Despite all our technological advances, we’re still extremely fragile in the face of natural disasters. In early November, Typhoon Haiyan claimed nearly 5,000 lives and left half a million people homeless in the Philippines. The 2010 Haiti earthquake took more than 150,000 lives; the 2008 Sichuan earthquake took more t
Despite all our technological advances, we're still extremely fragile in the face of natural disasters. In early November, Typhoon Haiyan claimed nearly 5,000 lives and left half a million people homeless in the Philippines. The 2010 Haiti earthquake took more than 150,000 lives; the 2008 Sichuan earthquake took more than 80,000 lives; The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami claimed more than 230,000 lives.
Millions more were left homeless and even more were affected by the economical and environmental impacts. At the International Roundtable for Disaster Resilience on Nov 27, Sophia Salenius, Managing Director of RegPoint, argued that “It's time for governments to throw their support behind new technologies that can save lives, before it is too late.”
While it is impossible to stop natural disasters from happening, early signs and warnings of the disasters could have significantly reduced the death tolls if such information was delivered to possible victims. “We have the capability to utilize a wealth of information and state-of-the-art scientific analysis to significantly improve survival rates when disasters hit. We are able to geo-localize mobile phones and send SMS messages to everyone in a designated area,” Salenius continued.
Salenius criticized governments for the lack interest in warning systems that could help people prepare for disasters and subsequently help victims debunk rumors and reduce the odds of mass panic. “…the availability of information is key. Early warnings, facts and guidance, if effectively communicated, can enhance disaster resilience,” Salenius said.
She does however, praise the Indian government and its Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services for recognizing the problem and implementing such a warning system. She hopes other countries that have been affected by natural disasters will follow suit.