Effectiveness of Early Warning Systems for Reduction of Flood Risks - Research Paper Example

UNISDR (2015) stated that the objective of the Sendai Framework for Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is to safe guard the livelihoods, health, environment, lives of the people and infrastructure from natural and man-made disasters over the incoming fifteen years. To accomplish this purpose, the UN general assembly has implemented the Sendai framework’s 4 pillars and 7 targets on the third UN world conference in March 2015. The second priority of this framework is about the main strategies for reinforcing disaster risk governance to manage risks, for instance defining the roles and responsibilities of private and public sector to take part in disaster risk management.

The activities and functions of disaster risk management in every field of government are described in Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002. Furthermore, this Act emphasizes on the execution of policies, institutional planning and approaches associated with government sectors. It also grants powers to the leaders of the governmental sectors. For instance, the council has the power to declare a disaster, but cannot transfer these powers (D. van Niekerk, 2006).

South African National Disaster Management Framework is aimed at making policies related to disaster management in South Africa as well as determinig the a variety of risks and disasters that hit the entire country. This framework is a means of establishing and applying the disaster management. It is the legal instrument detailed in the Disaster Management Act. The purpose of the Framework is to guarantee consistent approach and integration to disaster management by the local, Provincial and National government (D. van Niekerk, 2006).

Concept of Disaster Risk Reduction

As Disaster Risk Management is new in South Africa, it is important to define Disaster Risk Reduction and Disaster Management to be able to understand the Disaster risk reduction which is adopted internationally.

The Disaster Risk Reduction is defined as the logical and performance of particular practises, strategies, policies aimed at eliminating the risks and exposures and describing effects of disasters to the the community, in the wider point of view of sustainable development (UNISDR, 2004). The World Bank (2004) pointed out that the elimination of risk involves the participation of all role players in emphasizing on safety planning. The World Bank also underlines the preventative measures, for example, designing structures, land planning, and construction standards and practices. Disaster Risk Reduction is a dynamic strategy of disaster management that stresses on the key situations of the hazards that can lead to a disaster. The main objective is to enhance the abilities to effectively control and get rid of risks.

Disaster risk reduction imitates a new global means of controlling disasters and disaster risks. These approaches should involve the methods of risk evaluation and categorize the vulnerabilities as well as outlining the institutional capabilities such as resources and personal and working skills.

Disaster Management

In relation to South African, the term Disaster Management is used by Practitioners and stakeholders, although this term is not globally used. This owes to the fact is that institutions and practitioners are often involved in disaster risk reduction processes (D. Niekerk, 2013). Rationally, Disaster Management is more of the organisation of the resources and activities for handling all aspects of emergencies, and that includes readiness, response and recuperation.

According to the South African Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002, a Disaster Management is a multidisciplinary, collective multisectoral and continuous practice of preparation and use of approaches that are aimed at preventing and eliminating the risks that can cause a disaster. It is the process that encompasses the strategies, compositions and institutional preparation to utilize government units, private and voluntary NGOs and companies in extensive and coordinated measures to respond to the emergencies (South African Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002).

From the definitions by South African Disaster Management Act and D. Niekerk and the comparison between the two terms, it is evident that South Africa is focusing more on multidisciplinary and multisectoral method than on the elimination of risks that cause disaster. The term disaster Management, however, is new when seen in relation to the context of South Africa. The Government is in the process of setting up a department of disaster management in local government level. This implies that the country, in my view, is more behind, and that’s why South Africa is using the term of disaster management which is not equivalent to the term used international Disaster Risk Reduction as used by developed Countries such as Japan and US which have long established disaster management units are now aiming at Risk Reduction.

Disaster Management Cycle

The all-inclusive disaster management cycle involves appropriate implementation of policies and the measures that detect the chances of occurrence of disaster or that mitigates it impacts on infrastructure, assets, environment and humans. The mitigation and preparedness phases occur as progress are made in anticipation of the specific event if the government recognizes the society. The below figure illustrates Disaster Management Cycle (Shinde m, 2015).

Figure 1: Demonstrating Disaster Management cycle

Mitigation refers to the processes that are set up to check the severity of a disaster, for instance community awareness which is targeted at informing communities to protect themselves in the event of a disaster. On the other hand, preparedness is the state of promptness, this process includes the formulation of plans, for instance evacuation plans, contingency plans, Disaster Management Plan and communication system to broadcast early caution to communities and to pertinent participants. The response means actions that are undertaken when a disaster take place.

The evacuation of disaster casualties and supplying relief necessities constitutes a response. The process of reinstating the normal condition of the victims and the properties, for instance, constructing new houses and rennovating the infrastructures that has been ruined is called recory (Shinde M, 2015). Disaster Management Act 57, of 2002 offers an absolute legal framework to the adoption of risk reduction in all sectors of government. The Act illustrates the structure that oversees the country’s disaster management through a hierarchy such as Disaster management unit involving the Executive an Advisory forum which include senior managers from NGOs, provincial and national department, and agents from National and Provincial Disaster Management Centre ( Pelling et al,2006).

Harry Gwala Disaster Management Centre

In accordance with HDM PLN 2012, the organisational make-up of risk reduction in the municipality entails the preparedness planning groups, the Disaster Management Centre, risk reduction project teams, Disaster Management Advisory forum, risk reduction groups, the interdepartmental Disaster Management Committee, departmental and local municipal planning groups and the nodal points for disaster management in municipal department and local municipalities in the district.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) of Harry Gwala District Municipality borders with the Kingdom of Lesotho and Eastern Cape, and is situated in the south west of the province of KwaZulu Natal (HGDM IDP Review: 2015/2016). In accordance with HGDM IDP 2018/20, there are four local municipalities in the municipality, and these are Ubuhlebezwe, Greater Kokstad, Dr Nkosazane Dlamini-Zuma and Umzimkhulu Local Municipalities. From South African weather service, the DMC obtain untimely admonitions. The DMC team up with District Disaster Management Advisory forum and the local municipalities to share untimely admonition information obtained from SAWS. Those communities that are under Harry Gwala do not obtain an untimely admonition from the Disaster Management centre.

Map that shows Harry Gwala District Municipality

Source: HGDM IDP /2018/2020

Community Participation

In accordance with Harry Gwala, when Disaster Management Framework community took part in disaster risk reduction programmes, they lessen the outcomes of catastrophes in the district. the community has well built up traditional original knowledge for coping strategies and environment management, leading to increase in their flexibility to environmental alterations. The community is capable of identifying with its knowledge with ease as it aids their comprehension of particular recent scientific perceptions for environmental management as well as disaster prevention preparedness, mitigation and response. In consistent with the framework, the main challenge that faces the local communities is translation of the recent scientific theories.

Community-Based Approach

Inayath Mohamed, 2016 asserts that focus on risk disaster reduction in the community has increasingly been identified as a significant constituent of an all-inclusive national disaster risk management system, since the first group to respond to any tragedy that take place in their area are communities. In a number of situations, top-down advances may not tackle the particular local requirements of communities that are vulnerable, neighbouring people understand better the local challenges and opportunities. The best ready during the times of need are local communities. Empowering local residents and communities based disaster risk management that are influenced by the calamities is believed to be the best sustainable approach to tragedy risk reduction.

From the knowledge of the past calamity, Harry Gwala District Municipality has discovered the significance of risk reduction prior to the strike of disasters. The most effective approach to attend to at HGDM is preparing communities for the dangers they are open to. The main focus however is giving power to community-based untimely admonition according to disaster risk reduction. This advance would help in reducing the susceptibilities, boosting the capacity of people to tackle risks and advance the resilience of the community at Harry Gwala District Municipality.

Corporation with NGO’s Approach

The Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 claims that the district municipality have to set up the unit of volunteers corresponding to the Act the HGDM that has launched the unit of volunteers that represents each and every ward. The Volunteers have been on basic Disaster Management (HDGM yearly report, 2012/13). The Municipality is capable of training join forces with neighbouring NGO to establish a method that is community-based. Gautam D et al (2013) emphasized that it is possible to form local disaster management committee in all communities that are inclined to risk with the economic support from the NGO. The Disaster Management Centre is capable of bringing to a network local media like community radio stations and newspaper. The warning system is meant to promote communities and to notify them their actions. The institution understands how people tackle and counter a calamity. When to evacuate, is decided by community members for instance during flash floods. The DMC should modify the contents of caution messages to the needs of the clients. These messages should be timely and simple in order to stimulate untimely rejoinder. Establishment of end-to-end EWS guarantees the attainment of communities at risk and ensuring that they comprehend the meaning of the caution.

Flooding Problems at Harry Gwala District Municipality

After the flooding has taken place, Provincial Disaster Management Centre called for all municipalities that are affected, to episode reports that have details of the degree of the damage caused by floods. The most horrible areas affected in the province were Mzimkhulu and Bulwer with victims that exceed 20 and other people were left with severe injuries and others without homes. 3051 people were left without homes, 584 houses were utterly damaged. The Local Municipality was situated in a secure place The Department of Social department interceded by dispersed food parcel and presented a trauma counselling to the fatalities. Support was also offered by local municipality (NDMC Annual Report, 2012/13).

The Provincial Disaster Management Centre called in on the District to confirm the effect of the floods all over the affected areas. As part of rehabilitation and recovery, The Department of Human settlement pledged to put up 1500 houses. Department of Agriculture activated the Flood scheme and distributed the budget to help out the affected farmers in the province. Floods caused damage by water pumping infrastructure, the department of health was keeping an eye on the value of drinking water. PDMC was sufficient, supported by the HGDM despite the limited access to the knowledge of dangers of floods in the HGDM province. The HGDM still have the disputes like short of political will and the short of resources allocated to Disaster risk reduction. (Zuma et al, 2012).

Figure2: Photos showing dwellings flooding

Findings.

Conclusion

This study examined schemes for disaster risk reduction executed by the government of South Africa with the aim of lessening susceptibility to danger. It is obvious that the Government is responsible when it comes to integrated Planning for calamities and to have intergovernmental make-ups at Provincial at each and every sphere of government since the disaster management is the business of everyone. KwaZulu Natal flash floods has illustrated mapping perils are necessary. For communities that lack knowledge concerning hazards that affect them, it is difficult to effectively execute Risk Reduction models. The impact of risks that can result in calamities can be reduced by community awareness, and get rid of effects on calamities in communities.