Maldives celebrates International Day for Disaster Reduction

Source(s): United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - Regional Office for Asia and Pacific

School children from the Maldives will be visiting one of their native islands, Dhuvaafaru today for an awareness raising activity within the context of the International Disaster Risk Reduction Day. Dhuvaafaru was among the several islands severely affected by the 2008 tsunami.

Dhuvaafaru Island is considered to be a 'safer' island because of its geographical characteristics, such as natural ground level, size and reef features, which are important in providing protection from tidal surges.

Based on a request from the Government of Maldives, and in line with its national recovery and reconstruction plan, the International Federation committed to build structurally stronger houses on four islands under the "build back better" concept. Detailed housing specifications for all islands were provided by the Maldives Housing Infrastructure Re-development Unit (HIRU).

Under the Dhuvaafaru programme, the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) has funded the construction of 562 houses as well as other community infrastructure such as a community administrative building, a pre-school, a primary school, a secondary school, an auditorium, water supply and sewer systems, a sports complex, roads, and a power supply system – supplemented by solar energy.

Also part of the project is a health centre funded by the German Red Cross, an additional 38 houses funded by the government, and mosques funded by the Islamic Supreme Council, with support of the housing and infrastructure redevelopment unit. A harbour has been constructed by the government with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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Country and region Maldives
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