Disaster Mitigation calls for transparent governance

 

Editorial

Disaster Mitigation calls for transparent governance

The Myanmar Earthquake of 28^th March 2025, now referred to as the Big Mandalay Earthquake, left more questions unanswered than bringing clarity to the situation. Nearly two weeks after the 7.7 tremor the final death count nor the list of injured is readily available in public domain. Questions on preparedness almost do not exist for the ruling Junta. There are no official press releases, social media photos or other graphics readily available for referencing. Administrative documentation aint forthcoming. International media does not have access to survivors. There isn’t a quantifiable and credible national media that claims visibility. Media is left scrambling for an official website with official sources of information flow.

The shallow depth of the epicenter (barely 16 kilometres below the surface) will account for denser than usual casualties, mortalities. Last reports – a week after the Earthquake indicate “more than 3,000 people have died and more than 4,500 have been injured” as per a BBC report.  Further the same BBC report says “Seismologist Prof Frederik Tilmann, from the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Germany, explained in analysis shared online that the rupture travelled at a speed of about 5km per second - making it "the earthquake equivalent of a supersonic jet". That makes the earthquake potentially a terror!

Indeed transparent governance ensures that preparedness is ensured for the future shocks / future disasters. It’s a long way before construction code can be scrutinized in Myanmar then.

The death toll was expected to rise above 10,000 according to seismologists and disaster mitigation experts. Mercifully the Earthquake of 28.03.25 was not a subduction earthquake but was instead a strike slip earthquake. The subduction quakes are notorious for the toll they take in the human landscape. That leaves us asking if indeed Myanmar is prepared for a mega thrust / subduction earthquake because the country converges on four tectonic plates – the Indian Plate, the Eurasian Plate, the Australian Plate and the Burma Micro Plate – the Sunda Arc. The convergence point of these four tectonic plates make it the most potential and the most dangerous location for a very big subduction earthquake which will potentially wipe off the earth large sections of population. The epicenter of the earthquake of 28^th March was in this region of convergence.

As the saying goes, every disaster is an opportunity to learn. But in militarized regimes like in Myanmar, the question that goes begging is if transparency was there in economic development under the Military junta? Are the emerging economies in South East Asia ‘prepared’ for such Mega thrust subduction earthquakes? Population proportionate development indices factoring disaster preparedness is the need of the hour in every country regardless of the tone and tenor of democracy there. Disaster shelters, food stocks, water and sanitation infrastructure, firefighting logistics and ground water to douse fires have to be extrapolated proportionate to the population in every administrative unit. Besides, disaster preparedness has to necessarily be compatible to frail, infirm and nursing mothers.

UNOCHA office said 17.2 million people ae affected by the earthquake and are in dire need of clan drinking water, homes, food and medicine, monetary aid for reigniting their lives, restocking livestock etc as per an AP report.

Foremost among the unanswered questions is how did an earthquake in Mandalay in Myanmar liquefy the grounds so much in Bangkok more than a 1000 kilometres away? 81 construction workers were trapped in a fallen edifice under construction in Bangkok. Thailand is apparently not earthquake savvy because it is an earthquake safe zone seismologically speaking. Consequently Search and Rescue Teams in Bangkok were left bereft of core competence in Earthquake triggered Search and Rescue. There is no country, region, or territory that can be completely disaster safe or disaster complacent anywhere in the world as my picture e book Preparing for the Day After clearly substantiates.

Thailand has initiated investigation into hapshod construction standards deployed by the Chinese stakeholders in the construction of the collapsed high rise in Bangkok. The documentation of the MOU with the Chines ad the results of investigation have to be made public in the interest of transparent governance and credibility (for both China’s and Thailand’s interests).

Another pertinent question is if luxury swimming pools are necessary on the terrace of high rises when poverty stares across the hinterland? The potential of a leaking or faultily designed swimming pool on the terrace will put a large workforce / residential populace in the building in peril, earthquake or not, and regardless of its location.

What will be the effect of a swimming pool on the terrace on the centre of gravity of a high rise building, if at all a high rise building has centre of gravity? That is a basic question to address before we go to the point of earthquake safe architecture.

Earthquake preparedness is a tall order for emerging economies like Myanmar, or Nepal or Laos, Bhutan, … all have significant populations in South and Southeast Asia.

·         Food stocks,

·         Disaster shelters compatible to frail, infirm and nursing mothers,

·         Water security and sanitation,

·         Equipment Logistics, and trained personnel,

·         Alternate livelihood options,

·         Medical intervention, mental health infrastructure,  

·         Fiscal buffers,

·         Search and Rescue teams,

·         Transparent governance with proven lack of corruption,

·         Go bags with adequate accoutrements for survivors,

·         Wheelchair compatible toilets and shower areas.

Here’s a checklist for disaster preparedness provided by the American Red Cross.