When Mount Ontake in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, erupted without warning on Saturday, many climbers were buried under volcanic ash and flights had to be rerouted. Seeing media reports about the incident, it was difficult not to think about whether Taiwan has the ability, or any response strategy in place, to deal with what happens should there be a volcanic eruption.
Both the central and local governments need to have disaster mitigation and rescue response measures, which should be made openly available online, so that the public knows what they are.
BE PREPARED
The most important lesson learned from the Greater Kaohsiung gas explosions was the need to be prepared for all types of disasters at any given time. They must be prepared for, properly understood and safeguarded against.
For example, media reports said that three minutes after the city government had confirmed the cause of the explosions, another major explosion occurred. Had the city government been able to put safeguards in place, known where the pipelines were located and had a standard operating procedure in place for disaster response, then the Kaohsiung gas explosions may not have been as serious as they turned out to be.
Perhaps if there had been more information available the number of fatalities and injuries among the firefighters and members of the public would not have been so tragically high.
The lesson from the Kaohsiung explosions is this: Have the city and county governments around the country addressed these issues, and do they have an appropriate disaster prevention and response strategy in place?
VOLCANIC ACTIVITY
Basically, disaster prevention and response agencies should continuously monitor the nation’s volcanoes to better predict their level of activity.
It would also be helpful if research institutes studying these volcanoes could educate and update the public about the distribution of volcanoes in the nation and the odds of them erupting.
At the same time, the disaster prevention agencies should take this information and explain to the public what needs to be done, and what measures are in place, should the worst happen.
These would include what provisions there are for climbers or nearby residents who may have to be evacuated, relocated or rescued, and whether temporary housing would be needed.
Should an eruption occur, it may impact flight safety, and the public ought to note whether the government has measures in place in the event of such a scenario.
While predicting the likelihood of volcanic eruptions lies firmly within the sphere of scientists and the natural sciences, the issue of whether the government and the wider society are adequately prepared and able to respond is one for the social sciences.
PUBLIC INFORMATION
Although disasters, be they natural or of human origin, are difficult to predict, the government should have comprehensive, cross-disciplinary preparations in place.
Government at all levels should take the initiative to make information about disaster response strategies open, transparent and easily available, so that the public can rest assured about their safety.
Yang Yung-nane is director of the Research Center of Science and Technology Governance at National Cheng Kung University.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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