The National Disaster Management Office is supporting the collection of data for a joint World Bank - ADB initiative on Risk Exposure Databases and Risk Modeling for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation.
The initiative aims to measure vulnerability and risk from earthquake and cyclone hazards in Pacific Island Countries.
A team from the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) based in Fiji, the Geological and Nuclear Sciences Institute (GNS) from New Zealand and local counterparts will be collecting infrastructure and building data in Suva, Nausori, Lami, Nadi and Lautoka from July 12th to August 6th.
During the field work the team will be assessing residential, commercial and public services buildings as well as major infrastructure currently in use or being developed.
The initiative will also consolidate other information such as population, agriculture, forestry and more.
The Pacific Risk Exposure Database being developed can be used to improve local and regional decision-making processes for development planning and disaster preparedness and response.