Sendai: A Tale of Natural Disaster, Resilience, and Recovery
IMF Blog, October 11, 2012
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- Sendai: A Tale of Natural Disaster, Resilience, and Recovery
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Bibliographic details
- Authors: Christine Lagarde
- Published: October 11, 2012
Event and immediate impacts
- Japan was struck by the country’s largest ever recorded earthquake on March 11, 2011.
- Within an hour, parts of Japan’s northeast coast were hit by a tsunami that swept away cars, boats, trains, buildings, roads—and thousands of lives.
- The author visited areas most affected more than 18 months on, during a "Sendai Dialogue" cohosted by the Government of Japan and the World Bank as part of the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Tokyo.
Field observations around Sendai
- Arahama Elementary School:
- School remained in its wrecked state, with debris strewn across the grounds and corridors and classrooms in ruins.
- Successful evacuation: children were evacuated straight after the quake and airlifted out by helicopter as the area was being submerged.
- Community response: local community and heroic efforts helped; principal reported children of the Tohuko region are "becoming more cheerful."
- Seaside Park Adventure Field:
- Provided a vantage point over a disaster waste treatment area.
- The disaster generated some 1.35 million tons of debris from the city.
- A three-year project sorts this debris into various categories with the aim of recycling most of it.
IMF role, past responses, and capacity
- IMF responses and tools:
- The IMF can provide rapid emergency financing.
- The IMF has responded to 42 cases of natural disasters since 1962.
- Example: the IMF provided financing to Haiti within three weeks of the earthquake that struck in early 2010.
- The IMF provides policy support through regular economic oversight and through financing of programs that help lay the foundation for recovery.
- The IMF provides technical assistance to build capacity for recovery.
- Technical assistance example:
- Haiti has received over 35 technical visits from the IMF since early 2010 on topics including revenue administration, financial sector reform, exchange rate policy, and improvement of statistical information.
- Knowledge sharing:
- A paper released during the week draws lessons from seven countries hit by natural catastrophes and how countries can strengthen resilience.
Lessons and policy recommendations highlighted
- Five lessons emphasized at Sendai:
- Early warning of disasters.
- Flexibility to redeploy spending rapidly.
- Coordination between all agencies when disaster strikes.
- Transparency in the effective use of assistance.
- A growth strategy as an integral part of reconstruction and recovery.
Broader implications and concluding observations
- Natural disasters will continue to occur, and the costs and number of people affected are rising, influenced by growing urbanization and environmental degradation.
- The Sendai visit and Dialogue offered a valuable opportunity to learn how to strengthen defenses and improve emergency reactions.
- Human-centered aim: restoring hope—"I just want our children to be able to hope and dream again," said the Arahama school Principal.
- This goal is shared by all 188 member countries of the IMF and World Bank gathering in Tokyo to discuss global economic challenges.
Christine Lagarde, October 11, 2012
