The Lao PDR Urban Disaster Mitigation Project (LUDMP)

Adobe ImageReady The Lao PDR Urban Disaster Mitigation Project (LUDMP) focuses on incorporating risk management and hazard mitigation into development planning of urban areas, with the city of Vientiane as the pilot. Under the direction of National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), and with the technical support of the Urban Research Institute (URI) and ADPC, the Phase I of the project focuses on fires and road accidents. The risk assessment will include both city-level activity and a pilot community hazard assessment. The Vientiane Disaster management Committee will advise and guide the risk assessment process as well as the development of an action plan at the end of the first phase. Some mitigation activities to commence in Phase I could include training in the areas covered by the project and information activities.

Phase II of the project will be implemented based on a second proposal for the implementation of the action plan developed in Phase I, and will focus on supporting specific mitigation activities. Anticipated mitigation activities include:

Development of social marketing/ public awareness activities for fire safety and road safety
Development of improved guidelines for fire loss reduction in development planning
Capacity building for the fire brigade
Training of urban planners and local government officers in urban disaster mitigation
Training of town planners in Risk Based Mitigation Planning
Development of a project website
Pilot community-based activities for loss reduction.

Replication activities are expected to integrate the risk assessment process as part of URIís development of master plans for other cities of Lao PDR. Luang Prabhang and Savannikhet are probable targets for replication.

Objectives of the LUDMP

… To reduce the disaster vulnerability of population, infrastructure and economic assets in the urban areas of Lao PDR

To establish systems for hazard assessment and disaster mitigation for the city of Vientiane and other cities and communities in Lao PDR

Project Outputs and Results

Reduce disaster vulnerability of the population of Vientiane through application of appropriate mitigation strategies

Increase capacity for hazard assessment and mitigation planning

Assess risk, set priorities, select management options and implement solutions for reducing risk and improving response to disasters

Improve capacity of the NDMO to coordinate and support risk assessment and management activities.