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Karachi: Beware of an earthquake; never mind the Tsunami.. yet!

afiasalam by afiasalam
September 16, 2014
Home Stories Disaster Response
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    Media Watchdog

    No need to run for your lives;

    there is no tsunami coming our way

    By Afia Salam Published: September 16, 2014

    2 CommentsShare thisPrintEmail

    Tsunami warning mechanisms are all fine. However, the warning will travel from Indonesia to Pakistan and may give enough lead time to evacuate coastal populations. PHOTO: AFP

    Tsunami warning mechanisms are all fine. However, the warning will travel from Indonesia to Pakistan and may give enough lead time to evacuate coastal populations. PHOTO: REUTERSTsunami warning mechanisms are all fine. However, the warning will travel from Indonesia to Pakistan and may give enough lead time to evacuate coastal populations. PHOTO: AFP

    Hate me if you will, and I hate the sound of the words myself, but I have to say it. All the hype about Karachi being wiped off the face off the earth as a result of an earthquake measuring seven to eight on the Richter scale causing a tsunami is a big lie.

    Why do I say this, when the media is all abuzz with reports of a Tsunami warning simulation carried out under United Nations aegis and participated in by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD)?

    Because if a seven to eight strength earthquake radiates its waves to Karachi, from the Makran Trench, Karachi would have been turned into a pile of rubble way before the Tsunami waves arrived at these shores.

    The way the outcome of the simulation was presented in the media, it seemed that a tsunami was imminent and, of course, we had the spin-off packages on the electronic media. Some took the trouble of digging up the previous incident, when the wave was said to have killed about 4500 persons in 1945, and the water reached all the way to Saddar, though some old timers say it also went up the Gizri creek.

    But that was Karachi then. Look at it now; one of the world’s largest cities with the highest growth rate and a population density exceeding 2000 persons per square kilometre. Can you even imagine the scale of the devastation of such a natural catastrophe?

    Tsunami warning mechanisms are all fine. Pakistan, having almost a 1000 kilometre coastline, must stay in the loop of all the developments, like early warning centres. The warning will travel from Indonesia to Pakistan and may give enough lead time to evacuate coastal populations. But sceptics consider that to be a huge question mark, if one goes by our disaster response mechanisms, which are inept and inadequate.

    Asif Nazir Rana, who had been associated with the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) in Quetta, and is now the Deputy Director at Geoscience Advance Research Labs in Islamabad, says that,

    “There is a clear and present danger of an earthquake on Makran coast triple junction. But there is no immediate threat of a tsunami on Sindh coast. Met Department carried out an exercise to check alert warning systems in case of a tsunami, which can be generated if an earthquake of M7 to M8 occurs in the Arabian ocean.

    Mock drills should be carried out not only in Karachi but Quetta and Islamabad too, to tackle emergencies. But in a country where rain forecasts and monsoon floods are predicted many days ago and still have no preparations, how will we cope with unpredictable earthquakes?

    It is true that once you have an earthquake of eight at the sea bed, a tsunami can be predicted and its path tracked and time to reach the coast calculated. But in every case, we are doomed to suffer due to poor infrastructure and quality of construction in all major cities situated on major fault lines.”

    It is scarier still that not only are we going ahead at breakneck speed to build our cities in an unplanned manner in seismically vulnerable zones but we are also locating assets like nuclear power plants in those very zones.

    Arif Belgaumi, an architect who has become a vocal activist on such issues, is even more scathing. He says,

    “I believe the only reason this exercise is happening is because the UN is coordinating it and our Met office is getting financial and technical assistance.

    There is no indigenous effort to respond to seismic risks in and around Karachi. It is very easy to say a tsunami will wipe out Karachi; now we even have an alarm to give an hour’s notice. But what will we do then, other than run for our janamaz? There is no evacuation plan, or anything.

    The greater risk is of an earthquake that is land based and flattens the city. The tsunami threat is only in vogue because of the 2004 tragedy. We have had three earthquakes in the Balochistan region west of Karachi in the last four years, which have all been comparable in magnitude with the Kashmir quake. We need to wake up and take up the grave issue of uncontrolled, unplanned and unregulated construction in Karachi. The city is a ticking seismic bomb.”

    So the same questions, which were asked by the concerned citizenry when the plan to build two new nuclear power plants, K2 and K3, were revealed, are valid in this case. What is the disaster management plan for Karachi? If there has to be a mass evacuation, then where will the people go? What are the arrangements for them?

    The answers, of course, are also the same.

    None. Zilch.

    Even if we leave the issue of earthquakes aside for now (as it seems too improbable because it is unpredictable), what about the other kind of ‘sea action’ that demands a response?

    We all know that the debate over climate change is over. It is happening right now. Sea level rise is one of its consequences. What have we done to prepare for it? Or if the right word is to be used, how are we planning to help the coastal communities ‘adapt’ to it?

    Maybe the media should start asking the right questions from the right people. Alarmist packages, with sensational copy and visuals, are just a few minutes thrill, which may spill on to the topic trending on social media for entertainment. But what about the other two mandates of the media – advocating for education and information?

    So please, the bigger danger to Karachi is its urban planning, or rather the lack of it. That will be the reason for Karachi’s annihilation, much before any tsunami. While praying to God to keep us safe from such calamities, let us also send up a prayer to Him to give us some sense of planning too.

    http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/24086/no-need-to-run-for-your-lives-there-is-no-tsunami-coming-our-way/

Tags: AdaptationCalamityClimate ChangedisasterEarthquakeEnvironmentKarachiMediaTsunamiUrban Planning
afiasalam

afiasalam

  Resume Freelance journalist and Communications consultant A bridge connecting ideas to people & solutions   Name: Afia Salam DoB:  03021957 Nationality: Pakistani Experience: Journalism: I have been associated with the media in many capacities since 1978. ·   Started as Pakistan's first female cricket writer. ·   Worked at The Star, eveninger of the Dawn group of Newspapers. ·   Editor of an Aviation and Defense magazine (Wings) ·    Executive Editor of The Cricketer magazine in the 80's and 90's, ·   Editor of Pakistan’s first Energy publication in 2001(Energy Update). ·   Joined Dawnnews which was launched as Pakistan’s first English language channel. Worked as a senior copy editor, Head of Culture Desk and content in charge of its flagship morning show titled Daily Breakfast@Dawn. ·   Content head of SpeakforChange blog and its associated web channel 247online.tv where I hosted a show and co-hosted another. ·   Communications Consultant for Exponent Engineers on the charged parking component of the World Bank-Government of Sindh KNIP project ·   Project lead for #C4CC (Conversations for Climate Change) Media capacity building project of High Commission of Canada in Pakistan and UNESCO ·   Project Lead for UNESCO supported  #MIL (Media Information Literacy) for Climate Change Stories from Pakistan, a nationwide media support project I contribute articles as a freelancer to many media outlets eg: Dawn, Tribune, Newsline, Aurora, The News on Sunday, Thirdpole, Nayadaur, The Friday Times. GEO English and Pique magazine.   Advertising: Worked almost 15 years as Creative head and Director Special Projects of three different advertising agencies, Blazon, Argus, and Blitz. From 1991 to 2005.         Development Sector: ·       Headed IUCN-Pakistan (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Education, Communications and Outreach Unit, and also briefly headed their Business and BioDiversity portfolio to kick start engagement with the corporate sector and industries to promote sustainable practices. ·       Served as Sindh coordinator of the newly formed Imran Khan Foundation to provide relief, rehabilitation and resettlement to the victims of 2010 floods in Sindh and of 2011 Badin cloudburst.   Socio-Cultural/Education Sector: ·       Project Manager for Pakistan for Google Cultural Institute  2014-15 to showcase Pakistan’s cultural and historical assets through digital exhibits prepared according to the GCI template.  ·       Communications Lead at Badal Do, a school and education reform programme ·       Visiting faculty at IoBM, having taught courses on Media Law and Ethics, and Environmental Journalism. Training: I have been involved in media development through training of journalists in reporting on environment, climate change, gender, labor, digital security, election reporting, effective use of social media and media ethics. ·       These trainings were held across Pakistan on behalf of organizations such as Pakistan Press Foundation-UNESCO, Intermedia-ILO, IRADA, Civic Action Resource- Solidarity Center, Intermedia-Democracy Reporting International, IUCN Pakistan-Oxfam-GB, LEAD Pakistan-HBS, LEAD-WWF, Green Media Initiatives- GNMI, Pakistan Water Partnership, CEJ-IBA. ·       Have also been a conducted trainings of school teachers, college and university students, and Government officials on the subjects of Environment, Climate Change and Media matters on behalf of IUCN Pakistan,  LEAD Pakistan, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Greenwich University, Institute of Business Management, Heinrich Boll Stiftung, Islamic Relief Pakistan, , High Commission of Canada in Pakistan ·       Have held media management training for Marie Stopes Society , Unilever Pakistan, Uber- Pakistan and KElectric for their middle and top management.   Authored a commissioned researches on: ·       Needs Assessment for Promoting Ethics and Transparency in Pakistan Media  for Pakistan Press Foundation/Internews ·        Effect of Covid-19 on Journalism. commissioned by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung   Official Nominations: ·       Working Group on Climate Change and Security formed under the National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning for the preparation of the National Security Policy ·       Member of the National Climate Change Council under the Federal Ministry of Climate Change ·       Multi-stakeholder National Coordinating Body of the Ministry of Climate Change, Government of Pakistan to set up Marine Protected Areas in Pakistan and am part of the team that saw through the declaration of Astola Island of Balochistan as Pakistan’s first MPA. ·       Curriculum Review Committee of Government of Sindh to assess gender balance and pluralism in primary school textbooks of 3 subjects ·       Review Committee to assess Climate Change content in Science and Geography Curriculum being developed under the Single National Curriculum ·       Consumer Protection Council announced by the Government of Sindh ·       Baaghban Core Group of Karachi Municipal Corporation’s Horticulture Department. ·       Focal Person and Communications lead for the unique “Art for Climate Change” initiative began under the aegis of Ministry of Climate that has broadened outreach of Climate Change through the art community by taking them on retreats and exhibiting their outputs. Was part of the retreat in 2018 to Naran, and to the Sindh Delta under Government of Sindh banner in 2020. ·       Member of the Gender Based Violence Sub Committee of the Sindh Commission for Human Rights ·       Member of Fact-Finding Committee for the archives verification at National Museum, Karachi ·       Was a member of the first ever rafting expedition on the river Indus which traversed from its entry point into Pakistan to where it drains into the Arabian Sea     I have moderated seminars, Panel discussions, Roundtables, Inception report launches etc for UNDP Small Grants Programme, UNDP Climate Finance in Bangkok, WWF Pakistan, IDRC/Kings College London/IBA Karachi, World Bank ‘Pakistan @100’ launch in Karachi to name a few.   Have ghost written, edited and translated several books and reports of some leading personalities and organizations.   Have also done third party qualitative assessment of projects.   Fellowships:   ·       Fellow of Lead Pakistan (Cohort 16) under its Leadership Development Programme on the subject of Green Economies and completed an additional Fellowship on Indus Basin Benefit Sharing. ·       GRID graduate, which is a leadership development course. ·       Completed a course from on Water from  LUMS Water In Technology School ·       Received scholarship by International Labor Organization for an online course on Gender from its ITC in Turin, Italy. ·       Am an IAF alumni, having completed a course on Liberalism, Environment & Property Rights. ·       Participated in a short course in Women in Executive Leadership at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia on a fellowship from Australia Awards. ·       Was an Journalists Exchange Programme participant of US Consulate on CVE (Countering Violent Extremism)   Memberships and Associations: ·       Advisor for National Forum for Environment & Health, Bolo Bhi, a digital rights research policy and advocacy organization ·       Member of  WWF Pakistan, IUCN Commission on Education and Communications, and IUCN CEESP Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy. ·       Core Group for Water Energy & Food Nexus for Sindh and Universities for Water Network created by the Hisaar Foundation ·       Think tank on Hoga Saaf Pakistan   Member Steering Committee: ·       Alliance on Diversity and Pluralism in Media, ·       Urban Forest Coalition Civil Society Organizations: Trustee and Chair of Board of Indus Earth Trust, a rural development organization Trustee of Helpline Trust, which focuses on consumer and civic rights Trustee of Saneeya Hussain Trust that assists in girls’ higher education, as a President Executive Committee of Baanhn Beli Founding Board member and Vice President Salman Sufi Foundation Member Advisory Committee of FFOP (Faith For Our Planet)     My website is being redone and will be accessible at www.afiasalam.com Some information of my work is available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afia_Salam   I have traveled to Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, India, UAE, Kenya, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, France, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, UK, USA, and Australia in an official as well personal capacity.                                                                                                                                                                        

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Comments 1

  1. Waleed Sophie says:
    8 years ago

    Absurdity is the norm of the day. Media tops it all. But then it is all made up of humans of the present times who have let go of common sense and have become slaves of sensationalism with no end in sight. Hallelujah!

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Afia salam

Media consultant and trainer, content developer/editor, documentary concept and script writer, presenter/producer.
Currently working as free lance journalist and media trainer, especially in the field of Environmental journalism.

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