Along with the other challenges in the province, the government of Balochistan firstly has to tackle vigorously the huge challenges caused by 24th September's devastating earthquake, followed by several after shocks, which completely traumatized many of Balochistan’s most impoverished areas including Dandar, Awaran, Mashkay, Jahu and several other areas, leaving 40,000 families affected, killed almost 600, and more than 1000 injured. The 7.8 magnitudes jolts ended the existence of the affected villages.Victims starved under the open sky for days, till some relief operations finally commenced.
The roads that were already
dilapidated destroyed utterly after the quake that might either be the biggest
hindrance in relief operations but other hindrances including poor
communication system, lack of relief activities and foreign help has made the
victims suffer from days. The innocent survivors either injured, stuck in the
debris, starving,
dehydrated or living under the open sky have been waiting for help.
dehydrated or living under the open sky have been waiting for help.
The Chief Minister of Balochistan clarifies that the
province is unable to tackle the budget of
reconstruction of the collapsed
houses, 176 destroyed schools and almost all the health centers of
the affected
areas. On the other side the UN councils; UNICEF and UNDP are still not being
allowed
to begin any relief operations in the region.
Regardless it has always been observed that countries that
face such natural disasters, call out for aid
in the world. On 8th
October 13, 2005 when a disastrous earthquake hit Kashmir
and near by areas,
the government called for international help. Unlimited
private donors as well as the government officials
and the media rushed to the
region. The international relief and rescue teams arrived to the epicenter to
help just after some hours of the quake.
When the quake jolts shattered Balochistan, a devastating
silence shocked the whole world. Not
allowing the UN councils to provide help
to the affected areas arise numerous questions.
While some injured finally got help by some private donors
and a few government rescuers. When
the injured reached Karachi , they were left in the government
hospitals including Civil and Jinnah
where they had to suffer again. A few injured
died under inefficient health care. Finally, some of the
students in the
University of Karachi
There is no doubt that Balochistan has a history of
destructive earthquakes which happened from
time to time. But not one ever
thought of setting up any disaster management stations from where
rescue works
could reach out to the affected people in times of emergency. Earthquakes are
inheritable
while disasters aren't. Earthquakes can only be mitigated by strong
construction designs instead of attempting to predict them.
The recent affected areas are considered to be under an
active seismic region where three tectonic
plates Arabian, Eurasian and Indian
are converging. These convergent boundaries or destructive plates
are actively
deforming the regions. Unfortunately, the high seismic active areas were
without national
disaster management stations which are supposed to provide
help to victims on time, pull injured out
of the debris and rescue the people
trapped in rubble.
At this instant there is particular need to understand the significance
of rescue operations, predominantly
in the active seismic regions. It doesn't
make sense that rescue or emergency help providers arrive
from distant regions,
covering hundreds of miles. The national disaster management Authority (NDMA)
should establish disaster management stations at places where such disasters happen
frequently.
The excessive necessitates of the victims at the moment are
tents, food, drinking water, and medical
aid right away. Instead of accusing
others or media the provincial government’s attempts to provide help
to the
victims should be faster before the winter arrives.
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