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Facts
- The second Wednesday in October is International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction which focuses on the urgent need for prevention activities to reduce loss of life, damage to property, infrastructure and environment, and the social and economic disruption caused by natural disasters.
- In 2008 there were 354 natural disasters in which 236,000 people died and 211,628,186 were affected. This compares to the average for 2000-2007 of 397 natural disasters, with 66,812 deaths and a total of 231,588,104 people affected.
- Asia was the region worst affected in 2008 with 141 events including, Cyclone Nargis in Burma which left nearly 140,000 people dead (or missing, presumed dead) and an earthquake in Sichuan, China killing 87,476 which made up 93% of the global disaster toll.
- 2008 was the deadliest year since 2004, the year of the Indian Ocean tsunami.
- Disasters affect the world's poorest the hardest – 65% from 1991-2005 occurred in developing countries. Although climatological disasters were less numerous in 2008 compared to the annual average of 2000-2007, the number of victims increased by 30%, mainly due to extreme winter conditions in China (77 million victims), and droughts in Africa (14 million victims) and Asia (12 million victims).
- More than one third of the populations in Djibouti, Somalia and Eritrea were affected by drought. Tajikistan also experienced droughts that affected over 2 million people.
- China was the most affected economically. The economies of Myanmar and Tajikistan were largely affected during 2008, with damage costs representing nearly 30% and 22% of GDP, respectively
Source: http://www.cred.be/
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Background
At regular but unpredictable intervals, people around the world are affected by natural hazards. These may be caused by climate (eg drought, flood, cyclone) geology (eg earthquake, volcano, tidal wave, landslide) the environment (eg pollution, deforestation, desertification, pest infestation) or combinations of these. Hazards become disasters when people's homes and livelihoods are destroyed. Poverty, population pressures and environmental degradation mean that increasing numbers of people are vulnerable to natural hazards. Increasing population and urbanisation is increasing the world’s exposure to natural hazards, especially in coastal areas (with greater exposure to floods, cyclones and tidal waves). Although worldwide disaster occurrence seems to follow an upward trend, some of their impacts on societies (victims and economic damages) have not increased as preparedness has improved.
Disaster management
Disaster management is a complex series of activities that include risk assessment, prevention measures, preparedness to cope with future disasters, emergency response to a disaster, recovery and reconstruction.
Good development and community preparedness can reduce the impact of a disaster especially for the most vulnerable people, such as those living in hazard-prone areas with few financial resources to help them recover if they lose their means of livelihood.
Emergency Response
When disaster strikes the first response is to save lives (humanitarian action). While each disaster creates unique circumstances and the response needs to be tailored to meet the specifics of the situation the following general areas will usually form part of the response:
- Search and rescue - finding those who may be trapped under debris;
- Assessment of needs - working out what is required, in what quantities, and for whom;
- Health – providing medical care and preventing the spread of disease through immunisation, the provision of safe water and food, waste disposal and burial of the dead;
- Basic needs - procuring and distributing food, shelter and clothing;
- Gender - understanding the roles of men and women in families and communities to identify needs and ensure the fair distribution of resources;
- Livelihood and economy - assisting people earn a living to speed their recovery;
- Emotional support - counselling and reuniting separated families;
- Logistics - transporting people and equipment;
- Finance - obtaining, allocating and accounting for money;
- Communication - providing affected people with information, informing the, fundraising;
- Infrastructure - rebuilding roads, electricity and telephone networks, water pipelines, and waste disposal systems.
Few countries have all the resources necessary to meet the demands of a large-scale disaster. International assistance can provide expert knowledge and resources, but survivors and people living in the area can also do much to help if they are prepared. . Any emergency response needs to be coordinated to ensure the survival of the maximum possible number of victims.
Some of the issues to be considered in the disaster response include:
- respecting local knowledge while using international best practice;
- meeting survival needs in a culturally appropriate manner (eg. types of food, clothing, shelter);
- limiting the effects of aid on the local economy;
- training people, organisations and communities to manage development fairly;
- prioritising the distribution of limited supplies;
- gaining funding for long-term redevelopment and disaster preparedness, rather than simply responding to the current emergency situation.
In the chaos of a disaster, the pressure to make quick decisions and balance the specific interests of victims, governments, Non Government Organisations (NGOs) and donors may mean that best practice standards are not always achieved.
Disaster recovery
Once the immediate danger is over, people may need assistance to rebuild their lives and their livelihoods. Communities may need to rebuild their social and physical infrastructure and revitalise the economy. It takes time and money to plan and ensure that long-term redevelopment and future disaster preparedness are appropriate for everyone. Damaged structures and services may not necessarily be restored in their previous locations or forms as the disruptions can be an opportunity to make improvements. Seasonal factors must be considered; for example, seeds need to be distributed during the planting season and the type of temporary shelter used will depend on the climate and season.
Disaster preparedness
Much can be done to prepare for future disasters by:
- modifying or removing the causes of any likely hazard - for example by building houses away from hazard prone areas, building levy banks in flood prone areas and upgrading stoves to reduce the risk of fire;
- taking measures to reduce the effects of a hazard - for example by building houses to standards that will protect people during a hazard, developing early warning systems that can function without power systems, developing response plans, defining the roles and training of emergency services personnel, collecting and storing resources and equipment to ensure a quick response, educating the public and rehearsing for a hazard (eg evacuation drill).
Development
Reconstruction after a disaster provides significant opportunities for improved development including:
- planning the response and recovery to prepare for future hazards;
- upgrading infrastructure, including roads, communication networks and water and sanitation systems to withstand disasters and assist in emergency response;
- building hazard resistant public buildings and housing to reduce the impact of hazards;
- developing the skills of local personnel to increase their capacity to respond to an emergency;
- poverty alleviation to reduce the vulnerability of those with limited resources;
- expansion and modernisation of the economic base.
Care must be taken to ensure that changes do not increase an area's susceptibility to disasters. For example environmental factors need to be considered when creating job opportunities so that the people do not move to hazard-prone areas such as floodplains or unstable hillsides; introduction of new agricultural practices needs to avoid leading to land degradation.
International responses
In 1994 concern about standards prompted the development of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and seven NGOs to develop the Code of Conduct for The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief. which contains the following principles:
- The humanitarian imperative comes first.
- Aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone.
- Aid will not be used to further a particular political or religious standpoint.
- We shall endeavour not to act as instruments of government foreign policy.
- We shall respect culture and custom.
- We shall attempt to build disaster response in local capacities.
- Ways shall be found to involve programme beneficiaries in the management of relief aid.
- Relief aid must strive to reduce future vulnerabilities to disaster as well as meeting basic needs.
- We hold ourselves accountable to both those we seek to assist and those from whom we accept resources.
- In our information, publicity and advertising activities, we shall recognise disaster victims as dignified human beings, not hopeless objects.
Source: http://www.ifrc.org/publicat/conduct/
In 2000 the Sphere Project took these principles further and outlined minimum standards for the key aid delivery areas.
A meeting held in Stockholm in 2003 brought together donor countries, United Nations (UN) agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Its deliberations are outlined in the Principles and good practice of humanitarian donorship.
Ethics of Aid
The Red Cross World Disaster Report 2003 identified several major concerns regarding the international response to disasters. The selectivity of emergency aid means that crises resulting from politically sensitive events have received greater and quicker responses than crises in less politically strategic areas. For example, within weeks of the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq (2003), US $ 1.7 billion in relief had been raised to help the Iraqi population of 25 million, while less than half that had been pledged for the 40 million people experiencing starvation in Africa. Research suggests that humanitarian organisations base their funding requests on what they think the donor 'market' will bear rather than evidence of objective need. The quick fix, highly visible emergency responses that capture media attention and can be quickly tabulated tend to be funded and reported rather than long-term projects to aid recovery, rehabilitation and preparedness and improve health. Despite the Afghan government requesting funds for national reconstruction and long-term development from the international community, money has been donated for food aid. Unless care is taken the international response can overwhelm local capacities and undermine the local economy.
Our individual responses
Money is the best way to help.
The most useful form of assistance during a humanitarian crisis is the donation of money to non-government overseas aid organisations. This is because such organisations:
- may have qualified people already working in the affected country who understand what is needed in the emergency situation, understand the peoples' cultures, and know the local languages.
- have strong local networks so they know where to buy emergency relief goods at the best prices with the least long-term negative impact on the affected country and can manage timely and cost-effective transportation
have controls in place to check that as much money as possible is spent on goods or services for the people in need.
What not to give:
Items such as food, clothing, blankets, medicines and toys can cause problems for relief authorities. The costs of sorting, storing, packing, labelling (in English and in the recipient country's language) and then transporting these items may be higher than the cost of buying them in the country of need or from a country nearby. Sometimes such donations may also be culturally inappropriate.
Australia's response
Emergency response
Australia provides assistance upon the request of the affected country government through its bilateral relations with Australia and/or its requests to the United Nations for assistance. Australia respects the sovereignty of the affected nation and focuses its emergency response on supporting and facilitating government and community relief and recovery efforts through a range of Australian and international implementing partners.
AusAID coordinates Australia’s response to emergencies and humanitarian crisis. Our response is guided by beneficiary needs, scale of the disaster, location and access, other donor responses, partners of the ground and our capacity to assist. AusAID identifies appropriate humanitarian response options and required outcomes, liaises with affected governments, international organisations and other donors, and whole of government partners, and coordinates Australian response activities. These may come in the form of trained personnel, medical supplies, food aid, shelter materials, water containers and purification tablets, and/or money to pay for supplies and assistance for reconstruction. AusAID monitors events and consults with key stakeholders throughout an emergency and into the recovery and reconstruction and development phases.
Disaster Preparedness
Australia helps governments and communities in the Asia Pacific region develop and maintain their own capacity to improve disaster preparedness, reduce risks and respond effectively to emergencies within their communities.
Partnerships
The Australian Government has links with key international organisations to increase the effectiveness of its response to disasters.
These organisations include: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Food Programme, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organisation, International Federation of the Red Cross, Australian Red Cross, Care Australia, World Vision Australia, Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad and other Australian NGO members of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).
Reports on how Australia has provided humanitarian assistance to its neighbours in response to recent natural disasters are available from:
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/disasterriskreduction.cfm
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/human/default.cfm
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/hottopics/archive.cfm
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