Failures of critical infrastructure during floods: training Red Cross volunteers in Dar es Salaam

Published: 16 January 2018

Critical infrastructure such as roads, power stations, transformers, water points and health centres, plays an important role in the functioning of wards in Dar es Salaam. When it fails, the livelihoods and particular vulnerable groups in society cannot function properly.

CIrcle-Bao tool, used in Tanzania to analyse cascading effects of floods

Understanding your own vulnerabilities

As part of a Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) “Challenge Fund” project, Deltares, VU University Amsterdam, Tanzania Red Cross Society and Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, developed a physical tool to allow local stakeholders in Dar es Salaam to understand their own vulnerabilities related to critical infrastructure and cascades of failure.

CIrcle-Bao tool

We analysed the cascading effects of failing critical infrastructure and identified the most vulnerable groups using the CIrcle-Bao tool, based on the principle of digital CIrcle tool of Deltares. This new tool was specifically developed for this project and was produced locally. CIrcle-Bao can be used in places with limited technical facilities. To empower the local stakeholders with the skills to use the tool, Deltares and VU Amsterdam trained 21 Red Cross volunteers of Manzese ward and organised a pilot workshop in Manzese to map the relationships with the local CI representatives.

Increasing flood resilience

The results of the workshop will be used by policy makers, planners and decision makers in a strategic way to increase resilience of the ward. It can help in addressing differences in vulnerabilities and prioritize actions during the time of emergency. Finally, the results are also used to increase awareness among local people regarding their own areas.

Watch the vlog

Shristi Vaidya (flood risk expert Deltares) one of the Deltares experts who gave the training in Tanzania, made a vlog about her experience.