Asia-Pacific countries should invest more to educate community in facing disasters

KUALA LUMPUR: Asia-Pacific countries must invest more in disaster management capability by educating and preparing the community for the impact of any disaster.

Director for Asia-Pacific of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chapagain said this was because the community would be the fastest responder when disasters happened compared to any local or global humanitarian aid team.

"In many ways, for example, the tsunamis have woken up many governments. They have put more emphasis on awareness and investment (in alert systems). But what we need to learn is that international response always takes time."

"When a disaster happens, who responds? Only the neighbours. The fast response comes from the community itself. That's why investing in disaster awareness and management capability is so important."

"Help comes from the community, but a lot of times we didn't recognise that," he told reporters after the launching of the World Disasters Report 2014 by International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) rector, Prof Datuk Seri Dr Zaleha Kamarudin, here, today.

Jagan said Japan is the best example of a country that is well prepared for any disaster as it conducts simulation exercises in schools and offices each year.

He said the simulation taught the community how they should behave when an earthquake occurrs and the practice should be applied by any country prone to disasters.

"Some of the local governments or any department are not well resourced but are expected to do 100 things during disasters."

"So, it is important for any government to find a way on how the community can be organised and to teach them to face disasters."

"The international part (aid) will come and be mobilised. Don't worry too much about this. Sometimes it's late and it takes at least two weeks for aid to reach the disaster victims," he said.

On the annual report, Jagan said it noted that more than 100 million people were affected by disasters globally last year with 87% in the Asia-Pacific region.

Therefore, he said, it was vital that all countries in this region put their efforts together and collaborate more in skills and knowledge with non-governmental organisations like the Red Cross or Red Crescent Society, the government and the public.

Jagan said since Malaysia is lucky and blessed in terms of being affected by disasters, it should share its experience in helping neighbouring countries prone to disasters at the international stage.

According to the report, 104 Malaysians were killed and 75,207 were affected by disasters last year.

Over the last decade, the highest number of deaths per continent was reported in Nigeria (Africa), Haiti (the Americas), Indonesia (Asia), Russian Federation (Europe) and Australia (Oceania).

The highest number of disaster-affected people per continent was recorded in Ethiopia (Africa), the United States of America (the Americas), China (Asia), Czech Republic (Europe) and New Zealand (Oceania).

Compared to the 1994-2004 period, the past decade has seen disaster deaths remaining stable and the number affected by disasters reduced by one-third. – Bernama