Experts call for adopting resilient approach to minimise earthquake losses

Speakers in a webinar underscored the need for adopting urban resilient approach, coordination among professionals and creating awareness among communities as Dhaka is highly vulnerable to earthquake, reports UNB.

Dhaka is located near three major geographical fault lines that make it highly susceptible to earthquakes, they said.

According to their estimation, a major earthquake could claim several thousands of lives and cause economic losses through damaging key infrastructures.

They came up with the opinion at a webinar title  “Disaster Imagination for safer Dhaka City” organised by RTI International under the World Bank-funded Urban Resilience Project recently, according to a statement issued on Saturday.

Abdul Latif Helaly Chief Engineer of RAJUK, Dr Kimiro Meguro of RTI International, Dr Kit Miyamoto of Miyamoto International, Dr Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, professor of Civil Engineering at BUET, and Dr Raquib Ahsan, Director of BUET-JIDPUS joined the discussion.

Abdul Latif Helaly said enhancing disaster safety requires strong participation from everyone such as architects, engineers, technicians, bureaucrats, policymakers; contractors, and even common people.

“It is not only RAJUK’s business, it is everyone’s business,” said Helaly.

The speaker said disaster imagination is central to encouraging government officials, professionals, educators, and the general public to demand and engage in disaster risk reduction.

“We cannot reduce disasters that we cannot confront, and we cannot confront or prepare for disasters that we cannot imagine. This is important in a country that has not experienced a major earthquake in more than 100 years.”