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
