Saturday, 27 December 2014 00:00
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2014 has been remarkable for its natural disasters. After battling with a drought for most of this year, people in the same region are now inundated with floods. As many as 800,000 people have been affected with 80,000 displaced and at least seven people dead at last count.
Friday also marked the 10th anniversary of the Asian tsunami. Created by an undersea mega-thrust earthquake that occurred on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, it triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean.
When the death toll was finally added up months later, it exceeded a staggering 230,000 people in 14 countries. Many estimates put the figure higher as entire villages were swept away in waves up to 100 feet high. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest-hit country, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.
The official death toll was over 35,000 in Sri Lanka alone and while it was overwhelming, the disaster did motivate the Government to introduce and later improve its disaster fighting mechanisms. From early warning systems to the establishment of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), steps have been taken to keep people safe.
Yet, there is no doubt these structures need to be improved. From allocation of funding to distribution of relief, there are many problems in a system that operates largely without accountability. Perhaps the most challenging is providing long-term assistance to people, especially at a time when different natural disasters follow close upon each other’s heels.
Another massive challenge is to depoliticise the “relief.” Aid is often caught up in Sri Lanka’s complicated politics and multiple elections, making victims pawns in power plays. Such sporadic policies also makes it difficult to utilise aid in sustained assistance.
Recently, in response to multiple typhoons in the Philippines regional members too several measures including advancement of a new Emergency Response Travel Facilitation initiative to ease customs and immigration bottlenecks to the rapid deployment of emergency responders, equipment and private sector assistance in a disaster.
Implementing an ambitious multi-year business continuity planning training program is another, in coordination with the private sector and prioritising grassroots engagement with small and medium enterprises that account for the bulk of economic growth. Disruptions to cross-border production chains put entire industries, huge numbers of jobs and global trade and economic growth at considerable risk.
The introduction of a ground-breaking Global Trade Recovery Information Platform, or G-TRIP, to facilitate the exchange of critical information during major transportation disruptions, in collaboration with the World Customs Organization, will be a further point of emphasis. Others include new measures to boost disaster risk reduction in public infrastructure project evaluation, the incorporation of geospatial data in disaster management frameworks and the application of ‘big data’ and ‘open data’ to emergency preparedness.
Natural disasters are a frightening reminder of the importance of building greater resistance to shocks across communities, businesses and critical infrastructure. Looking back on the Asian tsunami, the long years battling to heal and rebuild their lives is a common enough story for thousands of survivors from all natural disasters. It remains the most endearing and inspirational aspect for everyone.
