Can Dhaka respond to a devastating earthquake?
The tremor that has recently jolted Dhaka is just another reminder of the devastation that might be awaiting city-dwellers in case of a major earthquake! Bangladesh already experienced wreckage of the kind that might follow an earthquake when Rana Plaza collapsed in Savar in 2013. Although Rana Plaza was a single construction failure and not a result of an earthquake, it illustrated how ill-equipped we were as a nation to tackle and respond to disasters, and gave us a rough idea of the chaos and mismanagement that might ensue in case of a major earthquake. The Nepal earthquake last year also showed the nature and extent of devastation caused by earthquakes. Dhaka has been identified as one the 20 most vulnerable cities in the world by Stanford University researchers for its unplanned urbanisation and lack of access to services. Under the circumstances, isn't it time to review the strength and weakness of Dhaka's preparedness to respond to earthquake devastation?
As one of the most densely populated areas in the world, Dhaka has massive traffic and narrow streets and roads, and is least prepared to respond to emergencies. Even under normal circumstances, it is impossible for emergency vehicles such as ambulances to maneuvre through the heavy traffic of Dhaka; if this city does not have a way out for small emergency vehicles, how, we wonder, will it respond to something as terrifying as a severe earthquake?
It is the high time to ask, do our cities have any sort of plan and enough resources to retaliate in an emergency situation? Do they possess enough human resources and logistical support? Do they have enough funds to carry out drills simulating a disaster-like situation? How many cranes and bulldozers does Dhaka city possess to provide immediate support in case of an earthquake? These are the questions that we should ask the government and the authorities concerned, and they, in turn, should realise that this issue merits urgent attention and deserves more allocation of resources.
Bangladesh has made progress in disaster-management in terms of floods and cyclones in coastal areas as a result of foreign aid and sustained government efforts; however, in terms of disasters like earthquake and building fires, Bangladesh has made very little progress. The National Disaster Management Bureau has been working to develop city dwellers' awareness for potential earthquake hazards. However, Bimal Kanti Paul, Professor of Geography at Kansas State University, in his recent research found that 83 percent of Dhaka city dwellers don't know what safety measures to take during an earthquake. The World Bank and some other agencies have, in recent years, put emphasis on training firefighters, civil defense and volunteers, but the number of such trained personnel is insignificant, when we consider the population of Dhaka. Consider the fact that in a city of 15 million, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil defense has only 9,000 members! It is all too obvious that despite the fact that Dhaka is exposed to a serious level of vulnerability, it simply does not have the capacity to carry out rescue operations of the magnitude of an earthquake.
Given the frequency of earthquakes in Bangladesh in recent times and the severity of those in other countries at this time, we must take immediate steps to mobilise our resources. The government, for starters, can allocate the required funds for such disaster preparedness.
The writer is a graduate student of Information Security at Lindenwood University, Missouri, USA.
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