INTRODUCTION
Floods are almost annual events in Pakistan. Pakistan has been experiencing floods. Mainly because of its topography, , Sind, Kabul and swat are three hazard prone rivers, and due to climatic and ecological condition, Pakistan constantly and annual received flooding every year. This is not a matter of concern every year. However, when floods exceed normal flooding level, they take dangerous turns. Many times in the history of Pakistan, floods took severe and sometimes catastrophic turns. In the past Pakistan experienced severe floods in 1973, 1992, 2005 and 2010. But 2010 flood breaks all past records.
Pakistan is one of the most natural disaster-prone countries in the World. Natural disasters often result in great losses, both in terms of materials and people's lives.
Disasters in Pakistan
Pakistan is confronting series of disasters in recent past, 2005 earth quake, hunza land slide, air blue crash, and 2010 Floods, are major disasters. These disasters have different type and onset but resulted huge damage to life and property .Pakistan is facing different problems like terrorism, political uncertainty which badly affected the government and its institutions capacity.
Government of Pakistan after 2005 earth quake establish a authority for disaster management but due to lack of technical knowledge and manpower the authority fail to play its role effectively while coping these disasters, there is an urgent need to built the capacity of this authority and also clearly lay down its bylaws and mandate , NDMA think that its role is only to regulatory which is totally wrong perception, the role of any National disaster management authority all over the world is to
regulate ,coordinate , develop systems and train technically manpower for disaster management.
Disaster management in Pakistan
Disaster management is multidimensional field and required technical knowledge to get job done ,army can not manage disaster , army can manage war and law and order ,the only role army can play in disaster management is that they can respond to post disaster phase for rescue , relief and recovery on request , but here we misuse army in disaster management which not only kept them away from their original task but also put extra burden on armed forces, in spite from the fact that army play a exceilent and efficient role in all national calamities , on other hand it also indicate weakness in NDMA ,which is responsible to provide technical assistance to other government agencies in disaster management, But we witness that due to lack of technical knowledge and techniques we suffer maximum damages in term of life and property, e.g. in Air Blue crash the plane caught by fire for many hours and rescue workers reached the spot in minimum possible time but they fail to stop the fire and rescue the victims because they don't have fire fighting knowledge ,this fire can easily be controlled if they put green bushes on fire which is very effective instrument in absence of water, these green bushes are wild and extensively available at crash spot ,but we let the bodies burn to ashes ,secondly I also observed the search operation for black box which was also conducted in un professional manners ,CDA worker and other common people are exploring the area not conducted search which is purely technical think and done through scientific methods.
These type of searches must be carried out by train searchers according to search methods(triage search or up to down left to right search) and with the support of magnetic rods which identified black box and this type of search is called electronic search ,which is correct and scientific method of search. I think that we can safe life of the people if we have trained USAR team for future emergencies.
DISASTER RESPONSE SYSTEM IN PAKISTAN
Due to frequent occurrence of disasters induced by natural hazards, the National disaster management authority(NDMA)of the Government of Pakistan, which has been given the responsibility for coordinating national disaster management efforts across all agencies. The newly born authority formed provincial and district authorities to handle future disaster,
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
NDMA National
PDMA Provincial
DDMA District
IMPACTS OF 2010 FLASH FLOODING
Many houses and bridges have been destroyed due to flash flooding and also, due to the water accompanied debris, which mostly consists of timber logs, tree branches and uprooted trees of different sizes. The mass of debris has been created by destabilization of slope, the sub soil layer and vegetation over the same which is transported by the floodwaters. Mountainous watershed systems in northern Pakistan collectively send water to rivers leading downstream areas
2010 FLOOD IN URBAN AREAS NOSHERA
The city of Noshera and few other urban areas of Punjab and Sind located in the plain of the swat and Sind Rivers badly destroyed by floodwater associated with heavy rain. The urban area is located in the catchments, In Noshera city debris flow and flooding caused damages and losses to shops, commercial centers and house hold items such as furniture, electronic items so on. The city transportation system, water supply, sewerage and drainage systems were also subjected to severe destruction or failure in functioning.
Consequences of poor disaster management
2005 earth quake is fast onset disaster, all damages are natural and one can not criticized government or any authority because in fast onset disaster damage to life and property can not be minimized by any mean, 2010 flood is slow onset disaster in which damage to life and property is failure of NDMA and government of Pakistan because in slow onset disaster damages can be minimized if a country have system in place (like early warning system, hazard assessment, risk calculation etc). political differences amongst federal and provincial governments leading the disaster toward complex disaster
Complex Disasters-
Complex disasters exist where adverse political conditions compound a disaster or emergency situation. Such situations are complicated because the breakdown of the political structure makes assistance or intervention difficult. This sort of emergency is usually associated with the problems of displaced people during times of civil conflict or with people in need caught in areas of conflict.
THE Second Disaster
The actual disaster results in a lot of damage to the population in terms of loss of life and property. This
direct result can be dubbed as the ‘
first disaster'. The impact of the first disaster sends another wave of damage triggered by chain of events relating to the first disaster by means of cause-and-effect, resulting in
indirect damage to people remote from the original disaster. This can be called the
‘second disaster'. For example, tsunami had caused loss in terms of life, damage to houses, etc. This is the first disaster. This leads to disruption in the trade of fishing industries, which suffers massive financial losses. The losses suffered by these industries results in lower wages and salaries to those involved in the fishing business. These people cannot repay their loans, resulting in losses to money lenders, and so on. Such events can also result in higher incidences of Looting robberies civil war, heart attacks, strokes, suicides and homicides. This is called ‘second disaster' and can be in
greater magnitude than the ‘first disaster'. Proper rehabilitation and care of the victims of first disaster can break the chain of events leading to the second disaster.
NDMA must prepare national disaster plan for flood victims to avoid above stated situations and also centralized all disaster management activities for effective recovery at national level and setup national early warning system, Hazard assessment, and Risk and hazard mapping for minimizing damages in any future event.
Who is Responsible for damages?
2010 floods are historical in term of magnitude and spread out, Pakistan is exposed to floods almost every year but the recent floods breaks all records of the past, If we put bird eye view on and affected area we see that amount of damage is maximum in term of property and livelihood, If we calculate damages flood first of all food basket of the country completely destroyed ,loss of livelihood ,loss of infrastructure. These damages can not be recovered or rehabilitated in short period of time by any mean, these damages are irrecoverable and irreversible, e.g. The soil of fertile basin plate of Indus River badly polluted and overlapped by flood salty mud which can not be removed shortly, this type of damage can create drought in country
.
(1) Governments of Pakistan is responsible for Immoveable property and livelihood damages
As a disaster manager I agree from the fact that in floods damages to moveable property can not be minimized by any mean but we can mitigate the risk of a hazard in pre flood period.
Past and present Governments of Pakistan is responsible to Irrecoverable Damage to food basket or Indus basin plate of Pakistan ,Because this damage can be minimized if government of Pakistan built Dams which is best instrument of flood control , Sind river is biggest in water flow but its water never ever generate floods because of Terbela dam which capacitated large amount of water and utilized for energy and irrigation purposes in spite from the fact that sind river have large potential of flood creation, Swat and kabal rivers garneted flood because there water is unchecked or free in flow, technically both rivers must have dams for control over its water and flow but due to lack of technical knowledge ,mindless politics and poor planning of government of Pakistan and its concern institutions which not only pull the country in darkness butt also destroyed its only god gifted agriculture resource.
(2)NDMA is responsible for damages to Life and moveable property
In disaster manger eyes NDMA is responsible for damages to life and immoveable property ,Because flood is slow onset disaster not a fast onset which give enough time to Authorities for preparation and mitigation ,if NDMA have national disaster management strategy in place which includes (
countrywide early warning system ,emergency management plan,Hydro meteorological hazards assessment, Structural / non-structural measures, , Environmental impact assessment, Environmental degradation assessment, Forecast ) damages can be minimized ,but due to lack of technical management and preplanning the whole country exposed to floods resulted damages to life and property of people ,on the other hand government and army also faced hard time in rescue and relief due to sudden occurrence. This poor management of flood raises questions in mind of international community that Pakistan suffers huge damages to life and property in slow onset disasterdue to mismanagement
People of Pakistan are already suffering from poverty and energy crisis, now loosed their bread and butter .Being a disaster manager we know that the impact of flood disaster is more destructive then earth quake, In earth quake damages are bi end while in floods damages are uni- end (bi-end life and property, uni-end only property).
In earth quake people last there life, in floods people losses their livelihood and property so they demanded more resources and compensation and disaster of this nature need much resources and money for rehabilitation as compare to earth quake ,because population remain same resources scarce
Potential Flood Hazard in Pakistan
I think that we have manpower and instrument but due to lack of technical knowledge we suffer damages in disasters, Flood mitigation is not difficult task it can be managed properly through
flood mitigation system, In Pakistan we have three potential Flood Hazard
Moon soon rains, Northern glaciers and
Dams
Firstly the country is more commonly exposed and vulnerable to moon soon rains which are predictable and come periodically ,With modern satellite weather forecast we can take affective measures to minimize its damages, because in floods only immovable property and crops are vulnerable and people , livestock and moveable property can be saved ,but here we suffer maximum damages in flood and turn whole country in to disaster, we must have early warning system which can inform vulnerable community about hazard ,secondly we must have Hazard assessment like amount of water in rivers , river delta capacity and the water spread area, forecast these damages can be minimized.
Second potential hazards are Terbela, mangla dams, which due to any sudden event can create Flood disaster, for this type of hazard we must educate those people whose are vulnerable in downstream area about risk and hazard (e.g. Everybody must have boat or tire tubes according to house hold size), this type of risk reduction tools save life of people.
If government of Pakistan and international community fail to manage or poorly managed this disaster then it will resulted dire consequences for Pakistan and rest of the world .If we calculate the amount of damage, magnitude and spread of this disaster, there is a immediate need to manage this disaster properly, if serious steps will not be taken by Government, UN and donor countries the situation will create complex disaster which later on change into second disaster which not only affect Pakistan but the whole civilized world.
Third Northern glaciers
Melting of glaciers in northern Pakistan due to global warming are also potential hazard, this hazard can generate flood in Pakistan .we can reduce its affect by constructing Dam in northern area
Factors behind flood
Environmental degradation
The reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives, and needs.
Potential effects are varied and may contribute to an increase in vulnerability and the frequency and intensity of natural hazards.
Some examples: land degradation, deforestation, desertification, wild land fires, loss of biodiversity, land, water and air pollution, climate change, sea level rise and ozone depletion.
Global warming
Global warming is major factor of floods in Pakistan, Developed industrial states and wild fires contributing major share in global warming which resulted heavy and long spell rains, melting of snow, raise in sea level, storms and floods, in my view moon soon rains are annually fall but this time the unpredictable increase in rain fall is due to global warming resulted flood in Pakistan
Technical guidelines for Management of Floods prone Area and communities
I recommended some technical guidelines to adopt and minimize damages to life and property of flood affected Pakistani citizens.
CBFEWS
The capability of communities to monitor and warn people about impending floods is crucial to protecting lives and property. The high cost of telemeter flood forecasting equipment prompts a lot of communities in developing countries to search for cheap but equally effective mechanisms. One such alternative is a community-based flood early warning system (CBFEWS) Flood Warning System consists of two components: flood forecasting as a technical issue and flood warning and dissemination as a communication
COMMUNITY RESPONSE
Considerable attention has been given to providing understandable and actionable warnings to target communities. To this end, warning messages have been streamlined with only three different stages (READY, GET SET, and GO) so that the public can easily remember what each signal means.
Family communication Plan for Flood victims
- Family communications.
- Money, Insurance and vital records
- Utility shut-off and safety
- Open all doors and windows of house
- Select highest place
- Stay in groups (Women, children's and elders in center young's in surroundings)
- Unplugged animals
- Kept drinking water in plastic Grecians
- Tied all house keeping goods with rope
Psycho social aspects of flood victims
There is a phenomenal increase in the incidence of psychiatric disorders in the Flood affected population. The common problems include
1. Acute stress disorder
2. Post traumatic stress disorder
3. Anxiety disorders
4. Depression
5. Alcohol and drug abuse
Victims and survivors of flood
Almost everyone in the population is affected by a disaster. No one is untouched by it. Those who suffer damage are called victims. The victims may die or live. Those who manage to live are called survivors. These survivors can be classified as
.
- Primary survivor– One who is exposed to the disaster first-hand and then survives. They are called ‘survivor victims'.
- Secondary survivor – One who grieves the loss of primary victims? Example, a mother who lost her child, or a man who lost his friend.
- Third level survivor – The rescue and relief personnel. These people are also affected due to the disaster as they are at the site of disaster and undergo almost the same mental trauma as the other victims.
- Fourth level survivor – Reporters, Government personnel, traders, etc.
- Fifth level survivor – People who read about or see the event in media reports
.
Flood Disaster management Field plan
Search rescue
Relief
(food/tent/clothes/hygiene kit) is for primary and secondary survivor only
Damage assessment survey
Reconstruction/Rehabilitation
Housing
(Keep flood safe design houses (cross windows doors designs)
Flood resistance houses (V design houses)
Shifting of vulnerable habitats to safer places
Rehabilitate DWSS, School, Roods, and hospitals
Rehabilitation of agriculture land (water canals, land leveling etc)
Preparedness
Awareness, trainings, Dams, Diversions canals
Flood Risk mitigation
Alert-
The notice issued indicating that specific precautions should be taken because of the probability or proximity of a dangerous event.
Emergency management
The organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of emergencies, in particularly preparedness, response and rehabilitation.
Emergency management involves plans, structures and arrangements established to engage the normal endeavors of government, voluntary and private agencies in a comprehensive and coordinated way to respond to the whole spectrum of emergency needs. This is also known as disaster management.
Hydro meteorological hazards
Natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric, hydrological or oceanographic nature, which may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.
Hydro meteorological hazards include: floods, debris and mud floods; tropical cyclones, storm surges, thunder/hailstorms, rain and wind storms, blizzards and other severe storms; drought, desertification, wild land fires, temperature extremes, sand or dust storms; permafrost and snow or ice avalanches. Hydro meteorological hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects.
HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL MONITORING
The hydrological monitoring system consists of a network of rainfall and water level monitoring stations,
• Assessment of flood hazard and existing flood control structures;
• Identification and verification of locations for rainfall and water level gauges using the network density derived from a topographic map of the river basin;
• Acquisition, fabrication, and installation of rainfall, water level gauges, and flood markers;
• Identification and training of community volunteers as rain and water level observers; and
• Discharge measurement and cross-sectioning of rivers
Risk assessment/analysis
A methodology to determine the nature and extent of risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that could pose a potential threat or harm to people, property, livelihoods and the environment on which they depend.
The process of conducting a risk assessment is based on a review of both the technical features of hazards such as their location, intensity, frequency and probability; and also the analysis of the physical, social, economic and environmental dimensions of vulnerability and exposure, while taking particular account of the coping capabilities pertinent to the risk scenarios.
Structural / non-structural measures
Structural measures refer to any physical construction to reduce or avoid possible impacts of hazards, which include engineering measures and construction of hazard-resistant and protective structures and infrastructure.(e.g. Dams,)
Non-structural measures refer to policies, awareness, knowledge development, public commitment, and methods and operating practices, including participatory mechanisms and the provision of information, which can reduce risk and related impacts.
Geographic information
systems (GIS)
Analysis that combine relational databases with spatial interpretation and outputs often in form of maps. A more elaborate definition is that of computer programmes for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, analyzing and displaying data about the earth that is spatially referenced.
Geographical information systems are increasingly being utilized for hazard and vulnerability mapping and analysis, as well as for the application of disaster risk management measures.
Land-use planning
Branch of physical and socio-economic planning that determines the means and assesses the values or limitations of various options in which land is to be utilized, with the corresponding effects on different segments of the population or interests of a community taken into account in resulting decisions.
Land-use planning involves studies and mapping, analysis of environmental and hazard data, formulation of alternative land-use decisions and design of a long-range plan for different geographical and administrative scales.
Land-use planning can help to mitigate disasters and reduce risks by discouraging high-density settlements and construction of key installations in hazard-prone areas, control of population density and expansion, and in the sitting of service routes for transport, power, water, sewage and other critical facilities.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Studies undertaken in order to assess the effect on a specified environment of the introduction of any new factor, which may upset the current ecological balance.
EIA is a policy making tool that serves to provide evidence and analysis of environmental impacts of activities from conception to decision-making. It is utilized extensively in national programming and for international development assistance projects. An EIA must include a detailed risk assessment and provide alternatives solutions or options.
Environmental degradation
The reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives, and needs.
Potential effects are varied and may contribute to an increase in vulnerability and the frequency and intensity of natural hazards.
Some examples: land degradation, deforestation, desertification, wild land fires, loss of biodiversity, land, water and air pollution, climate change, sea level rise and ozone depletion.
Forecast
Definite statement or statistical estimate of the occurrence of a future event (UNESCO, WMO).
This term is used with different meanings in different disciplines.
Geological hazard
Natural earth processes or phenomena that may cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.
Geological hazard includes internal earth processes or tectonic origin, such as earthquakes, geological fault activity, tsunamis, volcanic activity and emissions as well as external processes such as mass movements: landslides, rockslides, rock falls or avalanches, surfaces collapses, expansive soils and debris or mud flows.
Geological hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects.
Geographic information systems (GIS)
Analysis that combine relational databases with spatial interpretation and outputs often in form of maps. A more elaborate definition is that of computer programmes for capturing, storing, checking, integrating, analyzing and displaying data about the earth that is spatially referenced.
Geographical information systems are increasingly being utilized for hazard and vulnerability mapping and analysis, as well as for the application of disaster risk management measures.
Public awareness
The processes of informing the general population, increasing levels of consciousness about risks and how people can act to reduce their exposure to hazards. This is particularly important for public officials in fulfilling their responsibilities to save lives and property in the event of a disaster.
Public awareness activities foster changes in behavior leading towards a culture of risk reduction. This involves public information, dissemination, education, radio or television broadcasts, use of printed media, as well as, the establishment of information centre and networks and community and participation actions.
Recommending
Government of Pakistan must think deeply into matter and analyzed the situation, and declared it complex disaster ,then top leadership of a country ask UNO to call a meeting of all member countries and asked the world that this disaster happens because of global warming and Pakistan single handedly can not mitigate its affect, world have share in global warming so it is their moral responsibility to come forward and help Pakistan in minimizing its affect ,and also informed them that if we fail or poorly manage this disaster it will change into second disaster which not only destabilized Pakistan but the whole world .
Sardar Muhammad Qaddafi
Disaster management specialist
SRSP Manshera
Mob 03438903218
(ArticlesBase SC #3035491)
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Muhammad Qaddafi -
About the Author:
Profile
I have over 8 years of experience working with the development sector Multi-sector relief program, Disaster Management Emergency management, Camp management , Reconstruction &rehabilitation, DRR, Security, personnel development. My expertise's are supervision of multispectral projects, Social mobilization, Disaster management, Community-based disaster risk management/CBDM, Early recovery, Search and Rescue, staff training, infrastructure management, facilities management and financial administration. Accomplished leader, capable of motivating a staff to its full potential and proven ability to communicate complex information clearly to individuals at all levels. Exceptional analytical problem-solving ability with excellent verbal and written communication.
Since 8th October earth quake till now I am working SRSP as Area coordinator. My experience especially with Response, Early recovery and Disaster management, Search& Rescue, Relief, Reconstruction & rehabilitation, Emergency management, Camp management, DRR ,Rural Development, Social mobilization, enterprise development and small scale infrastructure projects and the challenges with community participation for projects such as community water and sanitation, Rural Housing, roads, school construction, health centers, and other facilities and development of training programs for community leaders
