovery indicators was developed by the authors through a literature review, recovery plan review, and case study of two disaster impacted communities. METHODS To validate the indicators, qualitative data was collected from experts on disaster recovery. Twenty-one key informant interviews and two focus groups were conducted between January and April of 2014 to solicit feedback from disaster recovery practitioners and academics. RESULTS Five major themes emerged from the qualitative data. These included: the flexibility of the indicators to serve multiple purposes for communities and individuals both pre- and post- disaster; the focus areas are comprehensive, but content and organization can be improved; the importance of seeing the indicators as a self-assessment, rather than a tool for comparing communities; the potential challenges of collecting data for some indicators; and the identification of potential measurement issues with the indicators. DISCUSSION The proposed recovery indicators can be utilized by both practitioners and researchers to effectively track post-disaster recovery. They capture many of the complexities of community disaster recovery and provide potential opportunities for linkages to the development of disaster recovery plans and other activities that could increase community resilience in the future.

Urban Disaster Recovery in Christchurch: The Central Business District Cordon and Other Critical Decisions

Abstract: The Canterbury earthquakes, which involved widespread damage in the February 2011 event and ongoing aftershocks near the Christchurch central business district (CBD), presented decision makers with

Network design requirements for disaster resilience in IaaS clouds

Abstract: Many corporations rely on disaster recovery schemes to keep their computing and network services running after unexpected situations, such as natural disasters and attacks. As corporations migrate their infrastructure to the cloud using the infrastructure as a service model, cloud providers need to offer disaster-resilient services. This article provides guidelines to design a data center network infrastructure to support a disaster-resilient infrastructure as a service cloud. These guidelines describe design requirements, such as the time to recover from disasters, and allow the identification of important domains that deserve further research efforts, such as the choice of data center site locations and disaster-resilient virtual machine placement.

The Theory and Practice of Building Back Better

Abstract: Planners have a critical role in recovery. Places struck by disaster—including municipal governments, neighborhoods, and business districts—look to planners to develop plans and policies to facilit...

The Evolution of the Federal Role in Supporting Community Recovery After U.S. Disasters

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findings: The process of long-term recovery, if done well, can minimize post-disaster disruption, address problems that existed before the disaster struck, and impro...

The capacity for self-governance and post-disaster resiliency

Abstract: A community’s capacity for self-governance depends on the social coordination capacity of community organizations and associations, the ability of community members to effectively access both bonding and bridging social capital, the ability of community members to leverage their shared histories and perspectives, and the stability of social networks within the community. Both Elinor Ostrom and Jane Jacobs have explored how a community’s capacity for self-governance affects its ability to solve complex problems (for example, dealing with crime, the provision of public goods, or problems of neighborhood blight). The greater a community’s capacity for self-governance the better able it is to deal with these complex challenges. This paper examines how pre-disaster systems of self-governance aid in post-disaster community recovery. Our analysis focuses on the Mary Queen of Vietnam (MQVN) community and Gentilly, examines the effectiveness of their systems of self-governance prior to Hurricane Katrina and explores the role these systems played in promoting community recovery after the disaster.

Opportunities and Challenges for Public Libraries to Enhance Community Resilience

Abstract: This study bridges a gap between public library and emergency management policy versus practice by examining the role of public libraries in the community resource network for disaster recovery. Specifically, this study identifies the opportunities and challenges for public libraries to fulfill their role as a FEMA-designated essential community organization and enhance community resilience. The results indicate there are several opportunities for libraries to enhance community resilience by offering technology resources and assistance; providing office, meeting, and community living room space; serving as the last redundant communication channel and a repository for community information and disaster narratives; and adapting or expanding services already offered to meet the changing needs of the community. However, libraries also face challenges in enhancing community resilience, including the temptation to overcommit library capacity and staff capability beyond the library mission and a lack of long-term disaster plans and collaboration with emergency managers and government officials. Implications for library and emergency management practice and crisis research are discussed.

Quantitatively Representing Nonlinear Disaster Recovery

Abstract: This article provides a new technique for quantitatively characterizing the progress of recovery operations in the aftermath of a disaster event. The approach extends previous research on measuring dynamic, or adaptive, disaster resilience by developing a robust approach for characterizing nonlinear disaster recovery. In doing so, it enables a more accurate mathematical representation of di?erent categories of recovery behavior and provides support for a much broader application of existing theory. Because the new approach inherits the ability to compare the relative behavior of multiple scenarios simultaneously, it also can serve as the basis for analytically comparing the expected performance of different plans for recovery operations. Practical application of the technique is demonstrated and discussed in the context of recovering electrical power after Hurricane Sandy struck the New York metropolitan area.

Disaster recovery in cloud computing: a survey

Abstract: Disaster recovery is a persistent problem in IT platforms. This problem is more crucial in cloud computing, because Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) have to provide the services to their customers even if the data center is down, due to a disaster. In the past few years, researchers have shown interest to disaster recovery using cloud computing, and a considerable amount of literature has been published in this area. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of precise survey for detailed analysis of cloud-based disaster recovery. To fill this gap, this paper provides an extensive survey of disaster recovery concepts and research in the cloud environments. We present different taxonomy of disaster recovery mechanisms, main challenges and proposed solutions. We also describe the cloud-based disaster recovery platforms and identify open issues related to disaster recovery.

Classroom responses of New Zealand school teachers following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake

Abstract: Following a damaging magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand on February 22, 2011, an unprecedented number of displaced school children were enrolled temporarily or permanently in new schools throughout New Zealand. This study utilized accounts from primary school teachers in New Zealand, derived from focus groups scheduled in March and April 2011 for an evaluation of a disaster preparedness teaching resource, to examine how these disasters impacted individuals and schools outside of Christchurch. The educators’ focus group accounts provide an illustration of classroom responses including providing emotional support to displaced children, informal classroom discussions, curricular responses, addressing disaster rumors, and information seeking through peers. Some recommendations are provided on ways to support teachers’ important roles in disaster recovery, including targeting evidence-based guidance and teaching resources to schools enrolling displaced children, dispelling disaster rumors through schools and facilitating peer mentoring among teachers. An overarching lesson is that communities would benefit from teachers being better equipped to provide emotional support and responsive disaster education to children after disasters.

The Sky's the Limit: Key Technology and Market Trends in Satellite Communications

Abstract: The growth of demand for broadband has been seen in satellite communications as it has in other aspects of the market. Satellites carry media content around the globe, which includes satellite television, radio, and broadband services directly to consumers. Satellite communications also allows for mobile or nomadic voice and data globally. They are also critical to disaster recovery and emergency preparedness, providing critical communications following natural disasters. While the sole application of some satellites is the distribution of data, all satellites require communication systems technology. For example, remote sensing satellites may be collecting environmental data, but the data collected and the command and control of the satellite both rely on communication technology. If large amounts of data is being collected, broadband data links are required to avoid loss of data since on-board storage capacity for this data is limited.

Recovery and resettlement following the 2011 flash flooding in the Lockyer Valley

Abstract: The Lockyer Valley region in southeast Queensland, Australia experienced extreme flash flooding in January 2011 that resulted in the loss of 19 lives including 12 in the township of Grantham. In order to reduce future risks, the Lockyer Valley Regional Council (LVRC) immediately committed to an innovative community resettlement project, despite an environment of political resistance and bureaucratic turmoil. From a local government perspective, this paper provides an overview and examination of the unique disaster recovery and resettlement process undertaken by the LVRC. A mixed methods approach was used to assess the resettlement project in terms of political, cultural, social and financial factors that act to sustain and improve people׳s lives and livelihoods. Methods included field observations, documentary analysis, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with key LVRC officers. Integrating the interview data sets and a variety of source materials, this paper assesses the early-stage outcomes of the resettlement and recovery process in Grantham and discusses the challenges and issues identified in the process so far. The paper addresses the significance of collaboration between all sectors involved including community members; governments; and land-use planning and emergency management practitioners. This research highlights the importance of community participation and the need for ongoing assessments in the resettlement and recovery process.