Natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and other calamities can strike anytime. These are of course, beyond human control. However action and inaction by people can profoundly affect their outcome, exacerbating or mitigating their effects on the populace.
Disasters, many of which are exacerbated by climate change, have a negative impact on investment in sustainable development and the desired outcomes. These lead to loss of lives and property.
Although natural calamities strike the wealthier nations too, the risk of death and economic loss from such events is heavily concentrated in developing countries and within these countries, it is the poor who disproportionately suffer.
Pre-emptive risk reduction is the key. There is need for sound response mechanisms after the event. Government must find practical ways to reduce vulnerability to a variety of natural hazards that claim many lives and hit economies. Jammu and Kashmir last year saw ravaging cloud bursts, taking a cruel toll. Several persons were killed including in remote village of Kishtwar.
Also India has been divided into four zones viz. zone V, IV, III and II according to the seismic zoning map of India prepared by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) based on historical seismicity and strong ground motions.
Out of these zones, Zone V exhibits the highest seismic risk and zone II has the least.
All districts of Kashmir and Doda district fall in Seismic Zone-V, and the rest of the districts fall in Seismic Zone-IV. While occurrences of earthquake or some other natural calamities cannot be predicted accurately with existing technology, there is need for preparedness on part of the government and people beforehand as well as need for sound response.
Given the high vulnerability, there is no ordinary escape for the region from susceptibility to earthquakes and other calamities. However, the foreknowledge of potential danger areas can help mitigate the impact of a disaster.
There is a need to raise awareness about the risk of disaster reduction.
Till date not much progress has been made toward reducing disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health. Whenever, any natural calamity strikes quite often the authorities are caught napping. The disaster management needs to be made more efficient as the disasters strike without any prior notice. Hollow claims cannot avert disasters. |
