* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
By Dr Unni Krishnan*
New Orleans revisited:
Thousands have fled New Orleans as Hurricane Isaac continues to lash the US State of Louisiana. For many Isaac has brought back the memories of hurricane Katrina which devastated the coastal town exactly seven years ago.
Hurricanes can level a vast landscape and cause death and destruction. Even the mightiest nations and their people can feel helpless before the sheer force of nature. Latest news reports indicate that dangerous high-speed winds associated with Isaac are sweeping an area the size of the United Kingdom.
Isaac will put to test the effectiveness of $14.5 billion invested in improved flood defence systems in New Orleans. Techno-engineering solutions are vital, but equally important is investing in communities for disasters. Communities bear the first impact of disaster and must be prepared to offer the first response.
Preparedness is key
You can’t stop a hurricane. But you can stop a hurricane from becoming a humanitarian crisis. During the weekend, Isaac – which until then was still a tropical storm, left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean nations of Haiti, Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Isaac left 19 people dead in Haiti alone – a tragic loss of human life but far less than was feared. A low death toll in Haiti can be attributed to two main factors. One, of course, is the fact that Isaac did not gather further strength to become a hurricane and instead remained a tropical storm during its passage through the island of Hispaniola shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Secondly, and more importantly, early warning systems, evacuation of people to safer places and swift response by humanitarian actors helped save lives. Early warning, early response and better disaster preparedness can help stop a disaster becoming a crisis.
Long-term impact
When it comes to weather systems likes tropical storms and hurricanes there are a combination of factors at work which need to be tackled over a period of time. The storm might have passed, however, the rain and flooding could lead to potential public health crisis including cholera and diarrhoea outbreaks. In the case of Haiti, about 400,000 earthquake survivors who are still living in makeshift camps in capital Port-au-Prince are particularly vulnerable.
Global warming has added another dimension to disasters, particularly weather system related scenarios such as floods and hurricanes, by increasing their frequency and ferocity. We need to develop a long-term perspective to break the cycle of impact and devastation when we deal with disasters.
Recovery should be matched in mind
Children living in a development centre in Haiti run by Plan International told staff that the tropical storm Issac brought back the memories of 2010 earthquake. This is normal for disaster survivors. I recall children I met in Japan during Plan’s work with the multiple disaster survivors in and around Sendai after 2011 tsunami. I came across children who refused to flush toilets as it brought back the memories of tsunami waves. Memories of disasters last a long time often leaving a debilitating impact on children.
Very often, after the disaster, the physical recovery is faster if the economy is stronger, like in the case of Japan. But, when the economy is weak and health care systems are nonexistent, dealing with the impact of disasters on survivors’ minds needs better attention from the government and humanitarian actors. The IASC (Inter-Agency Standing Committee) guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies make a strong case for integrating emotional care and psychosocial support in all emergency response programmes.
I have been a regular visitor to Haiti for past several years, mostly for humanitarian work in disaster situations. It strikes me that either the Haitians are recovering from one disaster or preparing for the next one. When you talk to children two messages come out very clear. One: the impact of repeated disasters is testing their resilience; two: for a small group of people disaster risk reduction initiatives have boosted their confidence to deal with future situations. For example, during the weekend the national TV broadcasted Plan’s awareness messages on protection of children in emergency situations. These messages during anxious moments are extremely useful and help prepare communities for various emerging scenarios.
Early warning, early action
This time in Haiti the early warning system was activated in advance. It helped people to move to safety and saved lives. We know very well that if warnings don’t reach on time it has a direct impact on the number of casualties. When cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in May 2008, it left about 138,000 people dead in its wake. One of the lessons learnt from the catastrophe was that failure to alert and inform people well in advance and thus move them to safety, can multiply the scale of death and devastation. Public broadcasting, radios, mobile phones and two-way communication are life savers.
The declaration of a state of emergency by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and US President Barak Obama helped to alert and prepare the people and administration of Loiusiana for hurricane Isaac. I can only imagine the anxiety of people there. I recall listening to testimonies of human suffering as well as resilience of survivors during my visit to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
Saving lives in a potential disaster situation is not rocket science. Early warning and early action always save lives. Cuba’s better investments and commitments on disaster risk reduction and preparedness have demonstrated this well - a good example for developing nations to follow.
Children at the forefront
As much as they are among the most vulnerable during disaster situations, children can also play an active role in reducing the impact of disasters. A child-centred approach has been a key element of Plan’s disaster preparedness and risk reduction work.
During the 2011 Japan tsunami alert, there were several countries that were put on tsunami alert. Children in communities in such countries where Plan works were at the forefront of moving people to safety and were actively participating in mobilising communities. In a modern, inter-connected world, a localised disaster fast escalates to a global situation and its impact is felt far beyond the national boundaries. Additionally, with an increasingly mobile global workforce, a greater number of people are exposed to disaster situations unknown to their countries.
Potential to use schools and children as catalysts for a resilient community are great, taking up education and child protection in emergencies should also gain equal priority. Safety, security and education of children often become first casualty in any crisis.
It is therefore essential that basics of disaster preparedness and risk reduction should be taught as a skill for life in schools and must become part of curriculum. Putting children and schools at the forefront will be vital in preparing the next generation for disasters.
(*Dr Unni Krishnan is Plan International's Head of Disaster Response and Preparedness)
