‘Community involvement stressed in earthquake preparedness’

A team of Japanese experts Saturday conducted an earthquake evacuation drill in Elenbari colony in the city to give a first hand idea to the colony inhabitants on how community people should react during a tremor, said a press release.

The inhabitants of the colony participated in a drill to practice how they will evacuate from their building and gather at a safe place, in the event an earthquake hits the capital.

Earlier, the Japanese experts provided educational training with videos and showed how a family can make an emergency bag with saving essentials like torch lights, water, dry food and medicine. They suggested the inhabitants to keep the emergency bag beside their main outdoor as they can easily pick it when they evacuate during tremor.

Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Department provided support to the Japanese expert in conducting the evacuation drill. This drill,  "CBDM" (Community Based Disaster Management) was conducted under CNCRP project (Capacity Development of Natural Disaster Resistant technique of Construction and Retrofitting for Public Buildings), implemented by Public Works Department (PWD) with technical support of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Leader of Japanese earthquake expert team Fumio Kaneko said earthquake evacuation drill among the community is a common practice in Japan as it is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. "Like Japan, we would like to introduce such kind of drill in Dhaka, so that the city dwellers would be able to get prepare them against earthquake," he said.

JICA expert team member Mahbub Reza said creating community awareness on earthquake is an integral part of earthquake preparedness. Such kind of training will help the community to take proper action during any intensified earthquake, he said.    

He said the JICA expert team has already conducted such kind of drill in Motijheel colony and has a plan to conduct a series of such trainings in other colonies in the city.