1. ICTs for Disaster Response and Recovery Chanuka Wattegama LIRNEasia (former) United Nations Development Program (UNDP) (former) ICT Agency, Sri Lanka Note: The opinions expressed in the presentation are author’s own and may not reflect those of any organization he is/was affiliated to. World Bank Organised Seminar on Disaster Risk Management in the Information Age Washington DC,Oct. 8-9, 2008

2. This presentation: Focus: 1.ICTs for Hazard/Disaster Response 2.ICTs for Disaster Recovery Showcase: 1.Sahana: A FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) based Disaster Management System 2.Haz-Info: LIRNEasia’s “Evaluating Last Mile Hazard Information Dissemination” project

3. A Web based portal with sub-applications built to address the common disaster coordination and collaboration problems in a disaster ICTs in Recovery

4. IT Solution –A centralized online bulletin board of victims –Be able to record all structured meta data on a victim (inc pictures and biometric data) –Indexing and Searching of all data –Finding people through cross-referencing “Please, please help me find my missing parents / child / relative” ICTs in Recovery Finding Missing People

5. The People Registry helps track and find missing, deceased, injured and displaced people and families ICTs in Recovery

6. IT Solution –A contact list of orgs and the services they provide –Reporting to ensure a balanced distribution and coverage of services and relief groups “It is all a huge mess!” “I get 1,000 packs of dry rations. Where I can send them?” “You have sent all food to zone A while people starve in Zone B” “Don’t send any more clothes; we have plenty of them. Send fresh water!” ICTs in Recovery Coordinating Relief

7. The Organization Registry helps maintain data (contact, services, region, etc) of organizations groups and volunteers working in the disaster ICTs in Recovery Coordinating Relief

8. The Request Management System tracks all requests and helps match pledges for support, aid and supplies to fulfilment ICTs in Recovery

9. The Camp Registry helps track data on all temporary shelters setup following the Disaster ICTs in Recovery

10. Sahana Deployment Tsunami in Sri Lanka – 2005 –Officially deployed and track 26,000 families NADRA, for Asian Quake in Pakistan – 2005 –Officially deployed and integrated to NADRA (Pakistan Government) to track all victims For Landslide disaster in Philippines– 2005 –Officially deployment to track all victims, orgs, camps by Government ICTs in Recovery

11. Many countries cannot afford or do not invest –Budgeting for a disaster that may or may not happen –Not a commercially lucrative product domain Such software should be a global public good –Shared global ownership through the FOSS model World IT community are keen volunteers –‘Good will’ opportunity to alleviate suffering using IT No restrictions to deploy and modify –No royalties, license costs, etc Open system => Transparent and trustworthy Better acceptance than ‘foreign’ proprietary systems Rapid integration requirements requires source –L10N and integration with existing ICT resources ICTs in Recovery Why FOSS (Free and Open Source Software)?

12. Hazard Disaster ICTs in Early Warning Systems Rapid Onset Disasters ½ hour – 6 hours  If > ½ hour disaster warning is not possible  If < 6 hours, it is a different kind of a disaster (drought, epidemic, famine) – needs diverse tools

13. Key Players  Scientific Community: Designs the hazard monitoring systems  National/Local governments: Own and operate the EWS overall; Issue warnings within countries  International Bodies: Provide financial and technical support; Facilitate cross border information sharing, provide expertise  Regional DM Institutions: Provide expertise; advise governments; facilitate networking among DM practitioners  INGOs/NGOs: Create awareness; Coordinate, Train masses  Private Sector: Implements and maintains systems  The media: Create awareness; Play a role in training; link communities to practitioners  Communities: Central to people-oriented EWS. ICTs in Early Warning Systems

14. Just ‘monitoring’ hazards will not help

15. Early Warning Systems: Solutions for the ‘elusive’ Last Mile 1. Radio and Television Advantages:Relatively widespread, Low cost, Broadcasting possible, No limits to information Challenges:No use at night, non interactive 2. Telephone (fixed and mobile) – voice mode Advantages:Relatively widespread, Low cost, No limits to information, Interactive Challenges:No broadcasting, Issues of authenticity, Don’t reach non users, Congestion

16. 3. Mobiles - SMS Advantages:Relatively widespread, Low cost, Fast, Can be sent to groups, Customisable Challenges:No use at night, no use to non users, limits to information, broadcasting not possible, language issues, congestion 4. Mobiles (Cell broadcasting) Advantages:No congestion issues, can address a large group simultaneously Challenges:Local language issues, no acknowledgements Early Warning Systems: Solutions for the ‘elusive’ Last Mile

17. 5. Satellite Radio Advantages : High reachability, broadcasts to a community, no limits to information Challenges:Costly if not widely used, Community arrangements required 6. Internet/E-Mail Advantages:Interactive, quick, multiple sources, continuous updates Challenges:Not widespread in many places, no use at night Early Warning Systems: Solutions for the ‘elusive’ Last Mile

18. 7. Amateur Radio and Community Radio Advantages:Good for rural, poor and remote communities Challenges:Not widespread, People lose interest if used only in case of disaster 8. Non ICTs (sirens, loud speakers) Advantages:Can be even used in any environment; useful even at night; good in rural setups Challenges:Maintenance of the system, Less authentic Early Warning Systems: Solutions for the ‘elusive’ Last Mile

19. Thank You! wattegama@lirne.net chanuka@gmail.com chanuka@hotmail.com