1. Challenge of Bam Earthquake –
Role of the UN System in Recovery and Reconstruction
Kamal Kishore, RDRA, UNDP/BCPR
Public Forum on Recovery from Catastrophic Disasters
24 August 2004
UN House, Tokyo

2. Outline Earthquake Risk in Iran The Bam Earthquake
UN’s role in Response & Recovery
Challenges in Long term Recovery
Lessons & Road Map for Safer Communities

3. Earthquake Risk in Iran
High level of disaster risk
Source: Reducing Disaster Risk: A Challenge for Development, UNDP, 2003.

4. The Bam Earthquake Quick facts: 26 December 2003
6.5 on the Richter Scale
Damage:
30,000 dead,
75,000 homeless.
- 85% of buildings severely damaged or destroyed.
- 2,500 year-old historic citadel of Bam (Arg-e-Bam), an internationally known heritage site, almost completely destroyed.

5. The Bam Earthquake Damaged Arg-e-Bam
60% of deaths from natural disasters worldwide in 2003 were in Bam (OFDA/ CRED International Disaster Database)

6. UN’s role in Response & Recovery
Supported short-term relief to address urgent needs and lay foundations for long- term recovery
Conducted Rapid Needs Assessment (UNDAC)
Provided rescue and relief support to government

7. UN’s role in Response & Recovery
Launched a Flash Appeal to meet the urgent and immediate needs for the first six months after the earthquake

8. UN’s role in Response & Recovery
From Emergency Humanitarian Assistance to Reconstruction and Risk Management
U N Strategy for Support to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the Bam Earthquake: Short, medium and long term
Lessons Learned from large-scale reconstruction programmes in Japan, India and Turkey International workshop (Tehran February 2004).
From Emergency Humanitarian Assistance to Reconstruction and Risk Management
‘U N Strategy for Support to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran following the Bam Earthquake.’
Support: short (2004) + medium (2005)+ long term (2008) Focus: reconstruction+ rehabilitation + risk reduction
Lessons Learnt Workshop on National and International response to the Bam earthquake (Kerman, Iran, April 2004). 95 participants from the Government, Red Cross and Crescent Societies, UN, national and international NGOs.

9. Challenges in long-term Recovery
Setting up appropriate institutional arrangements for the management of large scale reconstruction programmes
Using recovery programme as an opportunity to enhance standards of earthquake safety in not only Bam but other vulnerable areas of Iran
The issue of site selection – where to rebuild Bam? In the same location or on another site?
Introducing building technologies that are not only earthquake resistant but also cost-effective, locally appropriate, employment generating and sustainable
link damage assessment to reconstruction support (shelter) packages for different families and for different sectors?
build allocation mechanisms, standards, and ranking priorities for different beneficiaries (severity of damage and vulnerability)?
build institutional arrangements (participative and multi-sectoral) to design and implement a large-scale reconstruction programme?
reconstruct the city of Bam in the same location or a different location (conflict between Seismic safety; Socio-economic considerations and Urban-spatial planning) ?

10. Challenges in Long term Recovery
Ensuring that the local initiative and the resources and capacities of the affected people are fully utilized
Using reconstruction as a means of revitalizing the local economy by focusing on both the pre-existing micro-enterprises and creating new livelihood options
Capturing and institutionalising the lessons learned from Bam
Developing synergies between reconstruction activities in different sectors such as health, infrastructure, public services and shelter
building technologies for reconstruction ( conflict between safety, local employment opportunities and sustainability) ?
should shelter sector reconstruction be entirely owner driven (to harness inherent capacities of the affected communities) or built by Government contractors?
how can an appropriate level of earthquake safety be assured in new building construction?
how can the corporate sector and civil society organizations be integrated in the entire reconstruction process?

11. Lessons & Road Map for Safer Communities
Translating policies into practice at the local level
Strengthening capacities on all aspects of disaster risk management at the local and intermediate levels
Building a knowledge base on existing and emerging patterns of disaster risk (good information on natural hazards alone is not enough)
Build capacities to mainstream disaster risk reduction into development processes.

12. Link disaster management at local, provincial and national levels.
Use Bam experiences and lessons to reduce risk in other vulnerable parts of Iran and the region.

13. Thank you