When disaster strikes, we're more ready than ever before
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Version 0 of 1. Boxing Day will mark 10 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami struck, killing about 250,000 people and destroying hundreds of thousands of homes and livelihoods. It was a disaster on an unprecedented scale and one the world was not prepared for. Had early warning systems been in place, many lives could have been saved. As a humanitarian worker I have experienced the aftermath of hurricanes and cyclones, floods and earthquakes, all over the world, but the scale of the 2004 tsunami – across more than 13 countries – was like nothing I had ever seen. Visiting affected areas I remember finding it difficult to take in just how destructive and powerful the waves had been. Where there had once been thriving communities with homes, schools, markets, churches and mosques, there was nothing except rubble – the concrete foundations of buildings washed away. But the worst thing was talking to people who had lost everything. They could not understand how the sea, which for most was a source of food and income, could hit them in such a devastating way. Millions of people were affected – not just the 250,000 who died. Families had been separated; people were without food and shelter, living in makeshift camps. They were suffering from trauma and grief, and they were unable to earn a living because the tools they depended on, such as fishing boats, had been lost to the sea. Others, such as those who sold the fish in the markets, were also unable to work. The scale of loss was huge, and it was a colossal task for governments and aid agencies. Despite the incredible generosity of donors, the recovery process was not without its challenges. The coordination wasn’t good, particularly in the early stages – although it slowly improved. The systems and structures between governments, national and international organisations were unable to cope with a disaster of this magnitude. Mistakes were made. I saw some awful work: temporary shelters that were too small and hot for people to live in, and housing developments that were built without agreement on who should live in them, leading to disputes. Above all, there was widespread failure to communicate with affected populations about their needs. I visited a village in Tamil Nadu, India, a few years later where one of our partners, Casa, had built a model settlement, engaging the communities at all stages. They told me that their lives had been transformed, they had good homes, work and their children went to school – but above all they were a strong community again and felt better able to stand up for their rights and make demands on their local government officials, something they had not felt able to do before. Today, the humanitarian industry is stronger and better as a result of experiences during the tsunami. The importance of disaster preparedness and building resilient communities is now embedded in all our work, including long-term development. We identify at-risk communities and work with them to prepare for, and respond to, emergencies. When typhoon Haiyan wreaked havoc in the Philippines last year, thousands of lives were saved thanks to training and support from government, civil society and international organisations. Communities were organised, they knew what to do, how to evacuate safely. It didn’t stop the destruction of buildings or the coastline, or the loss of almost 7,000 lives, but it almost certainly saved many thousands more. In Manila, community volunteers monitor river levels, alerting their neighbours and communities downstream when the water reaches a critical level. Evacuations take place in stages, with pregnant women, children, elderly people and valued livestock removed to designated centres first. Local search and rescue groups are formed to monitor the affected areas, and people use their mobile phones to keep up to date with the weather forecast, enabling them to make decisions about when to leave and where to go. Since the tsunami there has been a shift towards supporting the life-saving role that local community organisations play – in search and rescue operations and delivering immediate aid. At Christian Aid we have always worked with, and understood the value of, local organisations, which is why we were able to allocate £250,000 to our partners on Boxing Day 2004, so they could start work straight away. Now the importance of this type of work is more broadly recognised across the sector. The core humanitarian standards now put affected populations at the centre, with accountability and involvement of those affected crucial. As we have seen in the past few days as typhoon Hagupit struck some of the areas in the Philippines affected by last year’s disaster, the loss of life has been on a much smaller scale. This is in no small part thanks to the community preparedness work being done. The international aid community must continue to learn from experience, ensuring preparedness work is strengthened, and that our responses keep affected communities central to all decision-making. • Nick Guttmann is head of Christian Aid’s humanitarian division. Christian Aid has just launched Tsunami: 10 years after the wave, featuring work from Tim Hetherington |