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Organization Profile

Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) has contributed to the advancement of disaster risk management practice and promotion of the culture of safety in different thematic areas in Asia. During the last 20 years, in addition to capacity building initiatives, ADPC has implemented programs and projects at national and regional level under various thematic areas.

Urban risk reduction is also increasingly being recognized as an integral part of development process and governance rather than the traditional relief, response and rehabilitation interventions. ADPC with the support of several Donors has carried out pioneering work in the field of Urban Risk Management and was the first Regional organization in Asia to develop and implement programs in the thematic area of ‘Urban Disaster Risk management’. One of the significant successes was the implementation of Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) funded by USAID/OFDA in 10 countries in Asia during the period 1995-2005. At Present ADPC implements many regional Programs covering the thematic area of ‘Urban Disaster Risk management’

Project Background

Myanmar is vulnerable to frequent and intense natural hazards. Earthquake is a major potential hazard to reckon with, as the country is located on an active seismic belt and the exponential urbanization trend over the past decade with general disregard of earthquake-resistant measures in building construction is the cause of ever-increasing earthquake risk. Any potential Earthquake events in Myanmar can also create lot of devastating in neighboring countries such as Thailand, Bangladesh.

The escalation of the political events and the resulting internal problems over the last decade have increased vulnerability and risk with deterioration of restricted access and poor information flow. Despite its vulnerability there are no larger attempts on records to carry out seismic risk assessment studies in the country for screening the seismic hazard level and vulnerabilities at the district, city, and national levels and this is an effort to carry out an up-to-date study quantifying the country’s seismic risks in terms of potential economic losses.

The intended Seismic Hazard Risk Assessment builds upon previous work to present an analysis of country’s earthquake disaster risks, identify exposures and vulnerabilities at a sub-national scale, map high-risk geographic regions of the country.

The scope of the assignment will be mainly a desk study based on Secondary data and include:
- Collecting and analyzing past seismic monitoring data and existing reports on the historical losses due to past earthquake events.
- Mapping the seismic hazard sources, vulnerabilities and risks due to potential earthquakes
- Mapping the probable secondary hazards, vulnerabilities and risks
- Detailing out physical exposures to earthquakes, and other collateral hazards using the GIS database
- Analyzing and quantifying the projected losses in the absence of mitigation investments;

The assignment shall be executed by ADPC with the assistance of other relevant external experts having substantial experience in undertaking this type of study. ADPC has done a Hazard profile for Myanmar as a part of on-going assistance on development of Myanmar Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction. The proposed study shall be carried out in consultation with Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief & Resettlement, National Commission of Environment Affairs, Science and Technology, Ministry of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ Affairs, etc. The Myanmar Earthquake Engineering Society(MEES) is a non-government professional body with whom ADPC has already establishes partnership an signed MOU, will expected to provide technical assistance for project implementation. The findings of this project would create the basis for incorporating appropriate earthquake risk-reduction strategies and prioritizing them into the country’s development planning. MEES will use the findings to create much needed awareness and building the capacity of stakeholders to undertake mitigation actions.

Job Purpose

The Engineering Geologist will function directly under the Director, Urban Disaster Risk Management, and will be responsible for the design and supervision of the activities related to Seismic hazard and vulnerability mapping

Required Qualifications

- Masters degree in a field related to Earthquake Engineering, Seismology, Structural Engineering, Engineering Geology/Geo-technical Engineering or an equivalent field. PhD or any other postgraduate degree in a related field will be an added qualification.
- Technical Skills in understanding Earthquake Hazard/Vulnerability/Risk assessment, Earthquake Scenario Assessment, Geo-technical assessment of sub-surface formations
- Technical competence in one or more areas such as interpretation of surface fault maps, geomorphologic maps, seismic intensity maps, liquefaction susceptibility maps, landslides hazard zonation maps etc,
- More than Ten years of relevant experience, of which at least five years must be in a project of similar nature
- Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, team-oriented work style, interest and experience in working in a multi-cultural environment
- Willingness and ability to travel under sometimes adverse conditions
- Preference will be given to Asian citizens

Duties and Responsibilities

The main objective of this assignment under the Project is to provide resource inputs and assistance to project team through:
- Study on previous reports on geo-tectonic, engineering geological, geo-technical studies
- Study previous fault mapping results and identification of potential seismic sources within and outside the
- Obtain data on past earthquake records/earthquake catalogue for Myanmar
- Analyzing ground motion characteristics of bed rock
- Design and supervision of investigations/field studies planned under the project
- Liaise with the local universities, Geological survey department and other relevant institutions in order to collect data
- Facilitate development of various kind of maps such as engineering geological maps required for Seismic Hazard assessment
- Evaluation of landslide susceptibility /liquefaction potential and occurrence of other secondary hazards
- Provide resource inputs in material development for training programs under Training, Awareness creation and advocacy