David Leeming specialises in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), both nationally and regionally and has been based in Solomon Islands since 1995. His background and experience allow him to shed some light on how much disaster preparedness has improved in the Solomon Islands since the last major earthquake and tsunami there in 2007.
He writes:
I’d like to pass on my words of sympathy and condolence to the people affected in Temotu, especially the families of those who tragically died and were injured, and the many displaced.
I think that all the evidence shows how remarkably the country’s disaster preparedness have improved since 2007. Congratulations are due to all concerned.
It is certainly true that the warning systems, organisation and response procedures and capacities have greatly improved. The technology available has also come on in leaps and bounds, and is available to anyone. For instance, I now have at my fingertips real time localised earthquake info from an app on my Android phone. The real-time data that is available now compared to the 2007 M8.1 quake/tsunami in Western Province is obviously much more reliable – witness the precise measurement of 91cm wave height recorded at Lata Wharf, that the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) had access to almost immediately.
Looking back to 2007, these tools were less available. It was People First Network that got the first data to PTWC of an actual tsunami event, after the Simbo PFnet station called in to report it. We passed that data to PTWC by telephone and they raised the alert to regional expanding category, and I was told the arrival time would be in the next 5 minutes (an anxious few moments).
In 2007 PFnet was also able to pass on damage assessments and needs of some affected communities, for instance in the Shortlands. I was very interested to read that the social network FSII has reacted quickly, aiming to assist NDMO with information sharing. This is one lesson we can learn – the potential of citizen networks to organise and assist with the response to disaster. This is a technique called crowd sourcing, which is enabled by the increasingly interactive tools available on the Internet (Web2.0). But this kind of networking has its limitations, as the data must be properly verified and the danger of spreading rumours should be avoided. Still, it is a very powerful addition to the “arsenal” for disaster managers.
When observing how the event played out in Honiara, I was reminded that education is a key factor in reducing vulnerability to disasters. There again, the evidence is that people are much more informed and aware – for instance of the need to move to high ground if there is a strong earthquake felt in coastal regions. As NDMO have pointed out, no warning systems are able to react so quickly when the epicentre is close offshore – people need to be informed so as to take responsible action themselves.
However, a panicked response can also be dangerous. One needs to compare the risks of the current threat with those of the response. When an aircraft makes an emergency landing and there may be a need to evacuate, the crew are trained in such risk assessment – evacuating an aircraft often leads to injuries. One recalls the Qantas A380 which made an emergency landing in Singapore some time back; even though the plane was leaking fuel and one engine running could not be shut down, the captain judged that the risk of fire was less than the risk of hurriedly evacuating 500 people.
In Honiara at the time, you had a lot of worry and excitement on the street, with knowledge of possible need to go to high ground, but not really sure whether they should do. I was at home when the quake struck, up on a ridge and not at risk, but my wife was in at her relatives’ house in the White River area of Honiara. She called me and there was a real dilemma, what to do – having everyone including the elderly rushing and panicking to climb up a steep hill might be more risky than staying put. I told her to listen out for any official advice from the nearby Police post. Perhaps there is a need for designated wardens in key areas such as those low valleys with high populations.
And I also said to listen to the radio. Radio has to be a KEY component in disaster management and response. I noticed how SIBC were very effective, on to the job immediately with the “trusted voice” giving the latest updates and official advice. I suppose one message that has to be got across, is that people should listen to the radio at times like this and if they are out and about, try and find a radio to listen to. Mobile phones provide
another channel too (and many have FM radio receivers) but radio is still the most accessible medium.
After such an event, radio (especially community radio) can be very effective in many ways, such as in “counselling” traumatised people, sharing information on misplaced persons, helping to make sure that the response – such as donated materials – is appropriate and that the materials really reach those in most need. Buala FM station was used very effectively in March 2011 when the town suffered a 1m tsunami from the huge quake near Japan. The Police Commander was able to broadcast his words of calming local advice to many people who were very traumatised and worried to go back to their homes. The role of community radio has also been extensively documented in Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami.
Leeming’s insights offer some room for optimism and hope in what have been trying times for the people of Solomon Islands. While the piece notes the usefulness of the latest technologies in disaster risk reduction, by highlighting the value of the humble radio in times of disaster, he raises serious questions for donors and government planners in relation to basic, yet essential, communications infrastructure in the Pacific.
