Disaster Management

Disaster management in Pakistan
By Irshad Ali Sodhar (FSP)

Outline

1. Introduction
2. Disaster; definition and types
3. Disaster management
4. Phases of disaster management;
a. Mitigation
b. Preparedness
c. Response
d. Recovery
5. History of disasters in Pakistan
6. Disaster in the wake of recent floods
7. Structure of disaster management in Pakistan
8. Role of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
9. Abysmal state of disaster preparedness and management in Pakistan
10. Impacts of weak disaster management
i) Food crisis
ii) Health hazards
iii) Ravaged infrastructure
iv) Unemployment and economic loss
v) Militancy and crime
vi) Political upset
11. An organised disaster management is the need of the hour.
12. Measures to improve disaster management in Pakistan
13. Conclusion
Pakistan is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. Generally divided into
natural and man-made, all disasters are managed by a systematic process of disaster
management that aims at minimising the damage and restoration of people to their normal
state. Pakistan is well familiar with disasters which have caused a heavy toll in terms of men
and material.
However, due to its inadequate preparedness to manage disasters, it has failed to
effectively cope with them. Though, after earthquake-2005, a systematic effort was geared
up to develop a viable structure of disaster management evolving into establishment of
NDMA, it has yet to achieve the required standards. The heavy floods of 2010 exposed its
unpreparedness and frail management resulting in unprecedented proportion of losses and
damages. Since, the magnitude of implications is too heavy to bear; the efficient disaster
management comes, on the priority, second to none of other needs. Therefore, it is
necessary to formulate an organised disaster management system to cope with disasters
that may break out in future.
Disaster is defined as "a catastrophic event that brings about...