Handling disasters

Unlike the earthquake that caused the tsunami last year, most natural disasters (including ones like Hurricane Katrina that has annihilated New Orleans) are predictable. In fact, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had warned of a 95 per cent to 100 per cent chance of an above-normal hurricane season in 2005 in this region.

Indeed, since 1995, almost all Atlantic hurricane seasons have been above normal (barring the two El Nino years of 1997 and 2002). This apart, Katrina took time to develop and gave enough notice of its impending arrival and intensity.

But other than ordering evacuation of the entire city, something not wholly practical, nothing much was done to prepare for coping with the post-disaster scenario, and all too little was done for many days even after the disaster struck. As could have been visualised, thousands could not flee to safer areas for various reasons.

While perhaps hundreds died because of the hurricane, an equally large number are believed to have perished awaiting rescue. For days together, people were left without food, water, medicines and the rule of law. Even a week afterwards, rescue operations are not over. And officials now candidly concede that the job of recovering (forget counting) dead bodies may not begin for weeks.

The US authorities, obviously, have a great deal of explaining to do. Many blame the absence of National Guard troops (posted in Iraq) for the post-hurricane looting and tardy rescue. Some others see a racial angle, as a substantial chunk of the victims are African-Americans. So much so that President Bush had to dispatch his secretary of state, Condoleeza Rice, herself African-American, to the affected area to discount the accusations of racial insensitivity.

Like any other natural calamity, Katrina offers several lessons to be learnt. For one, it is apparent that the frequency of natural disasters, such as droughts, floods, cyclones and abnormal summers and winters, is on the rise and there is need for better preparedness to face them.

What is significant is that these are linked to the climate change caused by the unabated emission of greenhouse gases. The Katrina hurricane should force the US, the world's biggest environment polluter, to review its stand on not taking on the emission reduction targets stipulated by the Kyoto convention on climate change. At the same time, disaster management needs to become a global effort.

Though 1990-2000 was observed as the world natural disaster reduction decade, it has failed to put in place an effective global mechanism for either timely forewarning of impending disasters or prompt rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations. A fresh initiative on this front is called for.