Community based disaster risk management, Kundang, Malaysia
Riddled by problems of flash floods and rapid development, close to 200 villages from the local community of Kundang, Selangor, attended a full-day Disaster Risk Reduction programme organised by MERCY Malaysia. The workshop was jointly organised with the Selangor Disaster Management Unit and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Centre (UTM-DPCC), involve activities to protect communities from potential hazards, and to minimise their vulnerability to disaster risks.
Disaster Risk Management is a fairly new concept in Malaysia, although it is already a well-established industry in developed countries. The programme in Kundang involved understanding disaster risk and the importance of community involvement, especially in galvanizing assistance, existing capacities and local resources.
Workshop participants were guided on how to map out local hazards that pose risks and identify available resources around the area. The session ended with a Village Watching exercise, which resulted in the establishment of a disaster action plan and Community Disaster Risk Management Committee created by the local community.
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