Key stakeholders like the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES), have identified the critical need to improve the mechanism for collection, management, and dissemination of disaster risk data in Kyrgyzstan so it has the opportunity to be shared more broadly and effectively on behalf of disaster risk reduction practices.
Understanding Risk in the Kyrgyz Republic
The geography and topography of the Kyrgyz Republic makes it highly prone to natural hazards. These include hydro meteorological, geological, geophysical, and biological hazards. Natural hazards include earthquakes, land and mudslides, avalanches, windstorms, droughts, breakthrough of glacial lakes, floods, rise of sub-soil waters, and river erosion. The country is classified as the most seismically dangerous territory in Central Asia and 3,000 to 5,000 earthquakes are registered annually. Devastating seismic catastrophes occur every 5-10 years. On average, natural disasters cause approximately US$30- 35 million of damage and losses annually.
Sharing Data
The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic is concerned that the risks and consequences associated with various natural disasters will inflict great damage to the national economy and the population. Key stakeholders like the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES), have identified the critical need to improve the mechanism for collection, management, and dissemination of disaster risk data in Kyrgyzstan so it has the opportunity to be shared more broadly and effectively on behalf of disaster risk reduction practices. In partnership with World Bank, MoES has decided to launch the Kyrgyzstan Disaster Risk Data Platform to fulfill this requirement. OpenDRI will support the platform in close communication with MoES. The Kyrgyz Disaster Risk Data Platform is capitalizing on the lessons learned from other OpenDRI experiences in country projects with similar characteristics.