Urgent need for disaster management department
A 6.9-magnitude earthquake rocked the Indonesian resort island of Lombok last Aug. 5, causing the death of at least 347 and injury to thousands more as buildings and homes collapsed. Rescue operations were hampered, with power and communication lines cut by the quake. Thankfully, the death toll and destruction were not catastrophic, as Lombok has a population of only 4.7 million and has retained a more natural, uncrowded and undeveloped environment. Like Indonesia, the Philippines rests on the earthquake and volcano Ring of Fire. The Metropolitan Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study estimates that when the “Big One,” a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, occurs, it will result in the collapse of 170,000 residential houses and the death of 34,000 people. Another 114,000 individuals will be injured, while 340,000 houses will be partly damaged. At least seven bridges will collapse, and kilometers of water distribution pipes will suffer 4,000 points of breakage. Thirty kilom...