Source: IMPHAL FREE PRESS
Posted: 2005-11-08

In the wake of the terrifying earthquake disaster in Pakistan controlled Kashmir and to a lesser extent, the Indian side Kashmir, it is pertinent for those of us in the northeast to be prepared to face any similar catastrophes. Events in the past one year have proven that while preventing natural calamities is far beyond human capabilities, what can definitely be done with much more efficiency is disaster management, after the calamities have struck. Even the United States of America, with all its resources have proven woefully short of living up to this expectation. But it must be said that between the two hurricanes that struck its coast within a span of two months, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma, there was a world of difference in the response of the nation. The first of the lessons that the country learnt was not to presume every section of its population have the same access to means of evacuation from the path of disastrous storms. It needs no reminder that the lesson is not for the US alone but for everybody else, most particularly those of us in the extremely seismically vulnerable zone such as the northeast. It is true earthquakes are not as predictable as hurricanes and tornados, but the lesson should remain valuable nonetheless.

Scientists tell us that the Northeast region, and so too the entire Himalayan belt, fall almost directly over the faultline of the Indian plate of the earth’s crust. The collusion of this plate with the Eurasian plate a few million years ago, it has been scientifically established, was the force behind the formation of the mighty Himalayas. This force is still not at rest and the plates continue to slide against each other, although by the geological clock which is infinitely slower than our own time scale measured against the rotation of the earth and its revolution around the sun. The potential energy that has been building up because of the tension between the plates, will have to periodically unleash itself, and what is of alarm is that scientist believe such an even is due any day in the northeast. In the scientific categorization of the intensity of the unleashing of this energy, the northeast falls in category 5, which is the fiercest that any earthquake can get to be. If and when such an earthquake comes about, the predictions are, no building, even the most strongly built, can remain standing. It even says that objects would be thrown into the air, and ground would rise and oscillate in waves, and may open up into chasms in a number of places. The scenario is frightening. It is true these are only hypotheses and may fall short of the reality but it would be wise for all, especially the administration to prepare for the worst. Let us never forget the sweeping disaster that befell the people of Kashmir. The casualties have been confirmed to be close to 80,000 dead in Pakistan side of Kashmir alone. It is however not just the dead, but also those who survived who have been thrown into untold misery. Not just are they shattered by the loss of near and dear ones, or their entire properties, but are today still exposed themselves to the physical danger of become casualties because of their and their government’s unpreparedness to meet the aftermath of the disaster.

If there is an earthquake waiting to happen in the northeast region, there can possibly be no way of preventing it. This is why it would be prudent to think in terms of lessening its impact. As for instance it would be in the fitness of things, if the government were to introduce some disaster drills and awareness campaigns, as has happened in the case of AIDS. It would be also wise on its part to introduce standards in construction of private homes, public buildings as well as schools and colleges. It should also task its engineering departments to develop earthquake resistant building designs which then can be made mandatory. It can also engage serious attention towards formulating schemes for managing the aftermaths of such eventualities. As for the public, our entreaty is for them to build their homes keeping in mind the powerful time bomb that we may all be sitting on.
 

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