Disaster preparedness

For the first time, Sri Lanka Disaster Management Centre issued an early warning on a possible tsunami threat on the wee hours last Sunday. This is the first time the 55 early warning towers along the coastal belt were activated.

Compared with the situation that existed on December 24, 2004, this is a great advance. Unlike in the tsunami of 2004 those manning disaster management had not been away when the news of the earthquake came.

There were, however, certain drawbacks too. As we reported yesterday people have misread the early warning message and panicked. Perhaps the memories of the 2004 disaster are still fresh in their minds. They cannot be blamed. However, it shows a deficiency in the disaster preparedness strategy. People should have been educated on the different warning messages and on the level of threat corresponding to each.

There has been no coordination between different State agencies handling disaster situations. In fact, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) Chairman has found fault with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) for not communicating with NARA and GSMB prior to issuing the tsunami alert.

This is not the ideal situation that one would expect. It is not known whether the DMC contacted them or whether they were not available for contact at that time. The public needs to know. Going by unfortunate past experience it would be pertinent to ask whether these institutions work 24 hours seven days per week throughout the year. Are all seismic monitoring stations, including the much publicized new ones functioning?

Disaster Management should be a coordinated job. Lack of coordination could hamper disaster relief and attendant services. It would be interesting to let the public know whether there is a central body that has representatives of all authorities that are involved in disaster prevention including those in charge of mass communication.

Another question that is pertinent is whether these institutions have adequate physical and human resources for the job. Fortunately there was no actual tsunami following the quake in the Indian Ocean last Sunday. Hence it would be difficult to exactly gauge the degree of success in this particular instant.

Tsunamis are not the sole disaster that could befall the people. Much more probable and much more disasters are floods and earthslips. They happen to be repeated almost regularly during the rainy season. The Disaster Management Centre has disaster dates for 30 years. A study of the disaster pattern could be obtained from these data. They would serve as valuable information in preparing disaster prevention strategies.

As was pointed out in this column a few weeks back most of these 'natural' disasters are partly man-made. Man's neglect and ignorance of the delicate ecological balance between human, animal and plant species on earth as well as his rape of the environment under various pretexts including development has given rise to the present high frequency of disasters.

It is necessary to begin at once measures to mitigate the negative consequences of past wrongs and develop environment-friendly and sustainable means of development.

The recent floods in Colombo and Gampaha districts proved the folly of unabated land filling in areas such as Muturajawela and the Kotte bird sanctuary adjacent to the Diyawanna by the wealthier classes.

Media reports numerous instances of the rape of the environment that lead to natural disasters. Illegal land filling, rape of virgin forests, destruction of the flora and fauna by the release of toxic waste into water bodies, air pollution due to release of toxic chemicals to the atmosphere, destruction of mangroves and maritime resources such as coral reefs.

These practices have to stop if the natural environment has to be preserved for posterity. It is necessary to look beyond the immediate interests of the moment. Otherwise the day will not be far off when the species of Homo sapiens will find itself becoming extinct as the dinosaurs.