Local communities stake claim in protecting disaster-prone Asia

Local communities reaction to disasters can make a significant difference in building resilience, according to Vinod Thomas, director general for independent evaluation at the Manila-based Asian Development Bank: “Decentralisation is the trend across Asia and that has led to greater efforts by local communities to organise themselves and demand resources for disaster reduction." However, government funding is slow for bottom-up initiatives, he told IPS.

Jerry Velasquez, head of the Asia-Pacific division of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) said that "Actions on the ground by local governments and local communities are huge in reducing vulnerability. Governments are steadily becoming more aware of these realities, but there are still gaps." He added that "Early warning and contingency works only if acted upon by local governments and local communities."