PAKISTAN’S EARTHQUAKE 2005: POST DISASTER SCENARIO

Natural and human induced disasters have been haunting humanity since the time immemorial. Common natural hazards are earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones, floods, forest fires, landslides, droughts, dust/hail storms, tsunamis and avalanches. Manmade hazards are road/rail accidents, structural failures, nuclear breaches, industrial leakages and chemical, biological radiological warfare. Earthquake 2005 was the most devastating hazard in Pakistan which happened at 0852 hours on 08 October 2005 with 7.6 intensity in areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJ K), Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KPK), Islamabad and other places. Consequently area of 30,000 sq km was affected, 73,338 persons died, 128,304 people severely wounded with tremendous infrastructural losses. At that time the nation was not prepared to face such a colossal tragedy Various echelons of society rose to meet the uphill challenges in multiple sectors of environment, socio-economic, livelihood, health, engineering, town planning, education, infrastructure, housing etc during rescue, relief and rehabilitation reconstruction operations. Organizations like Earthquake Reconstruction Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) and National/Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (NDMA/PDMA) had been raised on emergent basis. Regulations like National Disaster Management Act 2010, National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2013 and National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Framework had been promulgated. The ensuing lessons had been well taken by all and sundry. It is recommended that Research Development (R D) Centers should be established especially in earthquake prone areas. Integrated policies, action plans and legislation need to be revisited at national/provincial levels with active participation of all stakeholders. Impact of climate change on disasters should be especially investigated. Media should launch extensive public awareness programs. Rapid information should be disseminated among the regional countries on war footing so that in time action plans may be implemented to avoid colossal damages.