Integrating Mitigation And Land Use Planning With Emergency Management – A Case Study From Samoa (August 2006)

Graeme Roberts (Beca International Ltd, PO Box 6345, Auckland.)
Michele Daly (Kestrel Group Ltd, PO Box 911 174, Auckland.)
Filomena Nelson (Ministry of Natural Resources Environment and Meteorology, Government of Samoa, Private Bag, Apia, Samoa.)

Abstract

Samoa is an independent island nation in the Pacific. Its geographic location, climate and coastal development make it vulnerable to coastal hazards such as cyclones, tsunami and storm surges. It also faces many other natural and non-natural hazards. A World Bank funded project currently in progress seeks to reduce the vulnerability of Samoa’s village communities and physical infrastructure to natural hazards and strengthen Samoa’s institutional and community capability to manage disasters.

The project identifies vulnerable community infrastructure (churches, roads, buildings etc) and through an intensive village level community consultation process identifies practical mitigation solutions. There is a strong focus on hazard avoidance through better integration of environmental management, land use planning and emergency management.

This approach has also been extended to incorporate community preparedness measures into a comprehensive village infrastructure management and disaster response plan. In a parallel process, community development agencies, government ministries, first responders and utilities have been working together to develop a national disaster management structure for Samoa, which includes legislation, a National Disaster Management Plan, consistent and integrated agency response plans, and involvement in simulations. A key focus of the project has also been on increasing the capability of the National Disaster Management Office, including the establishment of a functioning emergency operations centre, and an emergency communication network.

The presentation will describe how infrastructure mitigation, environmental management and landuse planning has been integrated at the community level with practical disaster management actions and looks at what conditions are in place that have made this approach successful. The presentation will also look at future implementation challenges and opportunities facing Samoa and look at whether aspects of the approach taken in Samoa can be applied in the New Zealand context.