Sri Lanka could be hub for disaster relief in the region
View(s):Sri Lanka is perfectly positioned to be a hub for disaster relief across the region as the country is well equipped for this role, says a disaster management expert.Dr. Sinharaja Tammita Delgoda, Disaster and Emergency Warning Network (DEWN), Dialog Network, said the country’s hotel sector, insurance companies, media and the armed forces are in place for an efficient hub process.Along with these amenities the country also possesses a wealth of expertise and experience, he said speaking at a 2-day International Disaster Convention held in Colombo this week.
He said nearly 50 per cent of the world’s natural disasters occur in this region where 2.6 billion people living in this region are prone to these disasters. This region is also called a Hazardous Belt.
Sri Lanka lies at the centre of a region which is vulnerable to floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, tidal surges, landslides and tsunamis.
Dr. Peter Rehwinkel, Director, International Disaster and Crisis Management and a former member of the Dutch Senate, speaking on, “Manage Your Next Crisis: A Must for Cities and Industries”, said that he was in Sri Lanka in 2005 as part of the tsunami response team and shared his reactions in experiencing Sri Lanka reborn. He pointed out that now there are hotels and other buildings on places where structures were demolished by the tsunami disaster. He spoke on the importance of city resilience, the need for disaster proof city planning and gave examples of how things can go wrong from Paris (recent terrorist attack) from hurricane Katrina, Haiti and from Nepal.
Bernice van Bronkhorst, Practice Manager, Disaster Risk Management from the World Bank, Washington gave an overview of WB’s initiatives on Climate Change and Disaster Mitigation.Ms. Ineke Pitts, Director, MDF South Asia, in summing up indicated that they have shared the knowledge, experience and technology for disaster resilience that exists in Sri Lanka which are within the walls of the government and in academic institutions. She said that there are also gaps and a need for continuity .
(QP)