Over 5000 people have so far been affected by flood and windstorm disasters nationwide this year, according to an ongoing assessment of disaster affected areas being carried out by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).

This figure includes pregnant women and children below five years. Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer at the NDMA head office along Kairaba Avenue, Essa Khan, the executive director of the agency, who disclosed this information, said a total number of 147 flood incidents have been recorded nationwide from early July 2010 to date.

According to him, the assessment also indicated that the number of houses partially damaged stands at 232, whilst those completely damaged stands at 36. 10 deaths have been recorded, whilst reported cases of diarrhea and fever are 23 and 32 respectively. In the same vein, 17 water sources have been damaged, 71 pit latrines affected, 20 farmlands submerged, while six schools, one bridge, and four health facilities amongst a host of others were damaged.

Response
Quizzed on the NDMA's response to these natural disasters, Khan explained that his agency has been responding to these unfortunate occurrences in the country. "We are responding and what we have done is in each region, we have a warehouse where we pre-position our items.

We put items there even before the rainy season. You cannot provide 100 percent assistance to the victims, because the agency is not here to restructure people's houses. So far the assistance is ongoing " I cannot say that 100 percent of the victims have been assisted, but a significant number of them have been assisted," he stated.

Appeal
The Disaster Agency boss appealed to the general public including the private sector, NGOs, philanthropists and other donor and humanitarian agencies to come on board and renew their commitment to the NDMA.

While recalling that by the end of September last year, the total number of people affected by disaster in this country was about 16, 000, Khan noted that the current statistics for this year is rising gradually.  "This year as we are moving, the figure is rising gradually. Now towards September, I don't know what the figure is going to be but if you look at the way things are going, it seems that things are on the rise. But what is also interesting is that this year, our preparedness level is better than last year because the agency was just coming into existence.

This year, we have to prepare based on the lessons of last year and diagnostic analysis of last year's intervention," stated Khan, noting that the lessons of last year accorded them the opportunity to come with a Comprehensive Rapid Assessment Tool.  

He called for attitudinal changes amongst the citizenry towards disaster management in the country, urging Gambians to learn how to prepare themselves. The behaviour of the people, according to Khan, has to some extent increased their vulnerability to disasters. "We should not wait for things to happen and so we have to protect ourselves before the calamity falls. Let us change our attitude; help the municipalities and the area councils to be able to improve on planning," he stated.

Proper planning
Khan stressed the importance of proper planning of settlements in the country, observing that the disaster prone areas are poorly planed. He said people have settled on waterways and swampy areas in disaster prone areas, which expose them to the effects of the natural disasters.

He continued: "It is important to plan settlements. Our role as an agency is advocacy " we are advocating for proper planning of settlements. It is easier and cheaper to prevent than to respond. Response is very expensive and we have spent so much money in responding. People should not wait for something to happen and say come and help me. We want people to be independent, to help themselves. And if people help themselves, then it is easier to help them. So disaster risk reduction is important " how do we reduce the risk on communities?"

Way forward
He also underscored the importance of community drainage system in reducing the risk of disaster, urging the communities to work together and look at their drainage system and identify waterways to avoid calamities. Khan explained that identifying waterways doesn't cost much, and stressed the need for the relevant stakeholders to look into the issue with a view to enhancing the planning of settlements.

He underscored the need for national risk assessment to be undertaken, something he stressed as very important in view of the fact that it would provide the opportunity to know the risk areas and vulnerability mapping. "These are the ways forward and I think this is where we are asking the donor communities to give us some money. The Agency has developed a Disaster Risk Reduction Climate Change Adaptation Programme for a period of four years. And so far some of these [donor]agencies are refusing to put a single dollar into that programme. Only government is putting money into that programme," he stated, underscoring that the four-year programme is a holistic one that looks into all areas.

Commending the government of Japan for the assistance to the NDMA, Khan described the Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Programme as a very important tool, and urged the donor agencies to come forward and assist the agency.