The district administration and those who have been given the responsibility to look after the welfare of the citizens of this country have failed miserably and this tragedy has once again exposed our lack of preparedness for such a calamity.
Earthquakes are a natural calamity and cannot be prevented and no doubt, the magnitude of the October 8 calamity was beyond expectations. But what can be prevented are tragic deaths due to lack of preparedness and co-ordination, poor management and slow response. What can save lives in such a calamity is timely and efficient rescue operation and quick-response teams, with immediate medical aid.
Concerned government departments were well aware of the fact that our northern areas are in the maximum seismic level for earthquakes, the same as Los Angeles in USA. And yet they have never prepared a National Disaster Plan nor had they established crisis management centres, which should have been in place in all the major cities. This is criminal negligence.
If such a plan had been in place, the loss of innocent lives would have been much less. But even if such a plan existed, judging from past experience, it would have been ineffective, as most of these regulatory bodies have a deplorable track record and have never been able to enforce the simplest of laws and are just a waste of the taxpayer's money.
But what is even more alarming is that according to a headline in a popular Karachi eveninger, Could Karachi Be Next? Even this city is without a crisis management control centre or a disaster management plan, despite the fact that it is also in a high-intensity earthquake zone.
The city of Karachi has 800 katchi abadies and many high-rises, majority of which do not have basic fire and safety precautions, like fire exits or sprinklers. They are also not earthquake-proof.
Will someone listen and take some steps to avoid such massive disasters in future?