Forconductingsurvey , Fabio Sai , Albrecht Weerts ... · PDF fileLydia Cumiskey1,4, Aftab Uz Zaman Khan2, Fabio Sai3, Albrecht Weerts1, Shristi Vaidya3 1 Deltares, Delft, The Netherlands

information gateway in Bang

InformationandCommunicationTechnologies(ICT)asinteractiveriskinformationgatewayinBangladesh

for more [email protected]

Lydia Cumiskey1,4, Aftab Uz Zaman Khan2, Fabio Sai3, Albrecht Weerts1, Shristi Vaidya1

1 Deltares, Delft, The Netherlands2 Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES), Bangladesh3 IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft, The Netherlands4 Middlesex University, London, The UK

P.O. Box 1772600 MH Delft The Netherlands

www.deltares.nl


LydiaCumiskey1,4,Aftab Uz Zaman Khan2,FabioSai3,AlbrechtWeerts1,ShristiVaidya3

1Deltares,Delft,The Netherlands,2 RegionalIntegratedMulti-HazardEarlyWarningSystem(RIMES),Bangladesh, 3IHEDelft Institutefor Water Education,Delft,The Netherlands,4MiddlesexUniversity,London,The UK

Bangladesh is extremely prone to flooding and having an effective early warning system (EWS) isvital for reducing potential human and economic losses. There is high demand in thecommunities in Bangladesh for local level and localized flood EWS to ensure that warnings areavailable and accessible to those at risk.

To facilitate this, Tam Tam project has made efforts to involve communities in collecting riskinformation, disseminating warnings and engage in response. For localizing the forecasts, waterlevel data were collected using mobile SMS sent from trained local volunteers. Communityvolunteers have been trained and assigned roles for dissemination of forecasts, warnings andcommunication for response. Voice message broadcasts and e-mails were used in some parts ofBangladesh to disseminate risk information to the communities during the flood events of 2014and 2015, which proved to be very successful. A mobile application and web based dashboardhave been developed to demonstrate how mobile services can be used to collect water level,other flood related information and how community input and or feedback on hazard andimpact can be utilized for disaster management.

Project outcomes

Lal estimated his savings at 75,000 BDT (965 USD). Herearranged his machinery to avoid damage after receivingthe voice message warning and validating it through thevolunteers.

Lal ChandMiah,HandLoomer,Ghorjan,Chowhali,Sirajganj

Abu saved his fish hatchery worth BDT 150,000 - 200,000BDT (1,900 – 2,500USD) from a flood. He received floodearly warning from the volunteers and he netted his pondto avoid the fish being washed away with the flood-waterresulting in huge benefit for his fish culture.

AbuSayeed,FishermanUnion:Rajapur,Upazila:Belkuchi,District:Sirajganj

Additional research was conducted as a part of Master’s thesis to determine a possibleapproach for mainstreaming an impact based forecasting and warning service inBangladesh. As a result, this research proposed and tested whether a warning messagebased on colour codes is able to suggest the perception of increasing risk. The researchfound that the colour coded warnings demonstrated to be more understandable thanthe existing bulletin issued by FFWC. Guidance information are likely to enhancepreparedness.

Warningdisseminationandcommunication

IndirectFloodEarlyWarningRecipients

DirectFloodEarlyWarningRecipients

VolunteersTrainedonDRR,EWSandCommunityBasedResponse

CommunityGaugeReadersTrained

4UDCandUSCStrengthenedandTrainedfor

EWDissemination

6

24

1300+

150,000

Improved forecasting and warning

Mobile application and dashboard development

Partners

UseofICTforearlywarninginBangladeshhasempoweredpeople,madethemcapable,resilientandincreasedtheirabilitytoprotectthemselvesratherthanbeingvulnerable.

For more information on the project, please refer to the poster titled ‘Towards impact-based flood forecasting and warning in Bangladesh: a case study at the local level inSirajganj district’

‘WelcometotheFFWCofBWDB.TodayFriday15thAugust2014.Aspertheobservationsof6AMthismorningJamuna riveratSirajgnaj isflowing30cmbelowDangerLevel.Accordingtothelatestfloodforecastwatermayrise22centimetersinGhorjan union,Chowhali upazila &29centimetersinRajapur union,Belkuchi upazila innext5days.’

Voicemessagebroadcastissuedduring2014floodevent

Capacitybuildingofcommunitypeople,digitalcentersandvolunteers

Evaluation survey post 2015 monsoon flood

• Approximately 70% received warnings• 93% trusted the information source and said that the information was accurate• Approx. 88% shared warnings and discussed actions with the community• Approx. 75% took response actions including delaying planting, making a raft,evacuating, building embankment, relocating assets/ cattle, and netting fish ponds.

• 100 households surveyed by 10volunteers

• Showed capability of the volunteersto use mobile application andcollect local data

Inundation Forecast

• For disseminating early warning andcollecting feedback on warningeffectiveness.

• For validating flood impact data by theFFWC and for local damage and needassessment during floods.

• For conducting survey

• Available in both English and Banglalanguages.

• Risk data and maps are visualized in thedashboard

Abstract Evaluation survey post 2014 monsoon flood

• The majority of recipients (80%) had a high understanding and perceived usefulness of thewarnings. Although it was evident that the level of understanding grew after they receivedthe message for the 2nd or 3rd time.

• 78% of the respondents were found to trust the warning message because they confirmedit with the volunteers and gauge readers.

• The Water level gauges helped the community helped the community to confirm themessages.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as interactive risk information gateway in Bangladesh

Evaluation survey post 2014 monsoon flood• The majority of recipients (80%) had a high understanding and perceived usefulness of the

warnings. Although it was evident that the level of understanding grew after they received the message for the 2nd or 3rd time.

• 78% of the respondents were found to trust the warning message because they confirmed it with the volunteers and gauge readers.

• The Water level gauges helped the community helped the community to confirm the messages.

• For disseminating early warning and collecting feedback on warning effectiveness.

• For validating flood impact data by the FFWC and for local damage and need assessment during floods.

• For conducting survey• Available in both English and Bangla languages.• Risk data and maps are visualized in the

dashboard

Voice message broadcast issued during 2014 flood event


‘Welcome to the FFWC of BWDB. Today Friday 15th August 2014. As per the observations of 6 AM this morning Jamuna river at Sirajgnaj is flowing 30 cm below Danger Level. According to the latest flood forecast water may rise 22 centimeters in Ghorjan union, Chowhali upazila & 29 centimeters in Rajapur union, Belkuchi upazila in next 5 days.’

Use of ICT for early warning in Bangladesh has empowered people, made them capable, resilient and increased their ability to protect themselves rather than being vulnerable.






Project outcomes












EWDissemination

6

24

1300+

150,000



Partners










Inundation Forecast










Improved forecasting and warning Inundation Forecast

Warning dissemination and communication

Capacity building of community people, digital centers and volunteers

AbstractThe immediate impacts of flooding can be estimated and calculated reasonably Bangladesh is extremely prone to flooding and having an effective early warning system (EWS) is vital for reducing potential human and economic losses. There is high demand in the communities in Bangladesh for local level and localized flood EWS to ensure that warnings are available and accessible to those at risk.

To facilitate this, Tam Tam project has made efforts to involve communities in collecting risk information, disseminating warnings and engage in response. For localizing the forecasts, water level data were collected using mobile SMS sent from trained local volunteers. Community volunteers have been trained and assigned roles for dissemination of forecasts, warnings and communication for response. Voice message broadcasts and e-mails were used in some parts of Bangladesh to disseminate risk information to the communities during the flood events of 2014 and 2015, which proved to be very successful. A mobile application and web based dashboard have been developed to demonstrate how mobile services can be used to collect water level, other flood related information and how community input and or feedback on hazard and impact can be utilized for disaster management.

Project outcomes

Lal estimated his savings at 75,000 BDT (965 USD). He rearranged his machinery to avoid damage after receiving the voice message warning and validating it through the volunteers. Lal Chand Miah, Hand Loomer, Ghorjan, Chowhali, Sirajganj

Abu saved his fish hatchery worth BDT 150,000 - 200,000 BDT (1,900 – 2,500USD) from a flood. He received flood early warning from the volunteers and he netted his pond to avoid the fish being washed away with the flood-water resulting in huge benefit for his fish culture. Abu Sayeed, Fisherman Union: Rajapur, Upazila: Belkuchi, District: Sirajganj


Indirect Flood Early Warning Recipients

Direct Flood Early Warning Recipients

Volunteers Trained on DRR, EWS and Community Based Response

Community Gauge Readers Trained

UDC and USC Strengthened and Trained for EW Dissemination

Additional research was conducted as a part of Master’s thesis to determine a possible approach for mainstreaming an impact based forecasting and warning service in Bangladesh. As a result, this research proposed and tested whether a warning message based on colour codes is able to suggest the perception of increasing risk. The research found that the colour coded warnings demonstrated to be more understandable than the existing bulletin issued by FFWC. Guidance information are likely to enhance preparedness.

For more information on the projectPlease refer to the poster titled ‘Towards impact-based flood forecasting and warning in Bangladesh: a case study at the local level in Sirajganj district’.

• 100 households surveyed by 10 volunteers

• Showed capability of the volunteers to use mobile application and collect local data

• Approximately 70% received warnings• 93% trusted the information source and said that the information was accurate• Approx. 88% shared warnings and discussed actions with the community• Approx. 75% took response actions including delaying planting, making a raft, evacuating,

building embankment, relocating assets/ cattle, and netting fish ponds.

150,0001300+

2464






Project outcomes












EWDissemination

6

24

1300+

150,000



Partners










Inundation Forecast










Documents

Forconductingsurvey , Fabio Sai , Albrecht Weerts ... · PDF fileLydia Cumiskey1,4, Aftab Uz Zaman Khan2, Fabio Sai3, Albrecht Weerts1, Shristi Vaidya3 1 Deltares, Delft, The Netherlands