National Disaster Awareness Day

 October 8,2022

 

5 years ago, in 2017, October 08 was declared as National Disaster Awareness Day in Pakistan. This day is observed each year in the commemoration of the martyrs of earthquake, the country had in 2005. And its basic purpose is to make public aware of disasters and their consequences and to make them able enough to deal with those disasters on individual, social and national level.

 

Climate change is not a myth anymore. It is now an undeniable reality, causing typhoons, tsunamis, droughts, abnormal rainfalls and flash floods each year. In fact, it can also trigger volcano eruption and earthquakes. No part of the world is saved from their havocs; moreover, their effects are never temporary. It takes ages to control the situations.

 

In Pakistan, increased urbanization, rapid deforestation, industrialization and transportation have made the country prone to several disasters mainly droughts, floods and earthquakes. According to Global Climax Risk Index, 2021, Pakistan ranks 8^th most vulnerable country in terms of fatalities due to climate change. If we look at the last 22 years history of Pakistan, the country has faced a number of such events. Millions of people have been killed or effected, directly or indirectly, because of these disasters. Baluchistan drought in 2000, affecting 1.2 million people; Kashmir earthquake in 2005, affecting 2.5 million; Flash floods in 2010, affecting 20 million; and now floods of 2022, affecting almost 33 million population. All these are large scale disasters only, affecting cumulatively 56 million people.

                                                             

This year, one name that has come to the fore as the most trusted organization who promptly helped  people in all areas amid recent flood is "Alkhidmat Foundation". Alkhidmat foundation Pakistan is one of the leading, non profit organization that is fully dedicated to humanitarian services since 1990. Alkhidmat Disaster Management Service is one of theirp projects that is working for the relief of affected people across Pakistan and worldwide during disasters. The foundation has done a great job  in previous disasters as well. Apart from providing basic necessities to flood victims i.e. food, water, clothes n shoes and shelter, the foundation is also working tirelessly to give them medical facilities by introducing mobile health units and establishing medical camps. On the other side, Alkhidmat foundation has thousands of volunteers that are working selflessly for their people. The foundation has arranged training sessions and workshops for them as well to train them how to treat the situations.

But this is not enough. We need to educate the people of all ages about these disasters. National Disaster Awareness Day is, no doubt, a great initiative taken by government of Pakistan to raise awareness among masses. Awareness about disasters is a need of this hour. We need to learn from our history as those who don’t learn are doomed to repeat it. In this context, media, be it electronic, print or social, should actively play its role as it is the part and parcel of everyone’s life. People must be shown special disaster awareness programs. Also, Preparation to give timely response to future disaster event is the need of the day. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in collaboration with local NGOs and foundations should introduce new programs to engage people in various activities and prepare them to face these disasters and respond actively and timely in order to minimize the destructions caused by these disasters.