BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

ABUJA  –  In order to reduce vulnerabilities and increase in resilience to disaster management in the country, the Federal Government is set to deploy space-based technologies for disaster management. This came as the government noted that 95% of all disaster-related death worldwide occurred in developing countries.

Director General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Alhaji Muhamad Sani-Sidi, who stated this yesterday at the stakeholders forum on the use of space-based information for disaster management and emergency response, said it was imperative for the nation to use other methods to address disaster management because of recent increase in disasters and emergencies across the globe.

He said: “In 2010, the number of people affected by disaster increased to 217.3 million as against 198.7 million in 2009.  “Economic damages from natural disasters in 2010 were over 2.5 times over those in 2009, increased by 25.3% compared to the annual average between 2000 to 2009. When looking at the decade, damages in 2010 was ranked fourth only surpassed in 2004, 2005 and 2008.

“Science and technology have now taken the center stage as tool for reducing vulnerabilities and increasing resilience. Space based information offers wide range of opportunities for disaster prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.

“It is most effective for synoptic viewing (e.g large –scale inland or coastal flooding) and has several potential applications, including warning of population at risk to save life and providing support to relief staff to facilitate access, communication, risk reduction and damage assessment.”