Lessons from Nepal earthquakes

Life's impermanence is realised to its breathtaking limit in the face of Nature's destructive sweeps. Of the many forces that wreak devastation of cataclysmic proportion, earthquake ranks at the top because it strikes unannounced. Science is yet to make any prediction about its occurrence anywhere on this planet. What is even more terrifying is that quakes, unlike storm, floods or cyclones, do not give people the minimum possible time to take cover. They are awfully devastating because defence against powerful earthquake is almost non-existent unless the buildings are structured quake-tolerant at a great cost.
A tremor-prone country, Nepal is the latest one to have suffered the colossal striking force of this natural phenomenon last Saturday. Bangladesh, India and Tibet in China, its neighbouring countries, have also been jolted. Last Sunday the region was once again shaken. Whether it is an aftershock measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale of the Saturday's powerful tremor of 7.9 magnitude or a fresh one is yet to be known. But the fact is that the fresh jolt sent rumours swirling about an ominous night in prospect. And this was nowhere else but in the Bangladesh capital. The phenomenon called quake may elude prediction but it is unwise to be led by any blind faith.
Countries in this region are making appreciable economic progress and any disaster like this is likely to slow down or even retard that progress. At the present level of development, cities and towns, where a large number of people live in a small space and in buildings either old or poorly constructed, cannot avoid the tragedy. The worst case scenario is feared of, in cities like Dhaka, Kolkata or Delhi if the epicentre of a powerful tremor is close to them.
So the lesson Bangladesh must learn from the Nepal quake is to develop its capacity to respond as quickly as possible to the emergency triggered by a major quake. Kathmandu is a crowded city but it is far smaller than Dhaka and has fewer high-rise buildings. If the Nepalese capital suffers so much devastation and loss of life - more than 3,000 because of the nearness of the 7.8 or 7.9 magnitude of an earthquake, Bangladesh should have an elaborate preparation both for minimising the damage and loss of life in a similar situation. From now on construction of infrastructure should follow the minimum guidelines in order to make bridges, flyovers and buildings as much quake-resistant as possible.
The authorities have reportedly procured some heavy machines and equipment and trained volunteers but the question is if the men and materials are enough for the purpose. Nepal is a land-locked country and relief and rescue teams from abroad have to enter either on air or through Indo-Nepal corridor. Bangladesh has no such problem. But still it is wise to develop the country's capacity to deal with any such emergency. Any time lag in switching off power and gas supply can prove more fatal than it should be at the time a quake hits. The speed at which rescue operation is launched and medical attention given proves crucial. These are areas on which Bangladesh must focus on developing its capacity.