Joint Rapid Recovery Needs Assessment: The 2025 Eastern Afghanistan Earthquake
Led the housing damage and needs assessment of a joint recovery assessment after the 2025 earthquake in Eastern Afghanistan.
Reinforcing People's Resilience to Disasters
Projects
Evaluation of the Mozambique Recovery Facility
Evaluated the Mozambique Recovery Facility, the multi-partner programme established after Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, assessing its effectiveness, sustainability, institutional arrangements and recovery outcomes.
Facilitating Transitional Shelters after the 2025 Sagaing Earthquake in Myanmar
Prepared design options and technical guidelines for wooden-bamboo transitional shelters after the 2025 Sagaing earthquake in Myanmar.
Vernacular Construction Guidelines for Earthquake-Affected Communities in Afghanistan
Developed earthquake-resilient reconstruction guidelines for traditional earthen houses in western Afghanistan following the 2023 Herat earthquakes.
Facilitating Transitional Shelters for Earthquake Affected Communities in Afghanistan
Provided UNDP technical support that enabled over 200 earthquake-affected families in Chahak, Afghanistan to build transitional shelters before winter.
Post Disaster Needs Assessment: Herat Earthquakes 2023
Led the housing sector assessment of damage, loss and recovery needs for the PDNA after the 2023 Herat earthquakes.
Housing Recovery Framework following the 2023 Deyr Floods in Somalia
Developed a housing recovery framework to support reconstruction and repair of flood-damaged homes in Somalia following the 2023 Deyr floods.
ECOWAS Technical Reference Guide for Post-disaster Resilient Recovery
Preparing a technical reference guide with UNDP to help the fifteen ECOWAS member states recover quickly and effectively from disasters.
NIDM Training of Trainers on PDNA
Led sessions on damage, loss and recovery needs at NIDM's Training of Trainers on Post Disaster Needs Assessment.
Supporting UNDP in the facilitation of Owner-driven Housing Reconstruction after the 2022 Afghanistan Earthquake
Deputed a housing adviser to help UNDP institute an owner-driven reconstruction programme after the 2022 Afghanistan earthquake, facilitating over 150 house owners.
Household and Building Damage Assessment of the Easter Flood in Timor Leste
Led the UNDP Household and Building Damage Assessment in Timor Leste after Tropical Cyclone Seroja, assessing nearly 1,000 buildings.
Post Disaster Needs Assessment after TC Seroja, Timor Leste
Coordinated the Post Disaster Needs Assessment in Timor Leste after Tropical Cyclone Seroja, estimating about US$300 million in damage and losses.
Inclusion of the Poor and Vulnerable: Learning from the Post Earthquake Reconstruction in Nepal
Presented an analysis of how post-earthquake reconstruction policies enabled the poor and vulnerable in Nepal to rebuild their houses.
Nepal Owner-Driven Reconstruction
Provided technical and policy support to Nepal's owner-driven reconstruction following the 2015 earthquake.
Training Masons for Hazard Resistant Construction in Jammu & Kashmir
Prepared trainer curricula and mason handbooks for hazard-resistant construction under the Jammu Tawi Flood Recovery Project.
National Guidelines on Temporary Shelters for Disaster Affected Families
Prepared the National Guidelines on Interim Shelters for Disaster Affected Families for NDMA, released in September 2019.
Supporting PDNA after the 2018 Palu disaster in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Supported the Post Disaster Needs Assessment after the 2018 Palu disaster and provided inputs on housing and community infrastructure reconstruction in Central Sulawesi.
Appropriate Housing Options for Rural Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh and West Bengal
Developed appropriate technical options for social housing under PMAY for rural Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, in collaboration with UNDP, Hunnarshala and BuildAur.
SAARC Regional Training on PDNA, SriLanka
Served as a trainer at the UNDP and UN-ESCAP SAARC regional training on Post Disaster Needs Assessment, leading the housing sector.
Technical Support for Reconstruction after 2015 Nepal Earthquake
Provided technical advisory support to UNDP Nepal and the National Reconstruction Authority for owner-driven reconstruction after the 2015 earthquake.
Post Disaster Needs Assessment after 2015 Nepal Earthquake
Contributed to the Post Disaster Needs Assessment after the 2015 Nepal earthquake, assessing housing and community infrastructure recovery needs.
Regional Training Workshop on PDNA, Bangkok
Facilitated a UNDP and ADPC regional training workshop on Post Disaster Needs Assessment for ASEAN and Pacific countries in Bangkok.
Supporting Recovery of Flood Affected Communities in Gujarat
Undertook a preliminary study of the 2015 flash floods in Saurashtra to understand flooding patterns and impacts on communities.
Towards Socio-Technical Facilitation of Rural Housing in Gujarat
Collaborated with the Government of Gujarat, Hunnarshala and BuildAur on socio-technical facilitation of rural housing, producing a Compendium of Design Options for owner-driven construction.
Facilitating Karnaprayag Municipality with GIS based Mapping for Disaster Preparedness
Prepared GIS-based maps for Karnaprayag Municipality to support disaster preparedness and development planning after the Kedarnath flash floods.
A Quick Damage Analysis of Uttarakhand Disaster based on Satellite Imageries
Prepared a rapid damage assessment of the Uttarakhand disaster using satellite imageries, with a focus on ecological principles for planning and reconstruction.
Reconstructing Schools using Bamboo in Violence Affected Kokrajhar, Assam
Collaborated with UNNATI to help communities reconstruct six schools destroyed in the 2012 ethnic violence in Kokrajhar, Assam.
Training Course on Stabilised Rammed Earth Construction
Designed and conducted a two-week training course on stabilised rammed earth construction in Bhuj with Hunnarshala.
Assessment of Cordaid Project for the 2007 Bihar Floods Rehabilitation
Undertook the project-end review of a Cordaid-funded community-managed disaster risk reduction programme in the 2007 flood-affected communities of Bihar.
Earthquake Vulnerability Walk in Guwahati, Assam
Organised an earthquake vulnerability walk through Pan Bazaar, Guwahati, to expose participants to seismic risks from poor design and construction.
EERI-Housner Fellowship
Vivek Rawal was named an EERI-Housner Fellow for 2012, joining an intensive two-year mentoring programme on earthquake safety.
Emergency Makeshift Shelters for Returning Families affected by Ethnic Violence in Kokrajhar, Assam
Developed design and implementation guidelines for community-based emergency makeshift shelters for over 1,200 families returning after ethnic violence in Kokrajhar, Assam.
Promoting Seismic Resistant Housing – A Set of 20 Posters
Supported UNNATI's campaign to improve seismic resistance of existing houses in Kutch with a set of 20 posters.
Review of ERRRP project in Bhutan and Nepal
Reviewed the Earthquake Risk Reduction and Recovery Preparedness (ERRRP) project in Bhutan and Nepal.
Assessing Damage and Recovery Needs in Bhutan after Sikkim Earthquake
Led the joint rapid assessment mission to assess damage and recovery needs in Bhutan after the September 2011 Sikkim earthquake.
Guidelines for House Construction using Bamboo
Represented the ODR Collaborative on Bihar's Technical Committee to develop approved guidelines for bamboo-based house construction in the Kosi region.
Kosi Flood Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Programme, Bihar
Supported the Government of Bihar's Kosi flood rehabilitation through policy support, technical guidelines and owner-driven reconstruction assistance.
Training of Supervisor Artisans and Engineers for Kosi Flood Reconstruction
Strengthened the capacities of over 300 supervisor artisans and engineers to guide more than 30,000 house owners in safe reconstruction after the Kosi floods.
Training on Housing Stock Vulnerability Assessment Framework
Conducted a four-day training programme on housing stock vulnerability assessment for non-engineered houses in partnership with UNNATI.
Assessing Extent of Existing Housing Vulnerability
Assessed housing vulnerability in nine coastal villages of Porbandar, Gujarat, advancing a scientific methodology for measuring multi-hazard risk.
Tsunami Displacement and Rehabilitation: Learning for Climate Change Adaptation Strategies
Contributed as shelter expert to a USAID research project drawing learning from tsunami displacement and rehabilitation for climate change adaptation.
Building with Bamboo – A Construction Manual
Published a bilingual design handbook on building with bamboo for the Kosi flood rehabilitation, as part of the Shelter Group (ODR Collaborative).
Evaluation of Swiss Solidarity supported Tsunami Projects
Evaluated tsunami projects in India supported by CHF 25 million from Swiss Solidarity and organised a workshop to discuss the findings.
Monitoring and Assessment of CIDA supported Tsunami Projects
Monitored CIDA-supported tsunami reconstruction projects in India from 2006 to 2009, producing five periodic assessment reports.
Rebuilding After Disasters – Lessons from CIDA supported Tsunami Projects in India
Co-authored a booklet distilling lessons from CIDA-supported tsunami projects in India, with wider application to disaster rehabilitation.
Workshop on Owner Driven Reconstruction and Rehabilitation for Kosi Flood Affected Regions
Organised a workshop with the Government of Bihar that shaped the owner-driven reconstruction approach for Kosi flood rehabilitation.
Assessing Post Tsunami Housing Reconstruction in Andaman & Nicobar Islands: A People’s Perspective
Assessed post-tsunami housing reconstruction in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands from the perspective of local communities.
Assessment of SIFFS-HIVOS Project for Tsunami Rehabilitation
Assessed a HIVOS-supported post-tsunami rehabilitation project implemented by SIFFS, using the Hyogo Framework for Action to draw outcome-level learning.
Intermediate Semi-Permanent Shelters in Post Disaster Reconstruction – Need for Change in Mindset
Authored a booklet on intermediate semi-permanent shelters in post-disaster reconstruction, published by UNNATI.
Assessing Damage after Disasters – A Participatory Framework and Toolkit
Developed a participatory damage assessment toolkit with UNNATI so that affected communities can be actively involved in post-disaster assessment.
A People’s Guide to Building Damages and Disaster Safe Construction
A practical guide to understanding how buildings get damaged in natural disasters and the basic principles of safe construction.
Independent Evaluation of the DEC Tsunami Crisis Response
Participated in the Independent Evaluation of the DEC Tsunami Crisis Response as a member of the team evaluating programmes in India.
Mid-term Assessment of Shelter Reconstruction in Tamilnadu after Tsunami
Coordinated a mid-term assessment of post-tsunami shelter reconstruction in Tamil Nadu mandated by the Government and UNTRS.
Post Disaster Rehabilitation – Issues in Deepening People’s Participation
Co-authored an article on deepening people's participation in post-disaster reconstruction, drawing on experiences from past disasters in India.
Multi-agency evaluation of tsunami response: India and Sri Lanka
Evaluated the multi-agency tsunami response in India and Sri Lanka for CARE International, Oxfam GB and World Vision International.
Posters on Disaster Safe Reconstruction
Prepared a set of four posters on disaster-safe construction while working with UNNATI.
Responding to disasters – Refusing to learn
Co-authored a critical review identifying lessons from the tsunami response needed to make disaster response more effective and people-centric.
Some Notes on Habitat Reconstruction in Tsunami hit areas of South India
Shared immediate ideas for habitat reconstruction based on reconnaissance visits to tsunami-hit areas of South India.
Post Earthquake Urban Planning in Bhachau – Issues and Agenda
Developed a working paper on the issues of the poor in post-earthquake urban planning in Bhachau.
Gujarat Plan Made in Haste
Co-authored a critical review of the Gujarat earthquake reconstruction policy published in Economic and Political Weekly.