For a time, the event provoked memories of the devastating April 2014 floods in the Solomon Islands capital, population 85,000 people.

That disaster caused 22 deaths and more than $100 million in direct economic losses, approximately 10% of national GDP. 10,000 people were displaced after the Mataniko River burst its banks.

The Honiara City Disaster Committee convened in the same room where, the previous day, 30 senior officials and representatives from the municipality, national ministries and various other groups had met to assess the level of urban resilience.

The forum used UNISDR’s Disaster Resilience Scorecard to begin rating the status of risk reduction in 10 essential areas.

Honiara is one of 20 cities taking part in a UNISDR programme to support municipalities to develop and implement disaster risk reduction action plans. The work in the Solomon Islands is being supported by ICLEI, the Local Governments for Sustainability network.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 highlights the critical importance of such resilience planning. Local and national DRR strategies are a key enabler for cities and countries to reduce disaster losses and risk. The Sendai Framework sets achieving this target (e) by 2020 as its most immediate deadline.

The Making Cities Resilient DRR Action Planning programme is supported by the European Commission. The other 19 cities taking part are: Kampala, Uganda; Dire-Dawa, Ethiopia; Kisumu, Kenya; Yaounde, Cameroon; Praia, Cabo Verde; Khartoum, Sudan; Ismaliya Governorate, Egypt; Nablus, State of Palestine; Nouakchott, Mauritania; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; Kathmandu City, Nepal; Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh; Cilacap Regency, Indonesia; Mawlamyine, Myanmar; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Guayaquil, Ecuador; San Juan de Lurigancho, Peru; Guatemala City, Guatemala; and Santo Domingo Esto, Dominican Republic.

Date:

2 Mar 2018

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - Regional Office for Asia and Pacific (UNISDR AP)

Themes:

Urban Risk & Planning

Hazards:

Flood

Countries:

Solomon Islands