A week after a catastrophic flood devastated Derna, a coastal city in Libya, affected regions are still threatened by more dams breaking due to rising water levels. The disaster has claimed thousands of lives, and many remain missing. As the deceased are interred in collective burial sites, survivors are confronted with a challenging decision: whether to stay near the flooded region, risking infectious disease and water shortage, or to flee through areas where the torrential waters may have dislodged land mines. More dams at risk? The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a warning on Saturday indicating that two additional dams in eastern Libya might be at risk of imminent failure due to rising water levels. This comes a week after Storm Daniel led to the collapse of the Abu Mansour and Derna dams, unleashing destructive torrents of water upon the city of Derna. The OCHA noted that there are "conflicting reports" surrounding the condition of the Jaza dam, situated between Derna and Benghazi, and the Qattara dam, located near Benghazi. Over the past five days, Libyan and international media have reported rising water levels and potential structural damages at these two dams, raising fears that another tragedy similar to the deadly flooding in Derna might occur. Nevertheless, some reports suggest that authorities have taken proactive measures to mitigate the risk, including installing pumps at the Jaza dam to alleviate the pressure on its structure and ordering the evacuation of nearby villages and towns. Claudia Gazzini, an analyst from the Crisis Group currently in the flooded areas, personally visited the Wadi Qattara dam on Thursday to assess the situation and provide clarity. She shared her findings via the social media platform X.  "Given the disinformation circulating, today I decided to check in person on the state of Wadi Qattara dam near Benghazi," she wrote. Accompanying her tweet was a video from the dam suggesting the situation was under control. "See for yourself: all is fine," Gazzini wrote. Mass graves The UN reported that more than 1,000 individuals have been laid to rest in communal burial sites, raising concerns among human rights groups about the potential psychological distress inflicted upon the families of the deceased. While some aid organizations worry that mass burials may heighten the risk of water contamination and the spread of infectious diseases, Melanie Klinkner, an international law professor at Bournemouth University, believes this is primarily the case when deaths are attributed to contagious diseases. "Dead bodies only pose risks if the deaths result from highly infectious diseases. It is, of course, possible for diseases to be transmitted by the surviving population due to inadequate sanitation," she told DW. However, "the distress the lasting mental health issues caused by the improper handling of human remains should not be underestimated as a health concern." From a human rights perspective, ensuring dignified handling for future identification is imperative, Klinkner said, emphasizing the importance of implementing the World Health Organization and Interpol guidelines and regulations to ensure that the bodies are treated with dignity and can be identified later.   These guidelines entail measures such as assigning a unique code to each body, promptly capturing photographs, recording relevant data for each individual and securely placing each body in a body bag, Klinkner explained. Displaced land mines and contaminated water Flood survivors in Derna now confront the danger of displaced land mines in the surrounding areas. Libya has been littered with land mines and other explosive. While some unexploded munitions date back to World War II, many more have been planted by rebel groups, government forces and the Russian private military company Wagner Group since 2011, when the civil war broke out in the oil-rich country. Libya has one of the highest numbers of land mine casualties in the world. Nearly 3,500 Libyans have been killed by mine explosions between 2011 and 2021, according to a UN report. With thousands of displaced people and aid workers on the move, the risk of land mine exposure is rising, OCHA's report said. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said their team is assessing the risk posed by unexploded ordnance and abandoned munition stores in Derna to prevent further death and injury. The survivors, 30,000 of whom have been displaced in Derna alone, need clean water as the flood has damaged and contaminated the water network. Libyan health authorities have reported over 150 cases of diarrhea, with at least 55 children suffering from poison from polluted water in Derna.

The government will remove regulatory hurdles to invest in new electricity infrastructure. Loadshedding has almost brought South Africa's economic growth to a standstill. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of disaster on Thursday to combat severe electricity shortages that have crippled the country's economy. In recent months, state energy company Eskom has been forced to schedule power outages for up to 12 hours a day, a practice known as loadshedding. The country's economic growth is now projected to fall to just 0.3% this year compared to 2.5% last year. "We are therefore declaring a national state of disaster to respond to the electricity crisis and its effects," Ramaphosa said at an annual State of the Nation Address in Cape Town. What will declaring a state of disaster do? Eskom has racked up debts and struggled to maintain the country's coal-powered electricity infrastructure. The electricity provider was mired in corruption scandals under former President Jacob Zuma. Declaring a state of disaster allows the government to follow emergency procurement procedures with fewer regulations and bureaucratic hurdles. It also unlocks additional funding for the government to quickly buy new energy equipment, such as generators and solar panels. The last time the South African government declared a national disaster was in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Extraordinary circumstances do call for extraordinary measures," Ramaphosa said on Thursday. Opposition parties push back South Africa's biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has vowed to challenge Ramaphosa disaster declaration in court. It claimed that Ramaphosa's African National Congress abused procurement processes during the pandemic and issued nonsensical regulations. Meanwhile, the left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters walked out en masse before the State of the Nation Address. Some members of the party stormed the stage, causing Ramaphosa's speech to be delayed by 45 minutes.

US President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in storm-battered California as more bad weather is expected. Extreme storms have battered the West Coast state for weeks. The US National Weather Service (NWS) is warning Californians to brace for "heavy lower-elevation rain, significant mountain snow, and strong winds," expected for Monday. Late on Saturday, US President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in California after a succession of storm systems caused death and destruction across the state. He ordered "federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides," the White House said. Significant storm on Saturday At least 19 people died in a series of storms that have caused havoc in California since late December. A series of so-called atmospheric rivers has dumped rain and snow on California, cutting power to thousands, swamping roads, unleashing debris flows and triggering landslides. "These weather events have taken more lives in the last two years than wildfires," California Governor Gavin Newsom said. "That's how deadly they are." On Saturday, the first of two systems hit central California, unleashing more heavy rain. It prompted emergency evacuations in parts of Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and Sacramento counties. More than 24,000 utility customers were without power as of Saturday afternoon, according to the website PowerOutage.us. Next storm arrives Sunday night "Another surge of Pacific moisture" is expected Sunday overnight into Monday, the NWS warned, while predicting "disastrous flooding" across the lower Salinas River valley, a key agricultural region south of San Francisco Bay. The governor urged Californians to continue exercising "common sense." Dry days are in the forecast for California later in the week.

An estimated 1,500 saltwater fish were living in the AquaDom aquarium at the Radisson Blu hotel complex in Berlin when it burst. Cleanup efforts were underway on Saturday after a massive aquarium at a hotel in the German capital burst. Two people sustained injuries in the disaster at the Radisson Blu complex, which housed so-called Aquadom. The popular tourist attraction was hailed as "the world's largest freestanding cylindrical aquarium," leaving many to wonder what happened to its aquatic inhabitants. How many fish survived? There were an estimated 1,500 tropical fish living in the aquarium at the time it burst. Out of those, most of the fish in the tank died. Hotel guests reported seeing many dead fish on the ground and among the rubble in the hotel. Other dead fish were found in the streets of Berlin in front of the hotel. Saltwater fish can only survive for an hour or two out, NTV reported. Their gills begin to dry out and they are unable to take in oxygen, meaning they eventually suffocated. Frigid winter temperatures on Friday also drastically lowered the chances of survival. At the time of the incident, which saw water and debris bursting from the front of the hotel, the temperatures in Berlin were -7 degrees Celsius (19.4 degrees Fahrenheit). A few, however, survived. Berlin's Fire Department said that some of the fish had survived in puddles that resulted from the destruction of the 1 million liter tank (264,000 gallons). "Several dozen" were found alive in the remains of the tank, the Fire Department said on Twitter. Between 400 and 500 smaller fish that were located in breeding tanks in the basement of the hotel also survived. They had to be rescued and relocated, however, as the electricity to the building was cut due to safety reasons. Freshwater fish that were rescued were taken to the Berlin Zoo, while the saltwater fish were taken to Sea Life, an aquarium chain that also has a location in Berlin. The Sea Life aquarium is located in the same building complex as the Radison Blu Hotel where the AquaDom was located. Sea Life, however, did not report any damage. Why did the tank burst? Early on Friday morning, the massive glass tank inside the Radisson Blu hotel complex burst. The destruction of the 16-meter (52-foot) high aquarium sent a wall of water, fish, glass and debris pouring into the hotel lobby and out into the streets of the German capital. At the time of the disaster, most of the hotel's guests were not located in the lobby, leaving only two people with injuries from the shattered glass. Cleanup efforts continued on Saturday, with investigators now focusing on what caused the tank to break. Authorities on Friday said they do not believe the disaster was caused by a criminal act and the cause was not immediately clear. Berlin Mayor Fraziska Giffey noted that the tank had "just recently been renovated." Other officials said, however, that initial investigations point to potential issues with the building materials in the 18-year-old tank. "Investigators into the cause [of the incident] are of course not completed, but initial indications point to material component fatigue," Iris Spranger, Berlin's state interior minister, told news agency dpa.

Africa is suffering most from climate change but, with proper support, could also play an "indispensable, positive role in the planet's climate change future," Kenyan President William Ruto says. The rich nations most responsible for the fossil fuel emissions that have warped the climate must meet decarbonization pledges and help developing countries hardest hit by global heating, Kenyan President William Ruto said at the UN COP27 climate conference in Egypt. African countries have contributed little to emissions but are "most severely impacted by the ensuing crisis," Ruto said on Monday, speaking on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN). He called "delaying tactics" and "procrastination" on climate action "cruel and unjust." At the same time, Ruto told world leaders that Africa could play an "indispensable, positive role in the planet's climate change future" because of its untapped renewable energy resources, vast tracts of land and youthful, dynamic workforce. Ruto announced plans to convene an African continental summit focusing on climate action, green growth and sustainable transformation next year. He also announced a plan to increase Kenya's tree cover from about 12% to 30% over the next 10 years. Africa the most vulnerable to climate change African nations combined contribute no more than 3% to cumulative CO2 emissions, while the United States, the European Union and United Kingdom are responsible for nearly half. Yet they are the most vulnerable to ravages that go hand-in-hand with a warming planet. Leah Namugerwa, a young Ugandan climate activist, said during Monday's opening talks that, at 14 years old, she had witnessed "landslides killing so many people because of harsh weather conditions" and asked whether it was "justice for world leaders to choose profits over lives." Meanwhile, a historic prolonged drought in Kenya has caused over 90% of water sources to dry up. Crops are failing, and animals are dying, meaning that many people do not have enough to eat. Ruto said the drought had "visited misery on millions of people" and had caused over a billion dollars in economic losses. Polluters must pay The government has diverted large amounts of money from health and education to provide food aid to millions of affected Kenyans, Ruto said. Having to make such trade-offs is an example of how climate change harms the development of vulnerable states and the futures of their citizens, he added. African nations, as well other climate-vulnerable states, are demanding an official mechanism by which rich polluters pay compensation to cover the costs of severe loss and damage caused by global heating. But wealthy nations fear being on the hook for all extreme weather events. It's a major sticking point in negotiations. Still, on Monday, Belgium pledged €2.5 million to help Mozambique, joining Scotland and Denmark as the third nation to make a funding commitment to help developing countries deal with unavoidable climate loss and damage. Africa's six-point climate plan Action on loss and damage is part of a six-point action plan put together by AGN for delivering on the promises made at the Paris climate conference in 2015. The plan states that climate change is a "global problem that will require global solutions," but adds that the causes and impacts are unequal and inequitable. That has to be reflected in any solutions. "It is vital that developed countries finally hold to their promise to deliver the agreed climate finance that can pay for adaptation, a loss-and-damage fund and accelerate decarbonization," Nemera Gebeyehu Mamo, state minister at Ethiopia's Planning and Development Ministry and AGN chair, wrote in the plan. Wealthy nations have so far failed to live up to their commitments to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing countries pay for adaptations such as flood defenses or drought-resistant crops. Ruto said on Monday that failure to fulfill the pledges made in 2009 has created a persistent "distrust." The UK agreed to speed up the flow of climate financing to Kenya to fast-track six green investment projects when the leaders of both countries met at COP27 on Monday. The AGN also called for more support outside of financing for adaptation measures and to help the continent move quickly to green energy sources such as solar and wind power. That includes providing technology and training. Countries frequently hit by drought, such as Spain and Senegal, announced an alliance to share knowledge and technology to help manage their water resources at the climate conference on Monday. Africa: A continent abundant with green energy Environmentalist and former US Vice President Al Gore said at the climate conference on Monday that the Global North had to "move beyond the era of fossil fuel colonialism." Instead of supporting a transition to renewables, European countries are scrambling to find alternatives to Russian fossil fuels and are in a "dash for gas" in African countries. Gore called the moves a "dash down a bridge to nowhere, leaving the countries of the world facing climate chaos and billions in stranded assets, especially here in Africa."

An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been approved by the Union Cabinet on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management between the National Disaster Management Authority of India and Maldives.                                                The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ex-post facto approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on August 2, 2022 between the National Disaster Management Authority of the Republic of India and the National Disaster Management Authority of the Republic of Maldives on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, a press release said. The MoU seeks to put in place a system, whereby both India and Maldives will be benefited from the Disaster Management mechanisms of each other and it will help in strengthening the areas of preparedness, response and capacity building in the field of Disaster Management. The Parties will extend mutual support on the request of one Party in the time of large-scale disaster incident occurring within its territory, in the field of emergency relief, response, humanitarian assistance. They will exchange information and share experiences and best practices in disaster response, mitigation, planning and preparedness. Moreover, both the authorities will share satellite remote sensing data and expertise in space technology base applications for effective disaster mitigation, including the exchange of information on the disaster on prevention and risk assessment. An official release said the parties will extend cooperation in the field of advanced information technology, early warning systems, remote sensing, satellite communication & navigation services. To consider training and capacity-building programme for sectoral mainstreaming in disaster risk reduction, the parties will provide opportunities to train senior officials and rescue personnel in emergency management service in the short and long-term training. They will exchange information about the domestic and international exhibitions as well as exercises to be held in both countries and also cooperate in areas such as research, knowledge exchange, faculty support programmes, documentation in the areas of disaster risk reduction and academic programmes in disaster resilience & climate change adaptation. Both will determine further cooperation in other activities related to disaster management. The Parties may exchange Tsunami Advisories, Storm Surge, High Wave Alert, Multi-Hazard vulnerability information and multi-hazard risk assessment due to the oceanogenic disasters along their coastal zones. The Parties may exchange information about Numerical weather Prediction (NWP) products and Extended Range Forecast (ERF) and may exchange information including the provision of access by the Indian side to the Real-Time Analysis of Products and Information Dissemination (RAPID) for visualization of Indian Weather Satellite Data as well as providing training on NWP and Satellite Meteorology by IMD. Furthermore, they will initiate an annual disaster management exercise that will be held in the different geographic settings of both nations. Source: ANI  

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has joined India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) to limit the destruction caused by climate change. EIB will work in partnership with national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks and the private sector to promote the rapid development of infrastructure resilient to climate change and natural disasters in countries at all stages of development, the EIB said in a statement. EIB President Werner Hoyer welcomed the initiative by the Indian government to create CDRI to build a global economy resilient to climate change and natural disasters. "As part of Team Europe, the EIB will offer advisory and financial support to CDRI members and ensure they can benefit from all relevant EU initiatives," he said. "We share a common vision of a green, sustainable and resilient world, built on cooperation, knowledge exchange and mutual respect. I look forward to translating this shared vision into concrete projects we can all benefit from," Hoyer added. The EIB intends to work with CDRI members to unlock the benefits of EU initiatives aiming to achieve sustainable global connectivity, such as the Global Gateway, and climate action initiatives such as the EU Green Deal. As the EU climate bank, the EIB will work within CDRI on sharing knowledge, including via its newly deployed development branch, EIB Global. The EU bank will also focus on developing standards and certification relevant to disaster-resilient infrastructure.   The EIB will help CDRI to develop the research and knowledge-management capabilities of its members. Indian Co-chair of CDRI's Executive Committee, Kamal Kishore welcomed EIB's decision to support the vision of CDRI to deliver sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems globally. "CDRI welcomes the EIB, one of the world's main financiers of climate action and environmental sustainability, as a member and recognizes the expertise it will bring to support the coalition's activities and member countries," he said. CDRI was launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019 at the initiative of India and allows its members to share knowledge and resources. It help countries to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs) and expand universal access to basic services. The development of resilient infrastructure is a key step in limiting the impact of climate change and ensuring the sustainable development of the global economy. This is especially relevant for developing economies, which are expected to be among the hardest hit by climate change, with poor and marginalized populations most exposed to the negative effects of rising global temperatures, EIB said in a statement. Developing countries currently require annual investments in climate adaptation in the range of EUR60 billion; by 2030 these countries will need between EUR120-250 billion per year. In addition, significant investments will be required to ensure that the EUR50-80 trillion of infrastructures planned for construction by 2030 is adapted to future climate impacts. Multilateral development banks like the EIB will have a crucial role in mobilizing private and public finance for climate adaptation projects. In 2019, these institutions committed to doubling their collective total level of adaptation finance to EUR15 billion annually by 2025. In 2020, their adaptation finance totaled EUR13.6 billion, up from EUR11.9 billion in 2019 and EUR10.9 billion in 2018. Since the beginning of its operations in India in 1993, the EIB has supported 17 projects in transport, energy, agriculture, fisheries and forestry as well as India's small and medium enterprises and invested EUR4.2 billion.   Source: ANI

The World Bank has approved a $500 million credit to help Bangladesh improve disaster preparedness against inland flooding in 14 flood-prone districts benefiting over 1.25 million people. The Resilient Infrastructure for Adaptation and Vulnerability Reduction (RIVER) project will help Bangladesh reduce vulnerability to riverine and flash floods by constructing over 500 multipurpose flood shelters, access roads, and climate-resilient community infrastructure. In normal times, the flood shelters will operate as primary schools and they will be equipped with solar energy systems, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities, that cater to the needs of women and vulnerable populations. The project will also help strengthen the capacity of communities and government agencies to prepare and respond to floods and undertake behavioral change interventions, said a press release.   “The heart-wrenching flood situation in Sylhet region is a stark reminder of the increasing risks of climate change to development - more frequent, unpredictable and intense natural disasters,” said Mercy Tembon, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. “Building on our five-decade long partnership of improving disaster risk management in the coastal region, this project will help Bangladesh improve disaster preparedness in the non-coastal flood-prone areas. It will also support the country’s transition from a disaster response to a disaster risk management approach,” she added.   The release said Bangladesh, a low-lying Delta, is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change-related natural disasters, including floods and cyclones. With climate change, the magnitude and intensity of floods are increasing. Every year, floods and riverbank erosion affect about one million people but in some years, the numbers can be substantially higher. The project will help save lives and properties in the highly flood-prone districts in the Teesta-Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Padma, and Surma-Meghna river basins, which are: Nilpamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, and Sunamganj, Habiganj.   “Inadequate evacuation facilities for people and their livestock in highly flood-prone areas not only leads to the loss of lives and livelihoods, but it also hampers the ability to provide adequate relief,” said Ignacio Urrutia, World Bank Team Leader for the project. “This project will contribute to developing evacuation facilities that provide WASH, apply gender-sensitive design, and provide sufficient space for community members and livestock, while at the same time benefiting the community in regular times,”added Urrutia.   The project will also develop a database on the availability and condition of flood shelters, which will be critical for disaster preparedness and future investment planning.   The project will support the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, a long-term plan to achieve a safe, climate-resilient, and prosperous delta, as well as the World Bank Group’s Climate Change Action Plan 2021-2025.   The credit is from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), which provides concessional financing, and has a 30-year term, including a five-year grace period. The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh and has committed $37 billion in grants, interest-free, and concessional credits to the country since its Independence. Currently, Bangladesh has the largest ongoing IDA program in the world. Source: BSS AH

After two years, the Government of India revoked provisions of the Disaster Management Act for COVID containment measures, as per the order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday. The order copy signed by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla reads that after taking into consideration the overall improvement in the situation and preparedness of the Government to deal with the pandemic, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has taken a decision that there may not be any further need to invoke the provisions of the DM Act for COVID containment measures. Accordingly, after the expiry of the existing Ministry of Home Affairs orders dated February 25, 2022, no further order may be issued by the MHA. However, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) advisories on COVID containment measures, including the use of face masks and hand hygiene, will continue to guide the overall national response to the pandemic. "I would like to mention that in view of the nature of the disease, we still need to remain watchful of the situation. Wherever any surge in the number of cases is observed, the States/UTs may consider taking prompt and proactive action at the local level, as advised by MOHFW from time to time," the Home Secretary said in the order. He also advised States and UTs to discontinue the issue of orders and guidelines under the DM Act.   "I would, therefore, advise all the States/UTs to consider appropriately discontinuing issue of orders and guidelines under the DM Act, 2005 for COVID containment measures. The States/UTs may continue to follow the SoPs/advisories that have been or are being issued by the MoHFW from time to time for COVID containment measures, vaccination and other related aspects, including observing COVID Appropriate Behaviour," he said in the order. Since March 24, 2020, on the direction of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Ministry of Home Affairs has been issuing Orders and Guidelines under the Disaster Management Act, (DM Act) 2005, for the containment of COVID-19 in the country. The Central Government, in close coordination with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations (UTS), has taken various proactive measures to deal with the unprecedented global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MHA order further reads that over the last 24 months, significant capacities have been developed for various aspects of management of the pandemic, such as diagnostics, surveillance, contact tracing, treatment and vaccination, hospital infrastructure and the general public has a much higher level of awareness on the COVID appropriate behaviour. States and UTs have also developed their own capacities and systems and implemented their detailed State/UT specific plans for managing the pandemic, over the last seven weeks or so there has been a steep decline in the number of cases, it said. The total caseload in the country stands at 23,913 only and the daily positivity rate has declined to 0.28 per cent. It is also worth mentioning that with the combined efforts, a total of 181.56 Cr vaccine doses have been administered. Source: ANI

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered continued review of preparedness measures for facing disasters alongside launching of a nationwide awareness campaign attributing repeated incidents of fire to lack of wakefulness. “Review continuously the government initiatives for successfully handling the natural disasters and fix what should be done,” she said as she chaired a National Disaster Management Council (NDMC) meeting at the PMO on Thursday. Reports BSS. Simultaneously, she said, a nationwide awareness campaign has to be launched alongside taking timely measures to minimize damages from the disasters. “Creating awareness among the people is necessary . . . alongside taking timely measures from the national, organizational and personal level to minimize disaster damages,” she said. The premier herself heads the NDMC which incorporates ministers, senior civil and military officials including chiefs of the three armed forces and heads of law enforcement agencies. The premier asked concerned authorities to publicize the government’s disaster related directives to let everyone understand what one should do while facing disasters. Sheikh Hasina urged all stakeholders to work in a coordinated manner to minimize people’s sufferings during floods and all other natural disasters asking all to keep in mind that geo-physical features exposed Bangladesh to repeated natural disasters. “So, we have to live with the phenomenon with necessary plans to keep the extent of damages and loss of lives to a minimal level during any catastrophe,” the premier said. The premier said massive infrastructural developments also invites disasters like inferno while referring to the recent FR Tower and Churihatta blazes in the capital claiming many lives. She said her government, however, always responded very fast whenever it received forecast of any disaster, engaging every human and material support to reduce the loss of lives and property unlike the previous regimes. Sheikh Hasina said apart from all concerned government offices, the ruling Awami League workers worked sincerely to reach food, medicine and other relief materials to the affected people. She recalled that the then BNP government took no step while the deadly 1991 cyclone hit the south-eastern coastlines saying “even they didn’t care to have information about the disaster”. Sheikh Hasina said the post independence Bangabandhu government had planned to build 1000 cyclone shelter centers called “Mujib Killa” along the southern coastlines to protect the belt from tidal surges and cyclones. Following that footprint, she said, the present government took many steps for disaster management while it successfully the protracted 1998 deluge which even inundated the Dhaka city amid a prediction that the flood could kill 20 million people. The Prime Minister said the government took necessary measures to avoid any possibility of food shortage and keep the sufferings of the people to a tolerant level. The present government, she said, is raising volunteers for post earthquake rescue operation and disaster management. Sheikh Hasina said flood affects people including farmers damaging households and crops and reminded all that it also benefits the yields carrying silt and other ingredients to make the cultivable land more fertile. The premier asked the people to be cautious in using modern equipment such as electricity, gas cylinder and flammable substances to minimize the risk caused by the modernization, saying, “modernization gives us comfort, but it also creates risks. We should be careful to keep the risk at the minimum level”. She asked the people to remain careful and prepared in their offices and houses to face any disasters. Referring to the 1991 cyclone during the BNP-Jamaat regime, she said, “The then government was not aware about the disaster for which thousands of people were killed”. She also said her government had successfully tackled the 1997 cyclone, recalling that she cancelled her Spain tour soon after the cyclone hit Bangladesh. The PM asked the National Disaster Management Council to make it’s preparation time-befitting to fix do’s and don’ts to face the disasters in the coming days. AH