International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction Celebration Rescheduled

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

THE International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 will be observed in the country tomorrow as it was rescheduled for Friday 14 (Tomorrow), according to the National Disaster Management Office in Honiara.

The event should be observed today like elsewhere in the world but was rescheduled due to other priority commitments from other key line departments of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO).

In 2009, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) officially designated 13 October as the date to commemorate the day.

The 2022 theme focuses on “Early warning and early action for all”.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Communication officer, Brian Tom told Environment Media about the different programs in observance of the day tomorrow.

He said as part of the media campaign, the official program to observe the day will concurrently kick off with a radio talk-back show at SIBC studios from 9 am to 10 am and an awareness program at the car park area in front of the NDMO Office at Ranadi from 9 am to 4 pm on Friday 14 (tomorrow).

National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) Communication officer, Brian Tom.

“All programs are open to the general public in Honiara.

“The theme ‘early warning, early action for all, simply means if you or we act early during disasters you or we will reduce risk, and save lives and properties.

“For example, if there is a tsunami and you receive a warning then you have to evacuate or move quickly, by doing so you definitely reduce damages or even save your life,” he said.

He said tomorrow’s awareness aims to promote the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction and to recognize the national efforts in Reducing Disaster Impacts over the years.

“The awareness programs via radio and at the NDMO will highlight key messages of reducing risks and how disaster risks can be managed.

“Disaster risk reduction is to do with preparation before disaster strikes and disaster risk management is to do with how the event is managed. We identify the associated risks with disasters to identify that if you/we act according to the early warning it will save lives and reduce impact and that if you act early within 24 hours, you can cut down the potential of damage by 38%.

“Investing in Risk reduction doesn’t come easy, but a very expensive exercise however saving lives and property is more important, thus investing in disaster preparedness to reduce risk and save life and property is one of our key messages for the program.

“The other thing is considering everyone which means when we do disaster risk deduction we must include everybody, we have to be inclusive, gender, disabilities, etc.,” Tom said.

ENVIRONMENT MEDIA understands that the Radio Talkback show tomorrow will feature panelists from the Solomon Islands Meteorological Services, Seismology Section within the Ministry of Mines and Rural Electrification and Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA).


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