Seychelles Damage, Loss, and Needs Assessment (DaLA ... - GFDRR

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Executive Summary
Overview
On January 27–28, 2013, heavy rains resulting from tropical cyclone Felleng caused
severe flooding and landslides in the Seychelles, particularly in three districts on the
southeast coast of Mahé (Au Cap, Pointe Larue, and Cascade), as well as on the
nearby islands of Praslin and La Digue. The rainfall, which represented 66% of the
long-term average and was coming after heavier than normal rains for the month of
January, overwhelmed existing natural and constructed drainage systems and retaining
walls, causing floods, landslides, and rockfalls, and resulting in serious damage to
homes and public buildings, roads, bridges, drainage systems, water and sanitation
systems, crops, and farms.
The islands of the archipelago of the Seychelles are generally low-lying (2–6 meters
above sea level on average), with the topography of Mahé dominated by a central
mountainous ridge with steep slopes on both sides running down to a narrow coastal
plateau. Consequently, infrastructure on Mahé, as well as on Praslin and La Digue,
is concentrated on the lower slopes and coastal plateau. These patterns of development,
along with the geomorphology of the islands and their location, make the islands
vulnerable to a variety of natural hazards, including the flooding and landslides
that impacted the country in late January.
The government responded rapidly to both the threat and the results of the heavy
rains in January, issuing the first warning to the public on January 25, 2013. The
government declared the three hardest-hit districts disaster zones, opened the
Emergency Operations Center, and mobilized emergency first responders. Relief
efforts were also generally well executed, with displaced individuals housed rapidly
and key infrastructure (major drains and roads) on Mahé and La Digue pumped and
cleared within days of the floods. President James Michel called an extraordinary
Cabinet session in response to the floods, and quickly instituted a National Flood
Task Force (NFTF), a high-level coordination body to ensure the effective and efficient
response for the postflood needs. In addition, a National Disaster Relief Fund
(NDRF) was established to assist with relief and recovery operations (over US$3.1
million has been raised to date). The NFTF is the approving and management body
for the relief fund.
Flood Impact Summary
The impact of the flooding and landslides was exacerbated due to the combination
of both natural and anthropogenic causes. The greater than average rains had resulted
in heavily saturated soils, but vulnerability was also increased due to a pattern