KARACHI, Sept 15: A seminar on challenges of natural disasters on Thursday called for installation and maintenance of a warning system along the coastal region of Karachi under the supervision of scientists and experts concerned.
It also stressed upon the need for the preparation of an action oriented plan on preparedness and awareness for disasters for every civic agency.
The one-day seminar on “Disaster preparedness and development of a warning system for coastal region of Pakistan” was organized by the Institute of Human Settlement and Environment, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology.
Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural session of the seminar, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan said that scientific deliberations of the seminar would go a long way in the public service of the province and the country.
He described the seminar as a “life-saving operation” for millions of people inhabiting the coastal region of the city of Karachi and the surrounding islands, in case they were hit by any natural disaster like floods, devastating earthquake accompanying Tsunami.
Dr Ibad lauded the studies conducted by the SSUET engineers and scientists for location of an active seismic region southwest of Karachi, which can generate Tsunami.
“I am sure, the development of a warning system proposed by you and the remedial actions associated with it will go a long way in forewarning the coastal inhabitants and disaster management agencies for minimizing any loss of life in the event of a disaster hitting the coast”, he added saying that the government would fully endorse the implementation of the warning system at Karachi.
During the two technical sessions of the seminar a total of eight papers were presented by representatives of different organizations and agencies. The chairmen of the two sessions were Lt-Gen (retd) Moinuddin Hyder and Dr Abdul Rauf.
One of the recommendations adopted at the seminar said that in view of the international aspect of Tsunami an international symposium should be organized every two years to exchange knowledge and advances made and a centre be established to undertake future research and studies.
Earlier in his welcome address, the chancellor of SSUET, Z.A. Nizami, said that Karachi with an estimated population of about 15 million needed its residents and concerned government authorities to be well prepared to meet the challenges of any disaster like Tsunami so that there was no panic if they had to face it.
He said a study of the last 100 years seismic data carried out at the SSUET had revealed an active fault line in Murray Ridge about 100-200km, Southwest of Karachi, which was vulnerable for Tsunamegenic earthquakes. The findings are supported by Indian scientists’ reports as well, he added.
Mr Nizami said that the lack of resources and manpower could be compensated by meticulous planning and well preparedness. It is also important to seek international cooperation, particularly from neighbouring countries like India, Iran, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia to work jointly on such relief and warning projects, he added.
In a key note address, the chairman of the Civil Engineering department and director of IHSE of SSUET, Dr S.M. Makhdumi said that a report on disaster preparedness and development of a warning system, for the coastal region of Pakistan, was submitted to the prime minister on March 7, 2005.
He said that Sindh had repeatedly experienced devastating floods in the past, occurrence of which was likely to be accelerated in the future.
Discussing the seismic data of the past in the region, Dr Makhdumi said that the frequency and intensity of the earthquakes depicted an increasing tendency and as such an urgent need was felt to install a set of automatic digital seismometers for monitoring the seismic activity of the region and to develop and install a disaster “warning system” as Murray Ridge was the most vulnerable area for occurrence of major earthquakes and generation of Tsunami.
In a presentation, Anjum Bari Farooqui, Chief Meteorologist, Pakistan Meteorological Department, described the basics and the sciences of tsunami. He also gave a brief about the tragic event of Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004.
Kanwar Waseem of Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Sindh, said that the last tsunami disaster had surely provided an opportunity to the authorities concerned to sit together and explore the possibilities of establishing a joint disaster management network for the benefit of all vulnerable people.
Dr S M Saifullah said that mangrove forest should be conserved and managed properly as it acted as a shield against storms and sea level rise.
Dr Arif Zubair, Tariq Masood Ali Khan, M.M. Rabbani, A.R.Tabrez and Asif Inam of National Institute of Oceanography, Rahmatullah Jilani K.R.Fawz-ul-Haq from Suparco, and Rauf A Farooqui of KBCA also made presentations.