Sustainable development decreases disaster vulnerability
Asit Kumar Mukutmoni :
Recording of disaster event is a very important matter to assess the real picture, gravity and pressure of hazards upon the environment, human beings, society and the country as a whole. Generally, we report the severe one and neglect the medium and small ones which occur more frequently. Thus the reality and extensive disaster risk is ignored which brings fallacy in preparing the reality planning and execution properly. There are generally two types data keeping system followed in Asia and the Pacific region naming as the EM-DAT and DesInventar.
In the EM-DAT system of record keeping the systematic and larger disaster information with loses are recorded and open it for available analysis.
But the medium and small disaster which are more frequent cause huge impact on society and economy, are neglected in this system. so this way of recording can’t provide us the message of extensive disaster risk and reality situation relating to all loses.
These limitations can’t unveil the total challenges of happened disaster in a country which hinders to initiate the concerted and coordinated efforts, actions that is mostly needed for repairing and ongoing development planning cum proper execution.
On the other hand the DesInventar system of recording the data of disaster provide the entry of all occurred disasters in a country of all types whether large, medium and small. Nepal, Iran and Sri Lanka have comprehensive national database. The other countries of Asia and the Pacific are in the meantime developed database or developing it for using nationally or internationally.
I think the recording of the occurred disaster event in our country can follow both the systems stated above for getting better information and taking needed step in the aim of reducing the risk, vulnerability with a hope to ensure poverty reduction and sustainable development.
An example of comparative disaster event recording feature may be helpful to illustrate the two methods of recording. Comparison of DesInventar and EM-DAT data for Sri Lanka from 1998 to 2009 shows that flood, landslide, storm and drought events are recorded in EM-DAT system was 20,0,2 and1 ,where as recording in DesInventar system were as 4777,1868, 4280 and 1225 respectively.
The number of death as recorded 357,0,14 and 0 in EM-DAT system where as it is 397,813,352 and 0 in DesInventar system respectively. Number of people affected also varies as 4536690, 0, 425000, 1000000 in EM-DAT and 9242496, 104672, 2165704 and12499704 respectively in case of the noted disaster events (four in number) above.
This comparison clearly depicts that the number of events took place are much more in DesInventar system of recording than the EM-DAT data keeping methods (Ref-The Asia Pacific Disaster Report,2010 by ESCAP & ISDR). The number of death and people affected varied a lot. These were clearly high in the DesInventar method. Total situation in the country due to the disaster can be outlaid through the 2nd method of entry which helps to take up proper plan and step to reduce the grievances caused by disaster whether medium or small. The calculation of economic loss can be asserted point blank and the adoption of the process of renovation turns easy. I think both the processes are necessary and helpful for the country’s better shake, for recovery and reduction, preparation and humanitarian operation by building the capacity of resilience.
Though it is evident that the EM-DAT data preservation system are well practiced and followed worldwide for getting the summery picture of disaster happened and gravity of destruction with impact calculation and management.
It is very important to determine the points for calculating the absolute and relative loss of disaster in all spheres for getting a concrete outlet. Obviously it demands proper training and supervision of the various calculations of disaster effect in the field where the affixed determinants and ways are whether followed or observed properly or not in preparing so.
Two types of disaster are in Bangladesh, natural and manmade. The severe natural disasters are mainly the cyclone and surge, tornado, flood, river erosion, hill slide etc.
It happens almost every year and Bangladesh attained a remarkable success by developing the capability and preparation, decreased the number of loss of lives, specially in the case of the natural hazards. The awareness building situation through motivation, publicity and volunteering modality, developed a lot.
Still the bulk of total loss is much and it cannot be said that we are sufficiently successful in this respect. No doubt it increases the national loss and hinders our GDP progression. In what way we can decrease it, demands analysis, research and the taking of pragmatic steps which includes, with others, the protection technologies, its application and SSNPs covering insurance also.
Awareness building, capacity building, risk reduction, climate change adaptation all these are associated with the nature of a compact, coordinated, well analyzed unending/continuous process and planning with reality based modification and up gradation.
It is difficult to comply the SSNP and the capacity building programs properly, with the very limited personnel position in the Upazilla level and the central arena.
It demands special care because the number of population and the number of disaster events are fast increasing. Disaster and poverty are correlated and the fact is that the poor people basically have no protection capability against all these.
So they need more care, in different ways, to combat the situation. Hence health, education, food, training, micro credit, self employment etc. cares are mostly needed for the poorer section of the people to overcome these type of natural threat.
On the other hand the manmade disaster is gradually taking a serious turn day by day. It is increasing at a faster rate due to many causes. Citing an example the situation can be illustrated. Statistics shows that, injury was the cause of 10% death of our country in the year 2012(REF-Assessment of palliative care in Bangladesh, NIPORT-2014). Ten percent death is a severe hazard which we can assume that is created through accident of many types.
Accident is manmade disaster and I think that the drug addiction also the manmade disaster. We need to work much more in this arena.
Training, proper use of vehicle, equipments and building, installation of safety measures, controlling, enforcing law, motivational work, development of humanitarian attitude towards work, better working atmosphere, ensuring quick recovery and Medicare facility, stoppage of drug trafficking and use, quick and needed help for the injurious poor people, development of dedication and commitment for the people and the country etc. are mostly needed to decrease the mournful gravity of the situation.
It demands also a research and reality based controlling and minimizing modalities cum steps for proving more and more of our humanistic attitude. How many families are shattered miserably every year for drug abuse and accident, cause pain when we think about this painful Episode?
Hence it becomes evident that reality suggests the ensuring of more effective steps to minimize the grievances in this field aiming at attaining the desired risk reduction, sustainable and proper development of Bangladesh by quick decreasing the loss of life and property in this respect.
Correct information and data is the lifeblood of profound planning. Calculative and sustainable development plan, program at all levels, its implementation, helps to build up effective resilience and reduce the risk of disaster. It is a matter of practice for all, irrespective of private and public to come forward with committed mentality to decrease the vulnerability.
Recording of disaster event is a very important matter to assess the real picture, gravity and pressure of hazards upon the environment, human beings, society and the country as a whole. Generally, we report the severe one and neglect the medium and small ones which occur more frequently. Thus the reality and extensive disaster risk is ignored which brings fallacy in preparing the reality planning and execution properly. There are generally two types data keeping system followed in Asia and the Pacific region naming as the EM-DAT and DesInventar.
In the EM-DAT system of record keeping the systematic and larger disaster information with loses are recorded and open it for available analysis.
But the medium and small disaster which are more frequent cause huge impact on society and economy, are neglected in this system. so this way of recording can’t provide us the message of extensive disaster risk and reality situation relating to all loses.
These limitations can’t unveil the total challenges of happened disaster in a country which hinders to initiate the concerted and coordinated efforts, actions that is mostly needed for repairing and ongoing development planning cum proper execution.
On the other hand the DesInventar system of recording the data of disaster provide the entry of all occurred disasters in a country of all types whether large, medium and small. Nepal, Iran and Sri Lanka have comprehensive national database. The other countries of Asia and the Pacific are in the meantime developed database or developing it for using nationally or internationally.
I think the recording of the occurred disaster event in our country can follow both the systems stated above for getting better information and taking needed step in the aim of reducing the risk, vulnerability with a hope to ensure poverty reduction and sustainable development.
An example of comparative disaster event recording feature may be helpful to illustrate the two methods of recording. Comparison of DesInventar and EM-DAT data for Sri Lanka from 1998 to 2009 shows that flood, landslide, storm and drought events are recorded in EM-DAT system was 20,0,2 and1 ,where as recording in DesInventar system were as 4777,1868, 4280 and 1225 respectively.
The number of death as recorded 357,0,14 and 0 in EM-DAT system where as it is 397,813,352 and 0 in DesInventar system respectively. Number of people affected also varies as 4536690, 0, 425000, 1000000 in EM-DAT and 9242496, 104672, 2165704 and12499704 respectively in case of the noted disaster events (four in number) above.
This comparison clearly depicts that the number of events took place are much more in DesInventar system of recording than the EM-DAT data keeping methods (Ref-The Asia Pacific Disaster Report,2010 by ESCAP & ISDR). The number of death and people affected varied a lot. These were clearly high in the DesInventar method. Total situation in the country due to the disaster can be outlaid through the 2nd method of entry which helps to take up proper plan and step to reduce the grievances caused by disaster whether medium or small. The calculation of economic loss can be asserted point blank and the adoption of the process of renovation turns easy. I think both the processes are necessary and helpful for the country’s better shake, for recovery and reduction, preparation and humanitarian operation by building the capacity of resilience.
Though it is evident that the EM-DAT data preservation system are well practiced and followed worldwide for getting the summery picture of disaster happened and gravity of destruction with impact calculation and management.
It is very important to determine the points for calculating the absolute and relative loss of disaster in all spheres for getting a concrete outlet. Obviously it demands proper training and supervision of the various calculations of disaster effect in the field where the affixed determinants and ways are whether followed or observed properly or not in preparing so.
Two types of disaster are in Bangladesh, natural and manmade. The severe natural disasters are mainly the cyclone and surge, tornado, flood, river erosion, hill slide etc.
It happens almost every year and Bangladesh attained a remarkable success by developing the capability and preparation, decreased the number of loss of lives, specially in the case of the natural hazards. The awareness building situation through motivation, publicity and volunteering modality, developed a lot.
Still the bulk of total loss is much and it cannot be said that we are sufficiently successful in this respect. No doubt it increases the national loss and hinders our GDP progression. In what way we can decrease it, demands analysis, research and the taking of pragmatic steps which includes, with others, the protection technologies, its application and SSNPs covering insurance also.
Awareness building, capacity building, risk reduction, climate change adaptation all these are associated with the nature of a compact, coordinated, well analyzed unending/continuous process and planning with reality based modification and up gradation.
It is difficult to comply the SSNP and the capacity building programs properly, with the very limited personnel position in the Upazilla level and the central arena.
It demands special care because the number of population and the number of disaster events are fast increasing. Disaster and poverty are correlated and the fact is that the poor people basically have no protection capability against all these.
So they need more care, in different ways, to combat the situation. Hence health, education, food, training, micro credit, self employment etc. cares are mostly needed for the poorer section of the people to overcome these type of natural threat.
On the other hand the manmade disaster is gradually taking a serious turn day by day. It is increasing at a faster rate due to many causes. Citing an example the situation can be illustrated. Statistics shows that, injury was the cause of 10% death of our country in the year 2012(REF-Assessment of palliative care in Bangladesh, NIPORT-2014). Ten percent death is a severe hazard which we can assume that is created through accident of many types.
Accident is manmade disaster and I think that the drug addiction also the manmade disaster. We need to work much more in this arena.
Training, proper use of vehicle, equipments and building, installation of safety measures, controlling, enforcing law, motivational work, development of humanitarian attitude towards work, better working atmosphere, ensuring quick recovery and Medicare facility, stoppage of drug trafficking and use, quick and needed help for the injurious poor people, development of dedication and commitment for the people and the country etc. are mostly needed to decrease the mournful gravity of the situation.
It demands also a research and reality based controlling and minimizing modalities cum steps for proving more and more of our humanistic attitude. How many families are shattered miserably every year for drug abuse and accident, cause pain when we think about this painful Episode?
Hence it becomes evident that reality suggests the ensuring of more effective steps to minimize the grievances in this field aiming at attaining the desired risk reduction, sustainable and proper development of Bangladesh by quick decreasing the loss of life and property in this respect.
Correct information and data is the lifeblood of profound planning. Calculative and sustainable development plan, program at all levels, its implementation, helps to build up effective resilience and reduce the risk of disaster. It is a matter of practice for all, irrespective of private and public to come forward with committed mentality to decrease the vulnerability.
