Geographically Bangladesh is located close to the boundary of two active plates: the Indian plate in the west and the Eurasian plate in the east and north. As a result the country is always under a potential threat of earthquake of any magnitude at any time, which might cause catastrophic devastation in less than a minute. In the seismic zoning map of Bangladesh, Chittagong region has been shown under Zone II with basic seismic coefficient of 0.05, but recent repeated jerk around this region indicate the possibilities of potential threat of even much higher intensity than projected. According to GSHAP data, Bangladesh lies in a region with low to high seismic hazard that increases in the northern and eastern parts of the country. Historically, earthquakes in the M6.0-7.0 range have been experienced in Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions while events in the M5.0-6.0 range have been experienced in Khulna and Rajshahi divisions. Significant earthquake hazard exists for the urban canters like Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet.
BDRCS Earthquake Preparedness and Response Programme initiated in the year of 2005 with the financial support of Grameen Phone Company. Later financial support followed by DFID, Hong Kong Red Cross and IFRC till 2009. Indicial stage programme carried out only in earthquake awareness campaign among vulnerable communities and First Aid response only. Later on programme enhanced to light search and rescue by Unit Disaster Response Team (UDRT) and Community Disaster Response Team (CDRT).
BDRCS EPRP gradually linked with GoB DMB national contingency framework. As a result of it BDRCS now included with Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) Program for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER) stage 3. PEER is funding by USAID and implementing by National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET), ADPC and Supplement by American Red Cross. Meanwhile BDRCS EPRP In-charge and BDRCS DM Coordinator were attended the Community Action for Disaster Response Curriculum Review Workshop (CADRE) at Bangkok. CADRE will start within BDRCS DM framework from 2010.
Objective:
01. Mobilizing the UDRT and community volunteers in the selected high risk ward induction process and training.
02. School and college level programme to improve preparedness in selected schools in the ward.
03. Public awareness programme at community levels to enhance household level preparedness.
04. Identification of locations and pre-positioning of emergency response kits.
05. Programme support, monitoring, supervisor and management.
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(BDRCS)