IOM Partners with Gadjah Mada University to Map Risks in Debris Flow Affected Riverside Communities
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Wrap-Up of ECHOFunded Merapi Emergency Response Project
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IOM Yogyakarta's DRR Team Conducts Disaster Simulations in 10 JRF Project Villages
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JRF, IOM and other Implementing Partners receive Distinguished EU Delegation in Kebon Village
Inside IOM Yogyakarta ISSUE 7
Welcome Message Johan Grundberg Head of Office IOM Yogyakarta Welcome to the 7th edition of the IOM Yogya Newsletter. This edition highlights events and developments during the months of January and February 2011, a period that was as busy as ever for the project team in Yogya. The period focussed on wrapping-up a Merapi response initiative funded by the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission (ECHO), while the still ongoing IOM-Java Reconstruction Fund Livelihoods project launched an intensive phase of training activities for a final batch of micro- and small enterprise (MSE) beneficiaries. Completion of this training phase will mark the achievement of an overall target of reaching 4,300 MSEs affected by the May 2006 earthquake. Given the importance of vulnerability reduction in a region plagued by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, floods and severe droughts, this JRF-funded project is scaling up 'resilience-building' by setting up and training community-based Disaster Response Committees and constructing riskmitigating infrastructure in a total of 10 project villages. This effort aims to protect the sustainability of communities and livelihoods assisted under the project well into the future; an approach in line with the mandate of the JRF that promotes preparedness and prevention in a country where impressive development gains are frequently set back by the onslaught of natural disasters.
Jan - Feb
2011
IOM Partners with Gadjah Mada University to Map Risks in Debris Flow Affected Riverside Communities Soon after the Merapi eruptions and population displacement in November 2010, a secondary threat emerged due to the huge volume of volcanic material emitted by the volcano. This volcanic material has been causing recurring debris flows in at least 11 villages in seven sub-districts and flooded vulnerable riverside communities. In response to this threat IOM, with funding support from the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission (ECHO), conducted participatory risk mapping activities in 15 vulnerable riverside communities along the River Code in Yogyakarta city. These activities were carried out in partnership with the Cooperation Agency of the Faculty of Engineering from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and assisted by the grass-roots organization Forum Pemerti Code and the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Forum in Yogyakarta. Dr. Trias Aditya M.Sc, the head of the Participatory Mapping and Planning Team from the Geodetics Engineering Faculty, explained that activities conducted included joint surveys on damages and impacts of the volcanic debris flows, participatory risk mapping
and planning and an up-to-date aerial survey of the River Code. This aerial survey was conducted by utilizing rapid land satellite images taken by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) along a seven kilometre stretch of the River Code. The participatory risk mapping itself was conducted by facilitating meetings and focus group discussions with the communities and by hosting a consultation workshop to discuss findings and recommendations. The workshop held in January saw
attendance of government officials and community representatives. IOM's partnership with the Gadjah Mada University aimed to establish mitigation strategies and action plans for better preparedness and response by the community to the threat of debris flows and flooding of the River Code, expected to occur periodically for potentially years to come. Page 1