Garth Rattray | Some disasters are preventable

I am penning this piece on Saturday, October 25. Currently, Hurricane Melissa is creeping its way towards us with malevolent intent. Almost all the weather experts have predicted that Melissa will deliver a catastrophic mid-section blow to Jamaica. There will be prolonged and extremely powerful destructive winds and tonnes of rain pelting, inundating our little island.

The ferocity and slow-moving nature of this hurricane will certainly cause unimaginable destruction and the inevitable death of some citizens. However, some of the destruction and deaths are totally preventable. If our people and the government adhere to a few, simple things, properties and lives can be saved.

No matter what anyone does, powerful hurricanes will partially or completely destroy some of the best constructed buildings. Flooding will always occur and cause losses. There will always be landslides in many places. Roadways will be blocked, and landslides sometimes kill people. Severe weather is sometimes indirectly responsible for deaths because sick people are often unable to get to emergency rooms.

Flooding can be minimised if the government ensures that drains and ‘gullies’ (canals) are kept clean. Every single time that severe weather threatens or approaches, there are flurries of activities to clean blocked or inaccessible drains. This should never happen. Sometimes ‘islands’ of debris, soil, and flora can be seen in large gullies (canals). These ‘islands’ grow over many years until they significantly impede the free flow of storm water. Additionally, on the side walls of many gullies (canals) are mounds of garbage that peak pointing to the location of the culprits.

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

Individuals must accept some of the responsibility for flooding caused by blocked drains and gullies (canals). I still see many people casually tossing garbage (plastic bottles, plastic wrappings, and a wide assortment of refuse) out the windows of moving motor vehicles. People dump garbage (especially plastic) on many sidewalks and even directly into drains. Unconscionable, uncaring, and extremely selfish citizens often dump large appliances like useless refrigerators, stoves, and microwaves wherever they please. Most plastic products take hundreds of years to degrade. They float downstream and partially or completely obstruct the flow of water to the sea.

In more recent times, the rapid and poorly thought out erection of buildings alter the natural flow of storm water. The backup ends up producing massive flooding of many homes and sometimes communities. Aside from the horrible mess, discomfort, and inconvenience of flooding, people lose valuable property, their life’s savings, and perhaps their lives. The paving of many open spaces an driveways negatively impact the aquifer and significantly reduce the ability for rain water to be absorbed naturally into the soil. This adds to the phenomenon of excessive flooding with relatively minimal precipitation.

A number of Jamaican citizens squat on privately-owned and on government lands. A 2002-2003 survey determined that approximately 76 per cent of squatter communities (settlements) occur on government lands. Shockingly, approximately 20 percent of Jamaicans live in squatter settlements. That’s bad enough, but some of those squatters erect flimsy homes and occupy unsafe areas. These unsafe areas are sometimes [literally] on the sides of hills that are prone to land slippage. Others are on, or very near to river banks, or adjacent to gullies (canals). Some are in located in temporary dry river beds that become swollen whenever it rains further upstream.

I recall one squatter being interviewed as he produced a plaintive monologue outlining his trials and tribulations caused by the imminent collapsing of the walls of one of our gullies (canals). His home was in jeopardy. I felt sorry for his dilemma until the camera panned and revealed a large three-storey building for which he [illegally and foolishly] used a part of the government’s gully (canal) wall as the foundation.

PROACTIVE

The government cannot continue blaming citizens for occupying dangerous areas and then stating, “... they should not have been living here.” Responsible municipalities must be proactive. There must be regular tours of places where people should not be squatting, especially if those places will pose a danger to property and lives. The various municipalities must stop illegal and dangerous squatting. In my opinion, whenever disaster occurs because squatters inhabit places that end up causing loss of property and/or lives, the ultimate responsibility for the losses lies with the relevant municipality. Desperate citizens (who squat wherever they can) need guidance and protection to prevent disaster, not rebuke after the fact.

Today (October 25) I spoke with an acquaintance by cell phone. Despite the numerous and extensive media coverage of the approaching dangerous weather phenomenon, he was adamant that there was no hurricane approaching our shores. He blamed everything on merchants who want to sell their goods. Therefore, he was totally unprepared for the hurricane. Others believe that there is an approaching weather monster but convince themselves that it will make a last-minute turn and spare us the full brunt of its ferocity and power. These usually go on to invoke God’s benevolence and their expectation that He will answer our prayers. They too are either unprepared or minimally prepared to face the onslaught.

People need to realise that weather phenomena have always been around and are becoming more dangerous because of rapid global warming. They are the result of natural activities. Being prepared means keeping the way clear for the free flow of storm water, living in safe areas, and keeping indoors during storms and hurricanes.

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com