Project News

Twelve Japanese tsunami, disaster risk reduction, seismic resistant building experts join the CSR Project.

The CSR Project Begins!

So, Ecuador as Japan are in the Pacific Ocean Ring of Fire and are countries susceptible to earthquakes and tsunamis. Many disasters had occurred in the past in both countries caused by earthquakes.

Recently, on April 16, 2016, a major earthquake occurred in the northern part of the province of Manabí, resulting in a disaster with more than 660 fatalities.

Tsunamis have also occurred and the damage caused by them have been enormous. JICA has been implementing disaster risk reduction projects on an ongoing basis and has supported Ecuador to strengthen disaster risk reduction capabilities based on experiences, advanced technology and risk reduction systems in Japan.

The CSR Project aims to strengthen the disaster risk reduction capacity of residents, the community and municipalities.

Celebration of the First Joint Coordination Committee (JCC)

The JCC was held in Guayaquil on August 15, 2017. The counterpart organizations are the Secretary of Risk Management (SGR), the Ministry of Urban Development and Houses (MIDUVI) and the three pilot municipalities (Atacames, Portoviejo and Salinas).

The CSR project period is 45 months and the budget is around $ 5 million. Mr. Ricardo Peñaherrera, Deputy Secretary of SGR, Mr. Raúl Ordóñez, Director of MIDUVI and Mr. Tohiaki Furuya Resident Representative of JICA Ecuador made an opening statement at the JCC

The question and answer session was very productive when Mr. Tsukamoto (Senior Expert) and others introduced the CSR Project. Many media visited ECU911 in Guayaquil to conduct interviews.

Work plan approval at the JCC on August 15, 2017.
From right: Mr. Tohiaki Furuya, JICA; Mr. Raúl Ordóñez, MIDUVI;
Mr. Ricardo Peñaherrera, SGR and Mr. Saturo Tsukamoto, JICA Expert Team.

At ECU 911 in Quito on July 18, 2017.
From right: Dr. Takeshi Kuwano, Ms. Aiko Yamashita, Dr. Tomoharu Iwasaki and Mr. Emilio Kazuki Wakita

Project Meeting
City of Atacames on July 28, 2017

"La Última" newspaper article on July 28, 2017.
Visit and consultation in the City of Portoviejo

Working Group on Construction System Operation in the City of Portoviejo on August 18, 2017
On the left-hand side Mr. Seiichi Horikoshi and on the right-hand side Mr. Akira Inoue

Dialogue on Risk Reduction Agenda
City of Salinas on August 14, 2017

Talks on early warning system and tsunami threats map at INOCAR.
August 16, 2017

High-rise buildings aligned with the coast with high risk of tsunami (City of Salinas)

Invitation to Japan was held in October and November 2017. For the invitation to Japan, total 10 delegates from Ecuador, Alexandra Ocles Padilla, Secretary of SGR(Risk Management Agency), and three representatives from the SGR, two person from the Atacames City, Portoviejo City and Salinas City which are the pilot cities of the Project, visited Japan for visiting and seeing the reconstruction situation from the Kumamoto earthquake, participating in the National Tsunami Evacuation Drill of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, exchanging opinions with municipalities and JICA. During this invitation, the delegate participated in various events, visited local governments and private organizations and exchanged experience and knowledge on disaster risk management.

"We learned many things of current state of disaster risk management in Japan. I felt that strengthening of disaster prevention culture is necessary in Ecuador. I was able to see ideas and activities from national level to municipalities and community level, and we satisfied this visit."

It is expected that this experience of the invitation will contribute to the progress and results of the Project.

Ms. Sandra Woo, President of Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. explained efforts on disaster prevention by private sectors. October 30, 2017

The delegate visited for a courtesy call to Mr. Kabashima, the Governor Kumamoto. Earthquakes hit on the same day in both Ecuador and Kumamoto on April 16, 2016.
November 1, 2017

The delegation made a courtesy visit to Mr. Ohnishi, the Mayor of Kumamoto. They could exchange their experience of earthquake and reconstruction process. November 2, 2017

The delegate visited Fire Department of Kumamoto. They could exchange their experience of earthquake and emergency response. November 2, 2017

The delegation participated together with ONEMI of Chile in the National Tsunami Evacuation Drill.
November 3, 2017

Tsunami evacuation towers are built in tsunami evacuation area. The delegate visited many tsunami evacuation towers, tsunami evacuation buildings, artificial hills for evacuation of the tsunami. This is the tsunami evacuation tower in Konan City, Kochi Prefecture. November 7, 2017

On the final day, they visited for a courtesy call to Mr.Maeda, Senior Vice President of JICA.Ms. Alexandra Ocles Padilla, Secretary of SGR commented her impression of the visit and utilization for the project. November 9, 2017

On the last day, a wrap-up discussion was held at JICA Headquarters.
November 9, 2017

From the JAPAN NEWS

Training in Japan was held in November 2017. For training in Japan, Cristobal Leonel Chica, Subsecretary five representatives of MIDUVI (Ministry of Urban Development and Housing), one from the SGR, one from AME(municipality association), three from each of Atacames City, Portoviejo City and Salinas City, total of 17 people visited Japan for the purpose of learning the building regulation management, building earthquake resistance technology, reconstruction situation from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake 1995, contra-tsunami buildings, exchange of opinions with JICA. During the visit,They visited the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Tokyo Metropolitan Government and private companies, for exchange experiences and knowledge about the building regulation management and earthquake resistant technology.

Trainees learned reinforced concrete structure inspection at the site in Yokohama city by Kumagai gumi Co.Ltd. November 15, 2017

Leonel Chica, Subsecretary of MIDUVI and Raul Ordonez, Director of Habitat Development and Public Space met and talked with Mr. Goto and Ms. Ohashi at JICA headquarters. November 16, 2017

The trainees confirmed the vibration damping structure by using the small model of the vibration damping device. November 17, 2017

Quality control of finishing and facility construction of the steel-structure building were explained by Kajima Corporation in Tokyo.
On 20th November 2017

Iwaki City office gave explanation of the tsunami evacuation site and the tsunami evacuation building. November 24, 2017

They observed the behavior of the 3-D shaking table at the Hyogo Seismic Engineering Research Center "E-Defense". November 28, 2017

Seventeen trainees with certificates from JICA.
November 30, 2017