Last year, cyclone Phailin hit the coasts of the Philippines and India. It had the potential to make a devastating impact on both populations, however, both the Philippines government’s urgent response and India’s strategic planning minimised the effects of the cyclone. They brought the situation under control and saved many lives. In India, the National Risk Mitigation Project (NRMP) implemented a strategy that worked effectively against the cyclone. Through contingency planning, setting up of protocols and establishing clearly laid out roles for everyone involved, about one million people were safely evacuated.

In comparison to the examples of the Philippines and India, Pakistan is relatively unprepared against any type of disaster. The country was struck by natural disasters in 2005, 2010 and 2011. Even this summer, the heatwave has killed around 1,250 people in Sindh, Pakistan. The main issue is that Pakistan is unprepared for pre- and post-disaster management, as it focuses on the aftermath of the disaster rather than the prevention of casualties. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and four Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) do not have a strategy in place to tackle natural disasters. During the current heatwave, these bodies were missing in action, and it was the provincial government that looked after the affected people in Sindh. The institutions blamed each other for the heatwave, but nobody took responsibility, which has resulted in an ongoing blame game.

Even today, the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) are without offices, full-time professional staff and the necessary equipment to face an emergency. In India, Odisha was financially supported by non-government organisations (NGOs), and this money was invested in building cyclone shelters, creating evacuation routes, strengthening embankments and conducting drills.

The NDMA in Pakistan should devise a five-year disaster management plan to handle unforeseen calamities and provide support to the provincial and district disaster management authorities. If the DDMA is equipped, then it would be easier to face disasters and provide support to communities before the country is hit.

- The reader is a development consultant based in Karachi, Pakistan.