FOR the second time in just over three months, the people of Indonesia are recovering from the impact of an earthquake. Thankfully, the death toll inflicted this time appears to be far lower than in the quake and tsunami in December. Nevertheless, it highlights the need for a long-term view, not just disaster relief.
This week’s quake hit just south-east of the epicentre of the December quake (see “More quakes to come”). Worst affected appears to be the island of Nias, where hundreds may have been killed by collapsing buildings. What survivors of both quakes now need, beyond immediate help, is advice on making homes less vulnerable to these disasters. That knowledge exists: the problem is getting it to where it is needed.
The latest quake sent panic around the Indian Ocean. With the memory of December’s tsunami fresh in their minds, millions of people sensibly fled coastal areas. But give it a year, or another few false alarms, and how many people will still take that precaution? Before we reach that point, people around the Indian Ocean deserve the tide gauges and seabed sensors that will warn them of tsunamis. There is plenty of talk about a tsunami warning system for the area. The time has come to cut the chat and build it.
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