Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
is needed to cut any bureaucratic blockages that occur, and getting assistance from
major international aid agencies. Such complex assistance becomes a major logis-
tics operation, so it is vital that careful plans with recent revisions have been drafted
by national agencies to fulfil these immediate needs, which means rapid access to
the necessary supplies. All too often in the past such rapid response has not been
forthcoming, meaning that the loss of life was often greater than it should be. How-
ever there is little doubt that more responsible governments, quicker communica-
tion facilities and the increasing skilled assistance from international organizations
has been of great help in reducing the post-disaster death tolls in many areas in the
last decade. The involvement of social organizations such as the Rotary Clubs in re-
lief is also helpful. They have developed a Shelter Box programme, providing what
amounts to emergency supply boxes containing a whole variety of useful products
from high protein bars to lights (SB).
Despite all these helpful features, the increased level of risks from natural disas-
ters described previously shows that a lot of work is still required. Unfortunately,
there are many cases where not all victims of disasters are treated equally, such as
when dalits, the lowest castes in Indian cities. have been refused access to emer-
gency cyclone shelters by others. Elsewhere, favouritism in relief supplies has led
to one ethnic group being favoured over others. Also there is always a need to pro-
tect the contents of damaged houses from looters—which means sufficient security
personnel to restrict access to disaster sites—while the victims in temporary relief
accommodation needed to be protected from thieves and molesters. Another prob-
lem that has been noted in relief efforts has been the failure to co-ordinate the many
organizations that rush to help in any area. Duplication of effort and rivalry between
relief agencies need to be avoided and resolved through some over-all co-ordinating
agency in which the host government plays a major part.
Once the immediate problems of providing food, health care and shelter have
been solved—all major tasks—the next duty is to clear the devastated sites. Rather
than only using assistance from outside, and especially N.G.O's, it is increasingly
realized that the victims of the disaster should also be encouraged to help with
the tasks of clearing sites and reclamation. The may involve training local person-
nel, providing them with wages and basic skills in construction or in security. All
too often the victims of disasters remain homeless and unemployed for too long,
without hope and with limited security, in the temporary camps. By contrast, the
well-meaning NGO personnel obtain the jobs. By involving as many locals as pos-
sible and paying them, the disaster can be used as a way of creating a buffer for the
next big storm or hazard and in improving the economic and social life of affected
people. Such approaches will provide the victims with an income and perhaps new
skills. In addition, international aid agencies in particular have been stressing the
need to supply victims with money for them to purchase food etc—at least in de-
veloping countries, where the people have few assets or reserves to fall back on—
rather than the continuation of free relief, which leads to conditions of dependency,
not individual or family resilience. This will stimulate the growth of markets and
often local and regional agricultural production to supply goods, all of which help
local economy to recover. Some jurisdictions, such as Makati in the Philippines,
