a) Study the picture below, carefully:
Describe some solutions to minimise the destruction caused by such disasters
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:— actions taken to prevent or reduce the risk to life, property, social and economic activities, and natural resources from natural hazards — is central to the Decade initiative. Awareness, education, preparedness, and prediction and warning systems can reduce the disruptive impacts of a natural disaster on communities. Mitigation measures such as adoption of zoning, land-use practices, and building codes are needed, however, to prevent or reduce actual damage from hazards. Avoiding development in landslide- and flood-prone areas through planning and zoning ordinances, for example, may save money in construction and reduce the loss of life and damage to property and natural resources. Postdisaster studies continue to confirm the fundamental fact that community investment in mitigation pays direct dividends when a disaster occurs.
Development trends in the United States underscore the need to instill a new commitment to mitigation. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) projects a national investment of $4 trillion during the 1990s in new construction and infrastructure. Advances in the fields of hazard and risk assessments are providing decision-makers with increasingly accurate and useful information on the potential impacts of natural disasters on society. The challenge is to apply this information and translate current understanding of natural hazards into meaningful action at the community level to protect the substantial investments in new and existing development. Equally important is the human side of mitigation; programs should reflect the needs of an urban, aging, technologically oriented society.
Despite increasing vulnerability to natural disasters, many communities resist adopting mitigation programs. The barriers are economic, social, and political, and mitigation is often perceived as restrictive, costly, and incompatible with the community's economic development goals. Mitigation may involve solutions that are technically sound but politically unpopular. In this context, elected officials are often reluctant to pursue mitigation programs vigorously.
Progress toward adoption of mitigation practices will require community commitment, recognition of constraints and barriers, and innovative solutions. Flood-prone areas, for example, could be incorporated into community-enhancing open space, wildlife and recreation attractions, or hiking and physical fitness trails. New awareness and education programs need to be developed to foster incorporation of the lessons learned from disasters and the findings from social research into mitigation practice.
Mitigation initiatives, above all, need to involve the key groups that participate in developing, adopting, implementing, and enforcing mitigation — public officials, finance and insurance specialists, engineers, planners and architects, civic groups, marketing specialists, educators, and researchers. To be effective, mitigation requires a multidisciplinary team approach free from domination by any one special interest group; each discipline has a role and contribution to make. Close communication and coordination among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers increase the likelihood that effective mitigation programs will be implemented.