Waves of Destruction

Adherence to safety guidelines in disaster prone areas could go a long way in minimizing the impact of natural calamities.

Facing nature’s might

Whenever nature struck its deadly fury, it spelled disaster on every living being on earth. The tsunamis in Asia, Hurricane Katrina in the USA or El Nino in Europe have caused wide spread destruction.

The earthquake that occurred off the coast of Sumatra on December 26 last year, created giant tsunami waves. These waves exterminated human and wildlife habitats in many coastal regions, countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka and even as far as east coast of Africa were affected by the tsunami. More than 250,000 people lost their lives and nearly five million people were rendered homeless. Certain areas close to the epicenter suffered extensive damage to their coral reefs. Nearly 30,000 hectares of land affected in the Aceh region and the western islands of Indonesia mainly due to the deposition of debris as well as slit and mud.  

Violation of CRZ guidelines

In India, coastal belts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondichery, Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands were hit by giant tidal waves measuring more than fifty feet. These surging waves within few hours on our shores altered the landscape into valleys of dead leaving plants, animals, human carcasses and piles of demolished structures found littered along the coasts. The number of human deaths reportedly stood at a staggering 4000.

Seawater inundated several coastal towns and villages that resulted in large displacement of people. With limited food supplies and lack of shelter, the hapless people took refuge in camps and government buildings.   

Tsunami required prompt relief operations to mitigate the disaster. Subsequent reports from these areas suggested that extensive damage was caused due to the violation of Coastal Regulation Zone. Standard guidelines set by the government of India prohibit human settlements close to sea fronts. The scientific community argued that the gross negligence of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) rules in the coastal zones resulted in massive loss of lives.

As per the IV th Notifications on the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) in 2001, declares the coastal stretches of seas, bays, estuaries, creeks, rivers and backwaters, which are influenced by the tidal action (in the land ward side) up to 500 meters from the High Tide Line (HTL) and the land between the Low Tide Line and the HTL as Coastal Regulation Zone.

These guidelines impose restrictions on setting up and expansion of industries, operations, or processes in the areas notified as CRZ. Based on the importance and the vulnerability of the area, the CRZ is further divided into four categories.    

Huge piles of debris that included destroyed houses, commercial structures, innumerable jetties, and provisions, which littered along the coasts after the tsunami, were a clear indication of the extent of defiance that took place despite the CRZ regulations.

Field study of the tsunami affected areas

The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) jointly commissioned a study, to a group of scholars from six eminent research institutes in India and abroad.

The group of scientists visited the tsunami-affected areas, in a three-month long treacherous journey to evaluate the impact on coastal habitats of wildlife. The findings were then compiled into a two-volume report titled “The Ground Beneath the Waves.” Volume I, exclusively dealt on Mainland and volume II, was on the Islands.   

The main objective of the study was to assess the impact of the tsunami on wildlife in the worst affected areas in India. It also aimed at future interventions if required to secure the future of wildlife in those areas. 

Researchers have made a series of investigations on the work carried out by the government and NGOs in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected areas. A model approach for early recovery of these habitats was then suggested.

Scientists observed that rampant sand mining would erode the beaches completely, which could cause extreme damage to the fragile coastal eco-system. Subsequent to the tsunami, the need for shelters for the homeless went up manifold, as it wiped out almost all their belongings. Consequently, construction of concrete buildings in these areas gained momentum as a rehabilitation measure. Numerous public toilets, schools, hospitals and other community services defied the CRZ code of practice.  
 
Though the need for such community facilities was intensely felt, scientists believed that such activities in the future would hamper the coastal eco-system and adversely affect the coastal inhabitants. In addition, profusion of filth and garbage on the fragile beaches could raise serious health concern of the local populace.             

They suggested in their report that a five-year moratorium on sand mining should be followed in the coastal zones to lessen the burden on the coastal environment.  

Wildlife habitats in the coastal areas had variable impact from the tsunami. Different types of snakes, sea turtles, fish and types of aquatic organisms etc were affected by the strong tidal waves. Shoals of fish were strangulated to death due to the fishing nets left behind by the fishermen, which got carried away into the open sea by the strong tidal waves.

Researchers observed that wildlife casualty appeared to be minimal although their habitats would need time to recuperate. Ungulates and wild herbivores might have fled from their habitats as soon the tsunami waves approached the coasts. The uprooted mangroves combined with the contamination caused by the debris could cause further degradation of the marine habitats.

In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, several hectares of forests were uprooted by the tsunami. Wildlife habitats were destroyed and wild animals adjacent the coastal belt feared to have fled to the interiors.
The report suggested that the destruction of coral reefs would have dramatic consequences for fish systems in future. The roots of certain mangrove species, which were covered by mud and sand, caused “choking” of the forest.   

It was estimated that several square kilometers of beach was eroded by the tsunami’s force. Damage to freshwater ecosystems near coastal areas has also been reported as inundating seawater contaminated the habitat. Ingress of saline water into cultivable lands and fresh water ponds affected the local crops and fish habitats. It was predicted that the onset of monsoons would minimize the saline contamination. 

Several other kinds of threats to wildlife have been suggested. Somalia’s coastline in the past, have been used as a nuclear dumping area and fears have now been raised that the tsunami may have washed these hazardous wastes into the sea causing serious health and environmental problems.

Guidelines to protect human life and property

Looking at some of our earlier natural disasters, it clearly indicates as to how we have dug our own grave by violating the safety guidelines, which are aimed at preventing major damage to property and human lives. For instance, in earthquake prone areas, there are specific structural designs and building materials are to be used in construction of houses, buildings, elevated structures, bridges, and dams etc, These standards were formulated based on seismic zones and seismic intensity.

The National Standard Body of India, a statutory organization, which was formed under the Bureau of India Standards Act in 1986, one of its objectives, was to formulate Indian standards on various aspects of engineering such as choice of building materials, building structures etc mainly in disaster prone areas. The idea was to incorporate these standards into the framework of civil engineering to minimize the impact from such calamity.

These recommendations were seldom heeded. The crunching need for more housing, complicity of roles played by various departments in the revenue lands and the clustered nature of our settlements made these rules rather impracticable. Rising population especially in urban areas made worse the predicament of safe housing and the need for more shelter. In rural areas, the use of unsafe housing materials for building homes resulted in large human causalities during earthquakes.

The Future

Violent outbreaks of nature are a grim reminder of what is still to come in the future. For instance, coastal vegetation, coral reefs, beaches, landmasses that were formed by the tidal actions, were considered natural barriers against the strong oceanic currents and cyclonic storms. Depletion of such natural formations was attributed to regular inroads of tidal waters into land surfaces and violent storms in the coastal regions.

Scientists who have studied ecology and fundamental science explained how deforestation, air and soil pollution, and industrial activities have resulted in global warming, droughts, recurrent floods, erosion, and imbalance in the ecosystem, threatened life forms on earth. 

Therefore, it is important to respond adequately to nature’s call for prudence use of resources and to end human activities that go beyond nature’s threshold capacity. Fiddling nature’s vast supremacy over life forms on earth would result in catastrophic consequences.

Any form of natural calamity, which has vast implications would require a combined effort at all levels. Be it scientific applications forecasting the impending disasters or strict adherence to safety guidelines in disaster prone areas will be important in minimizing the impact from such calamities.  Restraining complacency in adhering to environmental safeguards would help to take prompt actions.

Wildlife and precious natural reserves not only balance the ill effects of nature but also serve a key indicator of the environment in which we are living.       

Pix credit: Harry Andrews