|
|
Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
|
| |
October/November
2007
Volume 13 - Number
1/2 |
|
Trends in Evacuation in International Disasters in the last 3 decades By Ashutosh Madhukar During the last 3 decades the total affected population
in various disasters is reported to be 4.5 billion.1 Though all the affected
population can’t be considered as evacuees the data provides an overall view
of the situation. “The most important disasters in terms of numbers killed
or affected over the last 30 years have occurred in all three continents
of the developing world.”2 Significantly correlates the development in telecommunications,
media, science& technology and increased international cooperation with
the evacuation efforts.
1980’s The total number of people affected in various disasters during this decade is reported to be 1.2 billion.1 During this decade response to disasters was largely confined to emergency relief and short term life-saving actions. The science of disaster mitigation, risk assessment was in its nascent stages. Hence there were very few (if any) warnings issued before a disaster. Even if information was available previous to these catastrophic events, limited communicating resources made it difficult to make it available to public. The various humanitarian agencies involved in evacuation efforts were limited (mostly on regional level). The means of transportation were also not so developed, restricting the evacuation. 1990’s During this decade, there was a significant increase in the population affected by disasters (58%).1The very fact that the number of major disasters witnessed during this period also rose sharply explains that otherwise the rapid development made in the field of mitigation, risk assessments and communication made people better equipped. Due to better mitigation practices (warnings, except in case of earthquakes where no prediction can be made) many people were evacuated and this is in line with the observation that the ratio of total number of deaths/ total population affected has came down sharply from 6 in 100001 in 80’s to 2 in 100001 in 90’s. 2000 onwards In recent years, international preoccupation with disasters and their impacts has intensified and raised closer to the top of the development agenda. Due to the recognition of the critical importance of disaster preparedness, mitigation, prevention, and the adequate training of relief workers the affected population in disasters has came down to the same level as 1980’s1. Mitigation of hazards, such as early warning for cyclones or better flood plain management, has much improved over the last decades due to more accessible technology and greater know-how. Furthermore, effectiveness and efficiency in both national and international relief response has made great progress during this period, increasing the number of evacuees and decreasing the death toll from disasters “Analysing the trends in the data over the last 30 years, we observe that while we may be able to control deaths from disasters, in the absence of a risk management component in development programmes, the number of people affected will most likely continue to increase.” References: 1- EM-DAT Emergency Database http://www.em-dat.net/index.htm 2- GUHA-SAPIR., D. HARGITT, D. HOYOIS, Ph. (2004). Thirthy years of natural disasters 1974-2003: The numbers, Presses Universitaires de Louvain: Louvain-la Neuve. http://www.em-dat.net/publications.htm |