DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Dawn 5 August, 2010

The colossal loss of life and property caused by heavy rains and floods in all parts of Pakistan, especially Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, has raised quite a few distressing questions regarding the state of governance that cannot
possibly be ignored.

Everybody knows that no country, however powerful or developed, has been able to develop total protection
against natural calamities. Earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, flooding by rivers and excessive rains
or snowfall have been taking their toll throughout the world. The only relevant question in such situations is
whether a state can keep the losses to the minimum possible through a mix of measures adopted before and
after a natural disaster.

It is doubtful if the people have become aware of the exact magnitude of the disaster that has struck Pakistan
over the past couple of weeks. In fact, what the people in the rural areas, especially in the relatively
inaccessible parts of the country, suffer as a result of a natural calamity is never fully documented or reported
even.

However, it is quite clear that the situation is pretty grim. Over 1,000 people are reported to have perished in
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone. Thousands of people were reported marooned in the mountainous regions of the
province on Sunday. The infrastructure, particularly roads and bridges, has been ruined, thousands of houses
have been washed away and crops on thousands of acres have been destroyed. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief
minister may well be right in saying that his province has been pushed back by almost 50 years.

The loss of life in Punjab and Sindh has not been as high as in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the economic losses, in
terms of destruction of dwellings and standing crops, has been far heavier. Balochistan too has suffered heavy
losses but as in the past the travails of that province have not been adequately reported. Were all these losses
wholly unavoidable?

Pakistan is not unfamiliar with heavy rainfall and flooding by rivers after every few years. Did the authorities
responsible for taking precautionary measures attend to their task? Was anybody looking after the
maintenance of river beds and embankments? Could the loss of life and property be minimised by checking
the growth of settlements in river beds or encroachments on katcha lands on a massive scale?

Experience has convinced us of the need to question the disaster-management agencies’ ability to
comprehend their responsibilities. The government is reported to have taken the National Disaster-
Management Authority (NDMA) to task for its undisclosed lapses but similar missiles should be fired at the
Cabinet Division, Wapda, the provincial irrigation departments and the Civil Defence authorities. Quite a few
minds need to be disabused of the notion that their duties begin only when a natural calamity has taken place.
We are living in an age when great strides have been made in weather and climate forecasting. This year’s
monsoon precipitation and the consequent swelling of rivers were not wholly unexpected. The people have a
right to know as to what measures had been adopted to deal with the situation that had been, or should have
been, anticipated.

The success of disaster-management steps depends to a considerable extent on the efficiency of early warning
systems. Some improvement in this area was noticed after Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been
devastated. The evacuation of the people from the areas threatened by flood waters improved as huge bodies
of water flowed downstream. But a large number of people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were
caught unawares. At many places, such as Malakand Division, the unavailability of reliable means of
communication added to the population’s misery.
Unfortunately, the need for short-range radio transmitters in the mountainous region that was felt during the
2005 earthquake was not seriously addressed. Such services could have helped in saving quite a few lives in
2005. The story seems to have been repeated after last month’s rains. The efforts made by the TV channels to
keep their audience informed about the flood situation and the adequacy or otherwise of relief measures are
no doubt commendable but they cannot fill the role of an early warning system beyond a certain point.

A network of wireless reporting centres in non-urban settlements is what we urgently need in order to ensure
an effective warning system. The fact that FM radio channels have been employed by some militant groups for
terrorist activities should not be used as an excuse for denying licences for radio transmitters in remote areas.

At the moment all efforts must obviously be concentrated on mitigating the ordeal of the flood-affected
population, on a careful assessment of losses suffered by the agricultural community and on developing a
rehabilitation policy that pays due attention to the revival of economic activity. But as soon as the state of
emergency eases, a high-powered inquiry should be conducted into the organisation of disaster- management
services.

The present calamity has exposed the dangers Pakistan invites by ignoring the principle of public-private
collaboration in the field of disaster management. The defence services play their traditional part in rescue and
relief operations. Everything else is in the hands of civil bureaucracy whose efficiency is declining in direct
proportion to the burgeoning cost of its maintenance. Civil society organisations have done something but
perhaps not enough to merit honourable mention in dispatches. Barring a few signs of activity here and there,
by and large political parties have not carried the burden they are expected to. They must realise that their
long-term interests can only be served if they share the concerns of ordinary people and lay the foundations of
their popularity by extending succour to communities in distress.

Throughout the present phase of the nation’s trial, the absence of dynamic local government institutions has
been acutely felt. Local bodies by their very nature are best suited to deal with natural disasters and it will be a
great pity if the consequences of messing up the local bodies’ affairs are not realised even now. One of the
foremost lessons of the latest natural disaster is that Pakistan will create enormous problems for itself by
resisting the logic of decentralisation of power and genuine empowerment of communities at as low a level as
possible.
Disaster management in curriculum
June 2, 2012 by From the Newspaper

DURING the last few years Pakistan has faced many man-made and natural disasters. It has been affected by
floods, an earthquake, drought and cyclone that has created a threat to human society.

In recent years, such events left a huge number of population homeless, thousands of innocent people lost
their lives, while children were separated from their families and left in a state of traumatic condition.

Hundreds of thousands have lost the means of livelihood. It is a deeply saddening fact that people affected by
floods are still struggling to return to normal life.

If we take a look at the history of disasters, in the last decade Pakistan has faced three major disasters. In
March 2000, millions of people were affected by drought, 2.5 million people were devastated and 78,000 died
— 17,000 of which were children — after a massive earthquake in October 2005, while 2010 floods in all the
four provinces killed at least 1,750 people, affecting 20 million. The floods were considered the worst in
Pakistan’s history.

Keeping above examples in mind, one has no doubt that Pakistan has become more vulnerable to man-made
and natural disasters. In order to lessen the effects of all such vulnerabilities, it is required to devise a multi-
dimensional and comprehensive approach. In doing that we are required to have a political, as well an
institutional, commitment in order to make availability of a competent force. It can only be done when training
starts from school to professional college level.

If we take a look at the school syllabus, we find nothing that provides knowledge to children and youth at any
level of their studies regarding disaster preparedness and management.

The government should devise comprehensive policies in order to revise syllabus that could focus on types of
environmental hazards and disasters. The main objective of this exercise should be emerging approaches in
disaster reduction and management.

Once it is agreed to have disaster preparedness, mitigation and awareness imparted to youngsters right from
the beginning, effects of such events can be mitigated. In this way we would also be able to have more
understanding of disaster preparedness and management at all levels.

Recently a book I’m prepared for emergencies has been published by WHO. It is about preparing young minds
that deal with the information to stay safe and prepared in every situation. The theme of the book is to equip
with the information of how to be prepared for emergencies.

The book is divided into four key segments of understanding to have a more comprehensive approach towards
emergencies like knowing, planning and practising.

The book is divided into four coloured pictorial stories to catch the attention of children and provides them
with valuable information on earthquakes, floods, extreme heat, and drought.

There would be rather a little effect of emergencies resulting from disasters if we know how to approach and
deal with the situation.

To achieve the task, the government should devise a plan, such as revision of syllabus, including action-
oriented approaches to disasters, preparedness and management in textbooks for schools, colleges and
universities.

AMJAD ALI SURHIO Dadu

Education in disaster management vital
THE NATION - January 27, 2012 .

LAHORE – Experts have stressed the need for formal training and education in disaster management and
humanitarian relief, and at the same time asking media to play its role in educating the masses about natural
disasters and the ways and means available to deal with them effectively.

“Pakistan is in need of highly trained professionals to manage and direct programmes to reduce the public
health threats, such as dengue outbreak. Where and when the next flood or earthquake will strike or how the
next terrorist group will respond is unknown. But the logic behind professionally mitigating and preparing for
one of these incidences places us in a stronger position to respond”.

These views were expressed at a seminar on human disaster management, held at the University of Health
Sciences on Thursday. The seminar was organised by UHS Director Centre for Innovation in Learning and
Teaching, Prof Arif Rashid Khawaja, in collaboration with Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK. The theme
of the seminar was “Role of Academia and Media in Human Disaster Management”.

Addressing at the inaugural session, LSTM Director of Humanitarian Studies, Prof Timothy O’ Dempsey said
that humanitarian assistance had become a rapidly expanding, multi-billion dollar, global industry with on
estimated workforce of approximately 250,000 that impacted directly on the lives, livelihood, health and well
being of millions of the world’s most vulnerable people.

He said “the key challenges in this complex issue of humanitarian professional development require
collaboration between humanitarian organisations, academic institutions, other training providers, and, where
appropriate, national and international professional accreditation and registration bodies”, Timothy opined.

With regards to the recent dengue epidemic in Punjab, Prof Timothy emphasised the need for effective early
warning systems, disaster preparedness, contingency planning, disease surveillance, epidemic intelligence and
response.

Chairman National Disaster Management Authority, Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir said that with probability of
occurrence of disasters increasing every year and South Asia being the most vulnerable part on earth to
natural disasters, it demands a holistic approach to pre-empt, mitigate and strategise managing a post disaster
scenario. He added the approach required commitment of the government trained human resource, a new
vision of academia towards disaster management as an expert field, and a systemic management of data at
public and private level.

UHS VC Prof Malik Hussain Mubbashar said that historically, disaster management in Pakistan revolved around
floods, focusing on rescue and relief. After each disaster, the government incurred considerable expenditure
towards rescue, relief and rehabilitation in addition to the loss of development funding which was diverted to
meet critical needs.

But, he added, in view of some recent events such as dengue outbreak and adverse drug reaction, there is a
need of paradigm shift from a relief to a risk management approach to disaster management and to develop a
training and curriculum for a course on effective disaster risk management.

He said that UHS in collaboration with Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK, would launch a Diploma in
Humanitarian Assistance from this year.

Chief of staff Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority, Brig Syed Wajid Raza said that there
was a need for sharing expertise and learning from past experience.

Brig Wajid further said that media throughout the world played a vital role in educating the public about
disasters; warning of hazards; gathering and transmitting information about affected areas.

DG Punjab Emergency Services (Rescue 1122) Dr Rizwan Naseer said that every disaster was a wake-up call, an
opportunity for the development.

“The role of a rescuer in today’s society is dedication, commitment and sacrifice”, he said adding that Punjab
Emergency Services were set up realising the increasing importance of a fully-equipped unit of trained and
motivated staff.

Other speakers of the seminar included Dr Barry Munslow from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK,
Munir Sheikh, Head Climatology Section, Global Change Impact Studies Centre, Islamabad and many others.
‘Local communities can help improve disaster management’
A Bangladeshi disaster management expert, Khurshid Alam, on Friday emphasised the need for training the
local community in playing an effective role in recovering from natural calamities and minimising the adverse
effects of an emergency.

“Local knowledge should be incorporated in designing a disaster management plan. It is very important to
learn about the hazards through local experience,” said Alam, a researcher on natural disaster and climate
change, in his presentation ‘Shaping Disaster Management in Pakistan: Discourse and Perspective’, jointly
organised by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research
(PILER) at a local hotel.

The event was part of PILER’s celebrations of its thirty years of commitment with the labour class. It
highlighted the impact of natural disasters and climate change on the poor and rural workforce.

“I am always eager to learn from the community’s experiences to understand the causes of disasters in specific
areas,” he said.The independent expert said he had worked in around 50 countries, helping nations cope with
impacts of the disasters.

Pakistan and India have their independent disaster management authorities but something is amiss, that is the
role of the community. In Bangladesh there was no such authority because the government was opposed to it,
he maintained. He underlined the need to shift from control paradigm to support paradigm. “We need to
enable the community to re-build their own homes. The role of the government and nongovernmental
organisations should be supplementary. Recovery will be much better if we take the support paradigm.”

The governments as well as humanitarian organisations had not realised the importance of developing trust in
the community, which needed to be changed, he said.Stating examples from Bangladesh, he said it was a
disaster prone country, where disaster-related mortality was high. In the 1970 cyclone, half a million people
lost their lives, in the year 1991 a similar cyclone killed 150,000 people and in 2007, 3,000 people also suffered
the same fate. Bangladesh has invested heavily in disaster management with the help of local know-how to
minimise the losses.

Salinity is a big problem in Sindh, but Badin district is the worst affected area. The local knowledge from Badin
needed to be applied in the planning process, he added.Planning should be started at local level like Union
Councils and villages. The local people should have their own disaster management policies and plans.

“We should learn from boat builders. They continue changing designs of their vessels without any research.
This is enough for learning; people’s knowledge should not be ignored, rather it can be used to lessen the
effects of disasters.”

What is important is that if the government is not responding effectively the problems will persist. We should
have an effective dialogue at the community level to understand the causes and remove the same to avoid
human and structural losses, he said. He said urbanisation and privatisation were pushing people towards
vulnerability. Damages multiply because people living in low lying areas do not have access to facilities.

He said international firms including engineering sector and construction lobbies, had vested interests to mint
money. “We have to raise national awareness of disasters. Let the people contribute their knowledge to
management,” he said, adding that Pakistan had experienced devastating disasters but after few years forgot
about them. In this regard, he suggested that people should be encouraged to preserve this disaster
knowledge and pass it on to their progeny to take precautionary measures should an emergency arise.

Alam also responded to the queries of participants regarding the gaps within policy implementation
mechanisms and the causes of natural calamities. Representatives of civil society, government and delegates
from South Asian organisations also participated in the discourse. Earlier, Zeenia Shaukat from PILER briefed
the expert on the role of the organisation. General Manager of PFF Hussain Jarwar also spoke on the occasion.
[THE NEWS, Saturday, May 05, 2012]
Pakistan’s vulnerability to flooding, droughts to continue: UN expert

Shahid Husain
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
THE NEWS

Karachi

In an interview with The News on Monday evening, the regional adviser-environment of the United Nations
Development Programme, Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, Joseph D’Cruz, talked about how far Pakistan was
vulnerable to droughts and floods, global climate change and other related issues.

Joseph D’Cruz is based in Bangkok. He is here to attend the Ninth Regional of the Mangroves for the Future
(MFF). He was all praise for the communities in Pakistan who fought flooding, mostly on their own.

Q: To what extent Pakistan is vulnerable to droughts and flooding, essentially a manifestation of climate
change?

A: First of all, I would say that in terms of Pakistan’s vulnerability to droughts and floods the events of the last
few years speak for themselves. The global climate change we are seeing is expected to increase the variability
of our climate and result in more extreme weather events. As Pakistan has developed with more agriculture
and a larger population across the country the impact of these weather events becomes more visible.

Q: What steps should Pakistan adopt to fight tsunamis, flooding and droughts?

A: Unfortunately at this point we don’t have ways of preventing major events such as tsunamis. What we can
do is to improve our capacity to anticipate these through better early warning systems and to increase the
resilience of our communities and our infrastructure.

Q: People complain that the inflow of donor funding this year is slow as compared to that after the 2010
flooding and 2011 downpours in Sindh and the earthquake in Azad Kashmir in 2005. Also, donors have
established a monitoring system to oversee funding. Is it true?

A: There is always an inflow of humanitarian funding after a disaster but preparing for disaster cannot depend
on expecting funding after it happens. Our priority should be to ensure that communities have the capacity to
cope with disasters before they happen.