How Vulnerabilities Inform Responses? Key Messages from Lao PDR & Myanmar

The flood vulnerability assessments conducted in Lao PDR and Myanmar inform us of at least eight messages to strengthen the flood risk reduction. These messagfs are 1. Stilted houses are the backbone of flood resilience, 2. Design of early warning should take into consideration the mobility of humans, assets and health facilities, 3. Flood resilience of rice crop determines the agricultural income, 4. Crop income loss reflects the economic resilience better than the crop yield loss, 5. Livelihood diversification should be an integral part of flood resilience building, 6. A single flood year can double the poverty headcount and flood relief operations have a high opportunity to buffer the poverty impacts, 7. Strengthen the health facilities based on the vulnerable groups and the depth and duration of flood events, and 8. Poultry is highly vulnerable to floods compared to other animal husbandry options. This presentation elaborates upon these eight messages.