Mitigation


Mitigation is defined as the lessening of the impacts of a hazard. In practice this means taking steps that will limit how much damage is caused by an event that may be unavoidable. For example, it is impossible to avoid heavy rainfall, but you can mitigate impact of the rain and the possible flooding it brings through mitigation projects such as improved drainage and water management. Mitigation means investing in measures to protect people and communities well before a disaster event. It can include improved building codes, specific infrastructural measures or a range of investments that will protect the long term future of a community from the impacts of disasters.  
 

The NDRRMC will support on-going mitigation work being carried out in the Republic of Mauritius and coordinate activities among the different stakeholders to ensure that efforts to mitigate or lessen the impacts of identified threats are joined up and integrated across various sectors. Mitigation should also include avoidance of new risk. For example, a drainage project in one community should not increase the chance of a flood in another, or undermine environmental efforts to preserve crucial eco-systems. The creation of future risk is a possibility if all stakeholders are not involved in understanding existing risks and how best to reduce their effects.   
 

In practice this means coordinating stakeholders in a range of activities designed to reduce the impacts of disasters. Examples include:  ensuring that all stakeholders involved in drainage projects are involved in discussions to reduce possible flood hazards; supporting improved building codes to counter identified risks in the Republic of Mauritius; supporting the identification of ‘danger zones’ to ensure that new constructions are adequately prepared, and to avoid the creation of future risk; support for training for officials in key roles at the national and local levels in how to implement practices that will mitigate identified risks