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by Shirajiv Sirimane

Director, National Disasters Management Centre, Ministry of Social Services, Basil Fernando, said that natural disasters in Sri Lanka in the recent past have accounted for 8% of the GDP.

Speaking at the presentation of the International Federation of Red Cross (ICRC) annual World Disasters Report last Wednesday at Hotel Renuka to the Minister of Social Services Ravindra Samaraweera, by the National Secretary ICRC, E. S. Bulathsighala, Mr. Fernando said that specially for a developing country such as Sri Lanka a natural disaster can change its economic plans within an hour.

"One disaster can undermine development plans of a government, he said. "During the Hambantota drought alone the government spent a staggering Rs. 167 million in the first month of the disaster," he said.

Regional Information Delegate, International Federation of the Red Cross (ICRC) Patrick Fuller, making the keynote address said that the corporate sector and senior officials in the insurance industry should take a keener interest and contribute more towards preventing natural disasters of their respective countries.

Mr. Fuller said that though natural disasters fell from two million to under 800,000, the number of people affected has tripped to two billion. "The economic loss multiplied five times, was $ 629 in the 1990s. This colossal amount could have been reduced if the corporate and the insurance sector had contributed towards prevention methods undertaken by the authorities."

He said that Hurricane Mitch put Honduras's economic development back 20 years while landslides in 1999 cost Venezuela 10% of its GDP. "Landslides in San Salvador in January 2001 swept away poorly sited middle - class housing while Turkey's earthquake fatalities were mainly victims of ineffective building codes, not poverty," he said.

He said that when the corporate sector and senior officials in the insurance industry combined together major disasters were averted. "The Cubans without any international aid were able to minimise the loss of life to only five when their worst hurricane since 1944 hit them last year. In Vietnam, the Red Cross along with their other counterparts from Denmark and Japan, replanted 110 kilometres of the country's storm lashed coast. The cost of dyke maintenance was reduced by $ 7 million each year and when Typhoon Wukong struck in 2000 there was limited damage and no loss to life or livelihoods. In Latin America, the use of traditional building techniques produce structures that are better able to withstand earthquakes, floods and wind disasters. All these were made possible since the 'would be disasters' were identified in advance and the authorities with the aid from the community took preventive methods. Other countries too should take a cue from these examples," he said.

"Last year the lives of 170 million people worldwide were disrupted by disasters. By seeing disaster management as more than a quick-fix relief effort, and seeing risk reduction as a long-term strategy to build disaster resilience, the world can become a safer place for every one."

National Secretary SLRC, E. S. Bulathsinghala said that international development targets for the year 2015 will not be reached unless the heavy toll of disasters is reduced through effective measures. "The World Disasters report' which is in its tenth year of publication is calling for disaster risk reduction targets, and have dedicated plans and resources for risk reduction programs."

The British who were ruling Sri Lanka in 1936 were responsible in setting up the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. They invited the Red Cross to open one of their branches in then Ceylon, in a bid to seek their assistance to eradicate the malaria epidemic.

Published annually since 1993, the World Disaster Report provides the latest trends, facts and analysis of the world's humanitarian crises. Described by the World Bank as "a very valuable resource for the international community", the report is an indispensable reference work to those searching for strategies and tactics in the face of disaster. The report is backed by the resources and expertise of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The Federation's web site is at: http://www.ifrc.org

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