Council pledges to intensify preparedness and emergency response to disaster risks

Addis Ababa, August 18, 2024 (FBC) – In a bid to enhance the nation’s preparedness for future disasters, the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Council convened an emergency session in Dire Dawa City to address the ongoing crisis caused by severe weather conditions, including recent landslides and floods.

Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh, who leads the council, lamented the loss of over 231 lives in the Gofa Zone due to a landslide attributed to heavy rains in July.

During the session, the council reviewed the current humanitarian aid response and discussed ways to improve disaster response strategies. Temesgen highlighted the necessity of implementing a robust emergency preparedness system to mitigate the impact of future accidents, noting the alarming forecasts indicating more disasters could follow.

He assigned an executive order aimed at boosting disaster prevention activities and instructed officials to provide timely risk information to vulnerable communities, including relocation efforts when necessary.

The Deputy Prime Minister also underscored the importance of supporting those displaced by disasters, focusing on long-term rehabilitative solutions while enhancing resource mobilization for emergency responses.

Fetene Teshome, Director General of the Ethiopian Meteorological Institute, warned that the ongoing rainy season, affected by the La Niña phenomenon, could lead to continue above-normal rainfall until September, putting several regions at risk of flooding.

Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commissioner Shiferaw Teklemaryam reported an unprecedented level of disaster this winter, noting that evacuations have commenced in at-risk areas. He urged communities to heed early warnings and adopt precautionary measures to safeguard against impending dangers.

With an emphasis on consolidating humanitarian efforts through national capacities, the council remains committed to enhancing preventive and responsive measures to protect Ethiopian citizens from the increasing threat of natural disasters.