Hilton HERNANDO1, Olaf NEUSSNER2 1Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA); 2Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Germany, Federal Republic of

1. Local flood early warning with low-
tech approaches and community
involvement for small river basins in
the Philippines
Hilton Hernando
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
Olaf Neussner
Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
28 August 2012, Davos, Switzerland
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2. The Philippine Flood Disaster Scene:
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3. Monitored / reported floods in the Philippines (1994-2006)
PRFFWC ®
Cagayan RB – 49
Ilocos Reg incldg
Agno RB – 84
Bicol Region incldg
Bicol RB – 63
Pampanga RB – 43
Eastern Visayas
Area – 118
Southern Tagalog Reg. – 26
Mindanao Area – 47
430 Flood
events!!
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4. Only 4 major river
basins with telemetered
FFWS in the country.
…and recently in Metro
Manila
For other basin / watershed areas:
LFEWS (or CBFEWS) is the best and preferred
alternative.
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5. Binahaan Flood Early Warning System
Data
fro mR
ain
ve
r /Ri
Ri ve
aa
n r Ga
ah
Bi
n
P trana
as Warn ug
ing es
Wa rnin to
M in
Dagami
g to M
un ic un Tin
i pal ic gi
ity ip
al
it y
b
Wa rning to
Ba ranga y
Flood-prone
Area
Binahaan
Watershed
Ev ning t o Bar
ac War an
g
Warning to Munic
ua
tio
ipa
a
y
n
lity
Palo
ip al ity
a ti on
M un ic
g to
E va cu
1. Data gathering rni n
Wa
2. Warning to municipalities
3. Warning to villages Operation
4. Warning to households Center
5. Evacuation Tanauan
Hilton Hernando, Olaf Neussner
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6. Risk Knowledge
Community-based
mapping
• familiarity with hazard events
(e.g. floods).
• Location of households
and other assets
• GIS
overlaid with other
(scientific and topographic)
maps.
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7. Monitoring and Warning
- Tipping bucket rain gauge
(solar panel, radio link)
- Water level gauge read by
volunteer observers
- Community volunteer with
display of rain sensor on the
roof
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8. Monitoring and Warning
Flood Warning Levels
Flood is inevitable
High probability of flood within some hours
Flood coming any time
?
Condition (Binahaan River)
WL >= 1.5m @ LMWD, WL >= 2.5m @ LMWD
WL >= 2.0m @ LMWD
or RG >= Flood passed San Benito
Flood will be at San
80mm/3h @ LMWD. Bridge and will reach other
Benito Bridge in <5 hrs barangays any time.
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9. Communication &
Dissemination
Who needs to do what at the three warning levels?
MDRRMO
(Operation Centre)
Radio, telephone (landline,
mobile)
Barangay Dev. Council
(DRRM Committee)
Bells, megaphones,
SMS, message
Households
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10. Communication &
Dissemination
Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction & Mgt. Office (MDRRMO)
• Warn BDRRMCs in flood- • Warn BDRRMCs in flood- • Advice all BDRRCs in flood-
prone areas. advice slow prone area . Advice prone areas - Order
preparatory activities households prepare for households evacuation &
(gather children, animals evacuation: bring emergency pack for
etc.) Prepare Emergency Pack at least 5 days
• Alert MDRRMOs, SAR - go for 5 days (water and Check evacuated homes
on standby, food, cloth, etc.) Head count at evacuation
• Inform Police Secure vulnerable items in center
• Check status / access to of household • Listen to status report on
Evacuation Centers • Prepare and open loacal radio (DYMP)
• status reports on lcoal municipal evacuation
radio (DYMP) Centers (e.g. lights, water,
toilets, medicine, etc.)
• Listen to status reports on
local radioi (DYMP)
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11. Response Capability
Evacuation drills
strengthen ownership of
communities
Drill in Palo, Leyte
Drill in St. Bernard,
Southern Leyte
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12. Response Capability
Improved Evacuation Centres
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13. Response Capability
Search & Rescue Capacity Training
Strong Participation of Community Members
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14. LFEWS in action
Alert Level 3
Alert Level 2 issued
issued
Alert Level 3
Water level [m]
 Many successful warnings lifted
were issued by eight LFEWS
 Very low failure rate (one
false alarm only)
Flood starts
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15. LFEWS in action
Community members and government rescue professionals
work hand in hand
Ormoc, Leyte, 27/28 Dec. 2011
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16. Summary:
The establishment of Local Flood Early Warning System and its
performance in the Province of Leyte (Philippines)
 A LFEWS can costs between 30,000 – 40,000 US$ (Philippines)
 Cost Benefit Analysis says this is “profitable” after eight years (less
damages than costs)
 Run by “non-professionals” but guided by professionals
 Population has more time to prepare for floods; damages reduced
 Can be replicated in many areas & in other countries
 Involvement of volunteers in response strong but weak in data
transmittal (a challenge in Philippine settings)
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17. Way forward
Flood modelling: Simulation of situations that did not
happen yet, in order to be able to prepare for such
scenarios.
Replication in the Philippines - PAGASA and GIZ will
support the establishment of eight more LFEWS..
Networking of LFEWS as one mode of sustainability
Multi-hazard approach & Climate Change
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18. Flood model Ormoc
251.7mm24h
292mm in 3days
525mm/ in 3days
2050
(Theory)
21.06.2008
Typhoon Frank Rise
22cm Sea Level
“Juan”
16% more rain
(A1B predictions)
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19. Maraming Salamat Po.
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