According to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030, which aims to substantially reduce disaster risk and losses, this K-HUB platform attempts to contribute to DRR’s wealth of knowledge by increasing risk awareness and disseminating lessons learned on large-scale disaster events. The K-HUB platform serves as a repository of information on major global disaster events that have stricken countries and societies worldwide. The platform processes data related to relief efforts, losses and damages assessments, and ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives. 

Based on the World’s Risk Report in 2022, countries in Asia such as the Philippines, India, and Indonesia have a higher risk of disasters. Disaster Risk Management (DRM) systems in several states, for example, Indonesia, still need improvements in addressing multihazard events like the 2018 Central Sulawesi “triple disaster” involving earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and liquefaction.  Additionally, risk awareness in these countries is still very low and the public may not fully grasp the severity of disaster risks until they experience the catastrophic aftermath, resulting in far greater losses and damages than they should be.

In the last decade, more than 2,900 disasters occurred  in the Southeast Asia region, which resulted in more than 100 million people in the ASEAN region being exposed to disaster. Moreover, in just one week, especially on week 27 in 2023, more than 30 disaster events happened in the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia alone. Floods, storms, landslides, and drought reportedly happened in several cities in those countries. Furthermore, around 75% of disasters occurring in the ASEAN and global region are mostly climate-related disasters. Indonesia itself positioned 4th in the world to become a country that is most prone to the impact of climate-related hazards after China, United States, and India.

These examples are hoped to inform the development of more effective disaster risk management strategies. In collaboration with partners in affected regions, this K-Hub platform processes data related to relief efforts, damage assessments, and ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives. The platform’s findings shed light on the impact on various public sectors, the immediate needs of displaced persons, strategies for mitigating future disasters, and the essentials of emergency response. Additionally, the platform aims to provide information for individuals and institutions involved in earthquake relief and response efforts.

References: 

AHA Centre. (2020). ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADINet). http://adinet.ahacentre.org/

AHA Centre. (2020). ARMOR 2nd Edition. https://ahacentre.org/publication/armor/

ASEAN Weekly Disaster Update Week 27 | 3 – 9 July 2023 – Indonesia. (2023, July 10). ReliefWeb. https://reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/asean-weekly-disaster-update-week-27-3-9-july-2023

Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana. (2023). IRBI Indeks Risiko Bencana Indonesia Tahun 2022. Volume 01, Nomor 01, Januari 2023. ISSN 2985-6922.

Disaster Information Management – AHA Centre. (2020, November 19). AHA Centre. https://ahacentre.org/disaster-information-management/

Ruhr University Bochum – Institute for International Law of Peace and Conflict. (2022). World Risk Report 2022. https://weltrisikobericht.de/weltrisikobericht-2022-e.