Community-based evaluation for the development of a sustainable disaster early warning system

Ashutosh Sutra Dhar, PhD; Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, PhD

doi:10.5055/jem.2012.0107

Authors

Ashutosh Sutra Dhar, PhD
Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2012.0107

Keywords:

early warning, cyclone shelter, questionnaire survey, community involvement, disaster preparedness

Abstract

Early warning plays a major role in catastrophic loss reduction during natural disasters. An early warning system should address the needs of the disasterprone community for the system to be effective and sustainable. This article presents a community-based evaluation of an existing early warning system in a disaster- prone district of Bangladesh. The evaluation is based on several questionnaire surveys carried out within the vulnerable communities in the district. A new satellite- based early warning system was also deployed around the district on a pilot basis.The challenges for the new satellite-based system are discussed based on this pilot study. The study revealed that the community level questionnaire survey could be effective for the design of a sustainable early warning system.

Author Biographies

Ashutosh Sutra Dhar, PhD

Geotechnical Engineer, Golder Associates Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, PhD

Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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