RESEARCH

One of the mandates of the SAARC Disaster Management Center is to conduct research and document the disasters of the region. The Centre documents the disaster events of the region on a regular basis and publishes weekly, quarterly and annual reports on disaster in the region. Besides the centre conducts research on different aspects of disaster risk management in the region.

 Completed Research Studies:

1. Documentation of Indigenous Knowledge and Coping Mechanism of Different Communities Living in Multi-Hazard Zones of South Asia - based on case studies in India, Nepal and Srilanka

2. Review of the Seismic Vulnerability of the Himalayan- Hindukush Belt vis-a-vis the Regional Active Fault Zones.

3. Documentation of Best Practices on Community Based Disaster Risk Management in South Asia.
4. Documentation of Templates for the preparation of Coastal and Marine Risk Mitigation Plan.
5. Digitized Vulnerability Atlas of South Asia Integrating Spatial Data on Physical, Demographic and Socio-Economic Features of different regions of each country. The Vulnerability Atlas of South Asia shall be prepared on a GIS platform using latest remote sensing data showing geo-physical and climatic hazard zone classification on a specific scale and integrating available census data on demography, socio-economic conditions, housing types etc.

Ongoing Research Projects:

1. Feasibility study for development of landslide early warning system using precipitation threshold and numerical weather prediction models.

2. Directory of Government, Private, Non Governmental and other organizations and individuals working on Various Aspects of Disaster Management in South Asia. It was noted that the Directory should be finalized in consultation with nodal points of member states.

3. Template of a First Cut Micro-zonation Study of Urban Areas of South Asia
4. Rapid Visual Screening of the Vulnerability of School and Hospital Buildings in South Asia.
5. Regional Seismic Attenuation Model of South Asia.
6. Development of Regional Protocol on Early Warning of Tsunami and Cyclone in South Asia.
7. Documentation of Traditional Knowledge available with SAARC Region for Earthquake Risk Mitigation
8. Development of Compendium on lessons learned and best practices of Climate Change Adaptability
9. District Level Emergency Plans for Drought for SAARC Member States

Networking Projects:

The SAARC Disaster Management Centre is implementing an ambitious project on South Asia Disaster Knowledge Network (SADKN) which would interlock a large number of government and non-government organizations working for the creation, dissemination and use of knowledge on different aspects of disaster management in South Asia.

SADKN will develop a Network of Network on Disaster Management in the region. The project was launched on 9th May 2011 at Geneva at Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction www.saarc-sadkn.org