Friday, Apr 11, 2008
Gulf News
Dubai: Cyclone Gonu, a Category-5 hurricane that hit Oman and the northern Emirates last June, has exposed weaknesses that Gulf countries need to tackle before another disaster, said a Omani expert.
The cyclone, the worst storm to hit the Arabian peninsula since 1977, killed 49 people and caused millions of dollars in damage.
Dr Sulaiman Al Mawali, consultant in emergency medicine who was involved in disaster management for Gonu in Oman, told the audience at the International Emergency and Catastrophe Management (IECM) conference that Gonu was a sign of things to come.
"Gonu was uncommon. The last cyclone [we had of this severity] was 30 years ago. But with the changing pattern of the world weather; there are some signs that it will become more common," he said.
He added although Oman was well-prepared for Gonu, the cyclone exposed some weak spots that need to be addressed before the next big disaster.
Among the weak spots are increasing public awareness; making communities self-sufficient and city planning.
Reactions
Dr Al Mawali said the authorities kept the people informed of the storm's progress. However, they failed to fully address the human factor - people's reactions and curiosity to the dangerous weather conditions.
"Most of the deaths happened because of people themselves going into flooded areas into wadis and flood flash waters," he said.
"People were told to stay at home, but sometimes the message did not reach them. Some people, they are not aware of the dangers or risks ... They don't heed the advice, they don't listen," he added.
He said having more satellite-based communication equipment would help as authorities would still be able to communicate with communities when the storm disrupts mobile services.
Dr Al Mawali also said Gulf countries should strengthen communities in isolated areas and ensure they can take care of themselves in case they are cut off. "We also need to plan for isolated areas; have backup plans for certain areas ... To a certain degree, they have to be self-sufficient," he said.
"Sur was cut off for a few days, but had a local committee to prepare, plan and execute the disaster plan [on their own]," he added.
He said the plan should also include alternative sources of water, such as wells, in case of disruption to water supplies. As for city planning, Dr Al Mawali said Gulf countries needed to ensure buildings were structurally sound, utilities were strong enough to withstand gale-force winds and the drainage system was able to cope with a massive amount of water.
Drainage
"Even though we don't get much rain, we still should make the drains deep," he said.
Drainage systems in Gulf countries are typically only able to deal with a small amount of water.
Gonu was uncommon. The last cyclone [we had of this severity] was 30 years ago. But with the changing pattern of the world weather; there are some signs that it will become more common."
Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.
