Poor planning turns a natural disaster into catastrophe

Pakistan must work on a strategy to promote the integration of disaster prevention into its development activities, writes Syed Fazl-e-Haider

Many people were killed in eastern Afghanistan in the earthquake that jolted a vast region from Tajikistan to Delhi. Haseeb Ali / EPA

Natural disasters always arrive with a price that is often highest in the world’s least developed countries. This much is evident in the deadly earthquake that struck Afghanistan and Pakistan on Monday.

The epicentre of the quake was 250km north-east of Kabul in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, deep in the Hindu Kush mountain range. The US Geological Survey measured the quake’s intensity at 7.5 on the Richter scale. Pakistan’s northern and north-western regions bordering Afghanistan are the worst-hit. The death toll has crossed 300.

There are many areas in northwestern Khyber Paktunkhwa province where rescue operations have not yet started.

These areas are also some of the world’s least developed and chaotic.

The mud-brick houses and fragile infrastructure could not withstand the quake. This is how widespread poverty and poorly-built dwellings transform a recurring natural phenomenon into a human and economic disaster.

The vulnerability to the catastrophic effects of natural hazards becomes higher in the least developed regions due to the persistence of widespread poverty, environmental degradation, official negligence and a lack of infrastructure planning. The poor households also take far longer to recover from the aftermath of these calamities.

In October 2005, a 7.5 earthquake that struck northern Pakistan wreaked havoc, killing about 75,000 people. Has the country learnt anything from that catastrophe? I fear not.

Pakistan is prone to natural hazards by virtue of its geography, seismicity and geology. It faces many forms of natural disaster, from floods to earthquakes and cyclones. The country must equip itself with the tools, expertise and mechanisms to deal with disasters.

There is a national disaster management authority, but does it have the capacity to cope with the post-disaster situation?

Unfortunately, it has been slow in the past to respond effectively to previous catastrophes. This time again, the quickest response came from Pakistan’s army chief, who directed the military to conduct a damage assessment and rescue operation in the affected areas.

What the disaster management authority lacks are effective risk management strategies.

There is a dire need to build up its capacity to reduce the country’s vulnerability to natural hazards.

The authorities should seek to develop a more proactive approach to disaster management, encompassing both pre-disaster risk reduction and post-disaster recovery.

A lack of investment in natural hazard prevention is another serious issue. The government must allocate more funds in the annual budget for disaster risk management.

It should also work on a strategy to promote the integration of disaster prevention into its development activities.

Syed Fazl-e-Haider is a development analyst in Pakistan