ANOTHER tropical depression is coming, according to our state weather bureau. Science and technology are more advanced now than, say, in the last decade. In the area of disaster management, the challenge is how do we translate scientific knowledge into practice to effectively manage disasters and reduce risks.
The overflowing information and statistics on natural hazards, disaster risks and climate change should be communicated to and understood by governments and communities to be able to make science work towards building resilient communities.
It is not enough that climate scientists know the risks. Governments, local leaders and the people on the ground should understand the vulnerability of their communities and be equipped with options, resources and the tools to enable them to become drivers of action in their respective communities.
Consider super typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013. Authorities warned communities about storm surges that may reach up to six meters high. Many citizens stocked up on food, secured their homes and stayed indoors, not knowing that it was not the kind of preparation for a storm surge. Even those in evacuation centers were not spared from the deadly onslaught of the storm surges. Was it a case of inadequate information or a case of information not being understood and appreciated by national and local officials, and by the people on the ground? People had no notion of storm surges, plain and simple. In the end, it cost thousands of lives.
An assessment of Tacloban, which greatly bore the brunt of the storm’s impact, showed that the city’s location was highly susceptible to disaster risks. The geohazard map for Tacloban showed a province massively covered by color purple on its outskirts and red within, which meant the coastal areas were susceptible to flooding, while the inland was highly susceptible to landslides.
The map’s color coding scheme represented susceptibility to landslides and flooding, but the people did not know any of that. The challenge here is to translate scientific terminologies to layman’s terms. Citizens should be able to digest the information on a geo-hazard map or a weather bulletin. Raising public awareness should be made to resonate loudly and as far deep into the communities as possible.
Science is needed in strengthening building codes; making risk-sensitive land use plans that are linked into yearly investment plans of governments; adopting early warning system for crop harvests; capacitating private sector, especially the micro, small and medium enterprises, in creating business continuity plans that reflect corporate strategy on how to swiftly spring back to operations after each disaster.
Knowing when, where and in what magnitude a natural hazard will strike is fundamental to keeping our people prepared. But let us transform scientific knowledge into concrete actions.
