Designing disaster resilient communities

By Joy Angelica Subido (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - Murphy’s Law: If any thing can go wrong, it will. The epigram is especially accurate in our world that is threatened by global warming, pollution problems, and incremental population growth. With off-season storms gaining unexpected strength, or drought and soaring daytime temperatures fueling wildfires, governments, environmental planning experts and disaster-relief groups are faced with the reality that more communities worldwide are at risk.

At a seminar supported by the Thomas Jefferson Information Center, University of North Carolina’s Dr. Gavin Smith, executive director of the Center of Natural Hazards and Disasters, confirms, “The notion of trying to predict vulnerability is not a perfect science. We are going to see intensification of storms due to climate change.” But although no amount of careful planning can prevent damage brought about by more destructive natural calamities, building disaster-resilient communities should be the ideal.

“I always use ‘natural hazard’ instead of ‘disaster’ because disasters are a human construct,” Dr. Smith explains, “But at this time, climate change is a disaster. Many communities will not recover to pre-disaster conditions and we need to find a way to adapt to natural hazards.”

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