Disaster Exposure Data Collection Survey Underway in Honiara and the Provinces
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, and Meteorology (MECDM) with technical support from the Pacific Community (SPC) is currently conducting the Exposure Data Collection Survey for disaster risk management and mitigation purposes
The survey is government-led and is focus on buildings (residential, commercial, public, educational, and industrial), major infrastructure (roads, bridges, airports, ports, and utility assets) and major crops/livestock to update the Pacific Risk Information System (PacRIS).
The survey and field data collection commenced within the Honiara town boundary in early August and since then extended to the Provincial locations including East and West Guadalcanal, and Western (Gizo, Noro and Munda), Isabel (Buala), Central (Tulagi and Savo), Malaita (Auki), with Makira (Kira-Kira, Pamua and Waimapuru) and Temotu (Lata) to be the last two Provinces.
The datasets collected provide important data and information in various formats that are critical for disaster risk management and mitigation purposes and for disaster risk financing and the development of parametric insurance against natural hazards such as tropical cyclones, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
For the Solomon Islands, this dataset is the critical baseline information for NDMO during post-disaster analysis and is crucial for planning and decision making. Importantly, the datasets are crucial in building the NDMO Disaster Management Database which is a work in progress.
The field team is currently on Savo Island from today 9th to Monday 16th September, whilst the team for Temotu is expected to travel to Temotu on Tuesday 17th via Reef Islands.
The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) kindly request the Provincial Public and Private Sectors, Businesses, community leaders and elders, and the good people living in the survey area of interest to provide assistance and support the field survey teams on this very important undertaking.
-MECDM Press