Solomons maps to help in disaster risk reduction

Transcript

The Solomon Islands government hopes new computer generated maps will guide its development plans and reduce the risk of damage from disasters.

The first in a series of training sessions for staff at the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management started yesterday with support from the Pacific Risk Resilience Program.

A consultant Bryan Pitakia who is taking the satellite generated map training sessions told Koroi Hawkins the Disaster Risk Maps are a first for Solomon Islands.

BRYAN PITAKIA: Basically the maps we are working on, we are working on the different risk and hazard maps which focus more on the hazards that we normally have in the country. Like we have the risk maps related to flooding, landslides, sea-level rise, earthquakes and so forth. These are the different types of hazards that are normally experienced in the country, that we have developed in a way to help the different sectors to integrate risk, within the different developments that they are working on.

KOROI HAWKINS:  And what is the ideal outcome of this training for you as a GIS consultant? What would you like to see come out of this training?

BP: Yes, I think one of the goals that I want to see come out from this training is for the different, the ministries, they take this tool as a very important system, a very important tool that will support them in their future developments. Because as you know this country is prone to different types of disaster, different type of hazard that is faced. So my goal is to see that the ministry within the government, especially this ministry, take on board or consider this mapping tool as one of the priority for them. To use as a tool to consider different assessment and different development that are coming up. Especially to ensure that there is resilience in developments that are coming into the country or that are already in or are yet to come.

KH: And do you know if these models or these maps are being used anywhere else in the Pacific? Or if they, do you think they should be used to help other Pacific governments in their planning?

BP: Yes from my understanding similar maps have been also used in the different Pacific countries. But as for Solomon Islands and for risk mapping, like what we have developed here in the Ministry. Is, would be the very first risk and mapping tool that they have come out with such results. Sowing the different communities, the different wards, the different infrastructures that are vulnerable to different hazards and also we can use the results for future developments.