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Conventional
disaster defences alone will fail tsunami-hit countries, says Red
Cross Red Crescent in Kobe 18 January 2005 Several billion dollars have been pledged to restore regions devastated by the Asian tsunamis but people will remain in harm’s way unless greater funds are invested to help communities themselves reduce the risks and withstand natural disaster, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said today as the World Conference on Disaster Reduction opened in Kobe, Japan. Early-warning hardware and the construction of physical protection such as dikes and strengthened housing will count for little if the population remains unprepared for hazards the future will undoubtedly bring, the largest humanitarian organization said. Disaster after disaster has brought huge worldwide response to support relief efforts yet the shortage of long-term investment in community-based disaster preparedness and risk reduction means many catastrophes could repeat themselves with equal devastation. “You cannot prevent disaster by building infrastructure alone,” says Markku Niskala, the International Federation’s Secretary General. “There has to be a culture of disaster risk reduction. People must understand all the risks they face and what measures they can take to minimize them. “It isn’t enough to know a tsunami, or some other catastrophe, is coming. Unless a community knows what to do the vulnerable will continue to perish in large numbers. Creating the necessary awareness needs long-term commitment and funding,” he adds. High-tech warning systems need to be supplemented by efficient information transfer reaching even the remotest community – and the individual fisherman must know how to react. The impact of disasters is increasing, the Federation points out. Over the past decade weather-related and geophysical disasters have caused 68 per cent and 62 per cent more damage. Since 1960 these figures have multiplied by more than seven and five times respectively. Yet by comparison, the Federation says, investment in preparedness has been minuscule. “How many people must die or fall into abject poverty before the world at large faces up to reality?” comments Markku Niskala, adding that disaster preparedness and mitigation will be a key component of the Federation’s longer-term programming in the tsunami-affected countries. He noted that this is one of the great strengths of Japan’s disaster preparedness, where communities and volunteers have proved themselves able to cope as well as is possible in the face of major earthquake disasters. The timing of this World Conference, ten years after the great earthquake which devastated Kobe in 1995, is an important reminder of the importance of community-based disaster preparedness. Niskala said the Federation delegation at the Conference will be stressing this message, and highlighting the ability of volunteers to help ensure that early warning also reaches the most isolated and vulnerable communities. For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact: In Kobe: Eva M. Calvo, Press Officer: Tel: +81 90-2930-3892 (mobile) John Sparrow, Regional Information Delegate Tel: +81 80-5413-7583 (mobile) In Geneva: Roy Probert, Information Officer Tel. + 41 22 730 42 96 / + 41 79 217 33 86 Media Service, duty phone Tel. + 41 79 416 38 81 The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. © International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
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