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SOPAC conducts water scoping mission in Pitcairn Island

Sunday, 27 June 2010 15:00 administrator
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SOPAC undertook a scoping mission to Pitcairn Island from the 30 May to 10 June 2010. The main purpose of this mission was to undertake assessments of water in order to address water security on the island as long term droughts are known to affect the 48-person strong population.

In the past, droughts have restricted domestic water supply which is mainly supplied by water tanks (water harvesting) and water available for irrigating crops (mostly from springs). Recently the only borehole and water springs on the island had dried up. This led to the request for solutions to improve their water supply and sanitation on the island.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 May 2011 17:13 Read more...
 

Announcement - Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management 2010

Sunday, 27 June 2010 14:47 administrator
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The Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) wishes to announce the Pacific Platform for DRM from 9th – 13th August, 2010. This years Pacific Platform for DRM is jointly organised by the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), the Pacific Sub Regional Office of the Secretariat for the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), the United Nation Development Programme Pacific Centre (UNDP PC), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), The Asia Foundation/USAID/Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (TAF/OFDA), the International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as well as the European Union (EU) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) as members of the Pacific Disaster Risk Management Partnership Network.

Last Updated on Monday, 28 June 2010 11:18 Read more...
 

Strengthening Disaster Information Management Systems

Sunday, 27 June 2010 14:39 administrator
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On Friday 18th June the SOPAC Director Dr Russell Howorth handed over 8 desktops, 8 laptops, a photocopy machine, Printer and Server to the Permanent Secretary for Provincial Development, Multi Ethnic Affairs, National Disaster Management and Sugar Mr Manasa Vaniqi in support of disaster information management in Fiji.

Present at the handover were the Commissioners for the four divisions: Central, Eastern, Northern and Western. Each division will be allocated a desktop and a laptop for use in their respective Divisional Emergency Operation Centres. A Memorandum of Agreement was also signed at the handover outlining the roles and responsibilities of SOPAC and the Ministry in support of the initiative "Strengthening Disaster Information Management Systems".

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 June 2010 14:46 Read more...
 

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Mainstreaming in Papua New Guinea

Sunday, 20 June 2010 12:46 administrator
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The second country engagement to establish a DRM Mainstreaming for PNG took place on the 3rd-14th May 2010 with representatives from SOPAC, UNDP Pacific Centre and UNDP PNG. This was a follow up mission to the first country engagement in February this year. The intention of the first mission was to scope out a process for the development and implementation of a DRM National Action Plan.

However, in the initial stages of the mission, stakeholders dispelled the prospects for the development of a comprehensive national approach to mainstreaming as would normally be undertaken through the mainstreaming exercise. The geography and population of PNG make the concept of DRM mainstreaming difficult. The need to strengthen DRM in PNG is heightened by the fact that nearly 25% of the natural disasters occurring in the Pacific between 1950-2008 were in PNG (EM-DAT1).
Last Updated on Sunday, 20 June 2010 12:50 Read more...
 

Snapshots 58: Community Risk Programme May 2010 Updates

Sunday, 20 June 2010 12:02 administrator
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Welcome to the May 2010 issue of Snapshots. This month we highlight some of the progress that we’ve made in relation to DRM mainstreaming particularly through our efforts in Papua New Guinea.
This issue will also highlight: steps being undertaken to improve water security in Nauru; the re-establishment of the Disaster Risk Management Training Advisory Committee in Fiji; the on going
discussions with the World Bank on a Pacific Catastrophe Risk Financing Initiative;
the 10th meeting of the World Bank’s GFDRR Results Management Council; the training undertaken by the Pacific DRM Training Programme of The Asia Foundation/US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, and; the on-going development of a regional exposure database jointly being implemented by SOPAC, ADB, World Bank, AIR Worldwide, GNS Science New Zealand and the Pacific Disaster Center in Hawaii. Enjoy!

Mosese Sikivou
Programme Manager - Community Risk

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 June 2010 13:52 Read more...
 
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Newsflash

Thursday 26 September 2013, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Nadi, Fiji - Eighteen disaster risk management trainers from Cook Islands, Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu are in Nadi, Fiji this week (23–27 September) attending a Training for Instructors course. The aim is to develop a stronger network of trainers to support, organise and conduct disaster risk management courses in their home countries.

The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), in collaboration with The Asia Foundation (TAF), is facilitating the training, with support from the regional Pacific Disaster Risk Management Training Programme funded by USAID and the European Union.

The course is targeted at individuals who have played an active role in disaster risk management training activities and programmes in their countries and who will be available after the course to assist with and contribute to national disaster risk management capacity development.

The participants have a range of training experience, with new trainers attending the course for the first time through to experienced trainers attending the course as a final refresher before delivering training for trainers in their home countries.

After the course, the new trainers will be provided opportunities to further build their experience and training skills through participation and co-facilitation of disaster risk management courses which include: introduction to disaster management, initial damage assessment, disaster risk reduction, evacuation centre management, emergency operations centre and exercise management.