The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami on 26 December, 2004 caused massive destruction throughout the coastal region. Nevertheless, early reports showed that some damaged soils and groundwater had recovered to their pre-tsunami states within a year. Other regions, however, especially those inaccessible to relief supplies, are still struggling five years later. Some residents suffer from post-traumatic syndromes or the challenges of new livelihoods.
A social and/or ecological system's ‘resilience’ is its capacity to respond to shocks. As coastal regions in general are vulnerable to large-scale disasters such as tsunami and storms, they are often protected by sea walls and port facilities. Although these facilities are designed to provide buffers against disaster, they do not by themselves create resilient social-ecological systems. If such shock-resistant facilities fail, the damage can be catastrophic and the costs of reconstruction very high. Disaster planning in vulnerable regions therefore should not attempt to resist shocks, but to develop the resilience that allows for flexible responses to challenging conditions.
The purpose of the workshop is as follows:
| 1) |
to assess the impact of the 2004 tsunami qualitatively and quantitatively through case studies of the tsunami affected region; |
| 2) |
to consider the vulnerability and resilience of coastal regions through examination of damages sustained and processes of recovery; |
| 3) |
to identify key factors affecting recovery and consider how the region’s future resilience to disaster can be enhanced. |
