Disaster Preparedness Month
DISASTERS can strike quickly and without warning. They can force communities to evacuate their neighborhoods or confine them in their homes. Disasters can happen anytime and anywhere that one may not have enough time to respond. Families have to be prepared to cope with the emergency until help arrives.In the last decade, almost two billion people around the world have been affected by disasters. The effect on lives and livelihoods is immense and the economic effect on a country’s development is considerable. According to a World Hazards Report, losses attributed to natural disasters have risen to hundreds of billions of dollars a year in the past few years, from 40 to 50 billion dollars as the start of the 1990’s, and only a billion a year in the 1960’s. Nearly three quarters of the losses result from storms, floods, and drought. While there is evidence that disaster losses can be attributed to climactic and environmental changes due to human actions, rising population numbers and migration to areas at greater risk is contributing to the ever increasing loss of lives, properties, and livelihoods.
The Philippines is exposed to a wide variety of hazards, both natural and man-made. Earthquakes, severe storms, floods, landslides, power outages, volcanic eruptions are some of the potential emergencies we may encounter. The frequency of disasters, particularly in the last decade has increased at an alarming rate that vulnerable populations do not always have the opportunity to recover from one disaster before the next one strikes.
To highlight the importance of disaster preparedness, Disaster Preparedness Month is observed in July of each year. With the rainy and stormy months expected until November, families and communities need to prepare themselves for any emergencies. Staying one step ahead of the next disaster is increasingly important.
