What does actionable displacement data look like?

Disasters triggered 225 million internal displacements, or forced movements within borders, in Asia and the Pacific between 2010 and 2021. While most displacements were pre-emptive evacuations ahead of major disasters, they still come at a cost and disrupt the lives of those affected. 

Before a disaster – when and where to mobilise resources 

Knowing when and where to mobilise resources before disasters strike requires location-specific data to be collected consistently over time. Such consistency can be particularly helpful in the context of seasonal disasters like floods and storms.  

Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) collects data on displacement including the number of evacuations, number of affected people and the number of destroyed housing in specific locations dating back to 1990. Floods, particularly during the rainy season which normally runs from October to March, are the primary trigger of displacements in the country.  

An analysis of flood-related displacements data showed that most displacements occurred during the rainy season, specifically during the months of December and January, and were concentrated in three main provinces: Central Java, West Java and Aceh. 

 

This data, when complemented with data on population growth and urbanization patterns, is instrumental in helping authorities to prioritise their limited resources for greater impact. For instance, it can indicate areas that may be at a higher risk of displacement during the rainy season. It can also highlight where the most vulnerable populations are located, thereby helping authorities assess the kind of support (for instance, dedicated support, pre-positioned aid and preventative measures) that may be required.  

This data, when complemented with data on population growth and urbanization patterns, is instrumental in helping authorities to prioritise their limited resources for greater impact.

During a disaster – when to evacuate and what people need 

Knowing when to evacuate people ahead of disasters and ensuring sufficient resources are available to internally displaced people (IDPs) in refuge requires data to be consistently collected throughout the duration of their displacement. The National Disaster Management Agency of Malaysia (NADMA) and the Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Centre (DROMIC) of the Philippines collect time-series data on IDPs consistently. 

In Malaysia, this assessment is done every four hours and concludes when all IDPs have returned to their homes. Floods are the number one driver of disaster displacements in Malaysia and most flood displacements occur during the rainy season from October to March. During the rainy season, IDPs take between one day and one week to evacuate to evacuation centres after the floods start. The intensity and persistence of floods play an important role in the scale and duration of evacuations. For instance, in the event of extreme flooding, people generally evacuate within a day.  

 

In the Philippines, DROMIC assesses the number of IDPs in evacuation centres every 12 hours and this assessment typically lasts up to a year following a large-scale disaster and up to 6 months following a small or medium scale disaster. DROMIC extends this assessment to IDPs sheltering with host family or friends.

Understanding the duration of displacement in different types of shelters can support efforts to achieve durable solutions towards internal displacement.

Following Super Typhoon Rai that triggered 3.9 million displacement in the country in 2021, an analysis of displacement data over time showed that nearly 95 percent of IDPs had returned to their homes within three weeks after the disaster struck. When comparing the duration of displacement between IDPs in evacuation centres and those staying with friends or relatives, it was found that the pace of returns amongst those in evacuation centres was much lower than amongst those living with family or friends. While it took IDPs living with family and friends about a week to return home, it took IDPs in evacuation centres three times longer. 

Understanding the duration of displacement in different types of shelters can support efforts to achieve durable solutions towards internal displacement. As the disasters begin to subside, authorities can start to wind down their supplies and divert their resources towards recovery so that IDPs can smoothly transition back to their homes.  

After a disaster – how to reduce and prevent protracted displacement 

Data on damages incurred after a disaster particularly in the form of number of destroyed homes can help in understanding protracted displacement and how to build resilience in homes that can withstand different kinds of disasters. 

Viet Nam’s Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA)  reports on the number of homes destroyed after a disaster. Storm related displacements account for the largest share of displacements in the country. Displacements following storms are typically the result of people seeking shelter as their homes are destroyed by the impacts of the storms.  

 

In Viet Nam, the impact of multiple repeated small-scale storms can be as significant as the impact of a single large-scale typhoon in triggering displacement. As such, rebuilding efforts may need to consider not only the magnitude of hazards, but also the repeated nature of shocks to build more resilient homes. Such rebuilding efforts can serve to avoid long-term displacement of those affected. 

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Building on examples from Southeast Asia, my colleague Christopher Strub and I contributed an article demonstrating how displacement data can be used to address operational aspects of disaster response at different stages to the 4th edition of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Risk Monitor and Disaster Management Review (ARMOR).  

Read the full article: https://ahacentre.org/publication/armor/