The Asian Tsunami - Aid and Recontruction after a Disaster

This book is a valuable contribution to the literature on responses to megadisasters in Asia. The study looks closely at the lessons to be drawn from the unprecedented aid effort after the Asian tsunami. Unlike much of the literature about post-tsunami aid programs, the book presents data gathered by local scholars in key disaster-affected countries; Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Focusing on the goal of strengthening human security, it emphasizes the need to design programs to build resilience against disaster at the local community level. The key recommendations propose two critical reforms to the approach to disaster risk reduction in the region; there should be more emphasis on pro-active disaster preparedness programs than on reactive post-disaster responses; and there should be much more attention given to engaging local communities in designing and implementing effective disaster preparation and response programs. Policy-makers in local agencies and in international organizations need to heed these vital conculusins.
Glenn Denning, Columbia Universtiy, USA

The death toil following the 2004 Asian tsunami - close to 230.000 people -  was stunning. The devastation that the tsunami caused highlights the need to strengthen approaches to disaster risk reduction activities across Asia. Summarizing hundreds of reports and articles about the disaster, this book underlines the fact that global disaster risks are highly concentrated in poor countries. And withing those countries, it is usually poorer communities whi are especially hard-hit when disasters strike. This is the first serious attempt at an overview of the impact of this major event and for anybody with an influence on disaster response policy in Asia this book should be compulsory reading.
- John Weiss, University of Bradfordm UK

The 2004 Asian tsunami was the greatest natural disaster in recent times. Almost 230.000 people died. In response, goverments in Asia and the broader international community announced large aid programs. The resulting assistance effort wasw one of the largest humanitarian programs ever organized in the developing world. This book discusses the lessons of the aid effort for disaster protection policy in developing countries.
How effective waws the aid? What lessons can be learnt about how to respond when disasters strike in poor countries? This insightfull book addresses these questions drawing on there themes of current development policy; international aid policy; human security and the poor; and approaches to disaster risk reduction. The most important lesson is the need to 'go local' in building up resilience at the grassroots level in international community and local and national organizations as well as the need to ensure that adequate funding is provided to support disaster protection and post-disaster recovery programs while taking into account cost inflation associated with large-scale reconstruction efforts.

This analysis draws on the views of local contributiors from the countries most affected by the disaster. Analysts and administrators involved in disaster response activities from international organizations, NGOs and national goverments will find this a unique and important resource for their forward planning. The book will also prove to be invaluable for academics and students studying disaster management and human security, international aid policy, international relations and Asian economic issues.

Sisira Jayasuriya is Professors of Economics in the School of Economics and Finance at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia and Peter McCawley is at the College of Asia adn the Pacific at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.