Saint Lucia: Hazard and Disaster Risk Assessment Framework - Preparation of Vulnerability Reduction

Context and Objectives 
The main objective of this project was to strengthen the capacity of the Government of Saint Lucia to identify and monitor disaster risk and their impacts.

Main activities and results
The main activities of this project included:

• A training on structural vulnerability survey methods was delivered to public architects and engineers, surveyors and engineering students from a local College;
• A survey of structural vulnerability of residential buildings was completed, with over 500 units surveyed and geo-referenced;
• A national-level flood hazard assessment was conducted;
• Two-week hands-on training on various flood models were delivered to technical staff within relevant ministries and agencies

The main results included:

• A package of sectoral vulnerability reduction investments has been defined: Findings from the island-wide structural vulnerability assessment of residential buildings completed under this project are being used to identify and prioritize specific structural home improvement interventions for resilience-building, which would be eligible for financing from the Climate Adaptation Finance Facility (CAFF) – a credit line component of the ongoing Saint Lucia Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP).
• A Hazard and Disaster Risk assessment work plan is in place: A National-level flood hazard assessment was conducted under the grant. This assessment will inform the elaboration of integrated watershed management guidelines and the development of a watershed management plan for 1 watershed in St Lucia; both are currently under procurement financed under the WB DVRP.
• A strategy to include risk reduction component integrated into watershed management plans is in place: This component has been integrated and closely coordinated with the Caribbean Risk Assessment Program, a project focusing at flood and landslide hazard assessments and a Handbook for risk assessments. This grant has financed 4-week technical training on the methodology for the national flood hazard assessment (mentioned above) was delivered at the University of Twente ITC in Holland from mid-February to mid-March 2015. In addition, a 2-week training on various flood models, including the hydrological/technical aspects of integrated flood management, using a hands-on approach to generate information for flood management was also delivered. A total of 21 participants from 5 different divisions attended the training.
• A Capacity-Building strategy on Hazard and Disaster Risk Assessment is in place: Capacity of St Lucia’s technical staff on risk assessment has been enhanced through the various training provided and the various guidelines and Plans that have either been financed under this Grant or for which inputs have been developed to inform upcoming work, as highlighted above.

Partnerships and Coordination
The project's activities were implemented in close collaboration with partners and stakeholders from government and academia. Specifically:

• The structural survey was conducted in collaboration with the Ministries of Finance; Infrastructure; Public Service & Sustainable Development; Physical Development, Housing & Urban Renewal; Central Statistics Office and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College.
• For the Flood Hazard Assessment for Watershed Management component, the Water Resource Management Agency has been the key partner and beneficiary agency, while a consortium headed by the University of Twente/ITC delivered the training and the national-level flood hazard assessment.