India: Workshop on disaster database concludes, NDMA paves way for creation of national-level disaster database

The two-day national workshop on Data Requirements for Disaster Risk Reduction Database successfully concluded here today setting the stage for creation of a national-level disaster database.

Developing this integrated database with locally obtained and validated data is crucial for tracking our risks and progress towards resilience without which India will not be able to meet its developmental goals. It will also play a vital role in implementing the Prime Minister’s 10-point agenda to address disaster risks, outlined during the Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR (AMCDRR) in November, 2016.

The workshop was organised by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).

Group presentations and discussions were held on hazards to be included in the database, data collection templates and IT platform for data entry, validation, management and analysis.

During the technical session on issues and challenges in setting up a damage and loss baseline, using data from 2005-2015, existing gaps in disaster loss data and ways to address them were discussed.

Discussions at this workshop will lead to the formation of a Steering Group to oversee the setting up of the database, and guiding trainings and capacity building for operating, maintaining, updating and using the database. The Group will also identify pilot States and draw a roadmap for implementation of the project.

Officials from NDMA and representatives of concerned Central Ministries and Departments, State Governments, UN agencies, Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs), Disaster Management Institutes and Universities participated in the workshop.