We must understand what it means when we say that disasters are natural. A "natural" disaster takes place when the occurrence of a phenomenon affects a vulnerable socioeconomic system. Natural phenomena on their own do not necessarily cause disasters; only their interaction with people and their environment is what brings about catastrophic effects, depending on the degree of vulnerability of the people in the region.

A nation will be more or less vulnerable according to the condition of its settlements and infrastructure, the manner in which public administration and policies handle risk management, as well as the level of information and education made available to the society regarding existing risks and how they can be addressed.

The answer lies not only in determining the way in which institutions, public authorities and communities can anticipate and thus minimise the risk of future disasters, but also in remembering the need for effective risk management.

Growing urban density is accompanied by a series of risks and a high degree of vulnerability, especially when unplanned urbanisations are involved, where there is inadequate solid waste management, pollution and the depletion of water-bearing sources.

This severe alteration in the ecological equilibrium gives rise to deforestation and desertification. Respect for the environment, education and a culture of prevention, will assist in avoiding the substantial costs involved in efforts to rebuild damaged areas, and will allow financial and technical resources to be optimised toward generating more projects in the field of sustainable development.

It is not sheer coincidence that the regions experiencing the most destructive effects of these phenomena, share the same geographic area as those countries most severely affected by poverty and underdevelopment and where environmental abuse is a regular occurrence.

Anthropological, social and economic studies conducted by various entities reveal that within the Central American region, at least sixty percent of the population is poor or has been impoverished over the last thirty years.

If to poverty we add the absence of a culture of prevention, the outcome for us would be high vulnerability in the face of natural events.

Evidence of this high vulnerability was the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central America in October 1998, leaving behind 9,214 fatalities, 12,842 injured, 1,191,908 affected and more than US$6,019 in economic losses.

Could the devastation caused by Mitch have been avoided?

Those dangers that emerge from the occurrence of natural phenomena are inevitable since they are natural processes that have taken place for millions of years on our planet. Nevertheless, many catastrophes are avoidable.

We must accept that there will always be national phenomena, but their effects can be minimised. Natural events take place on a regular basis in every corner of the planet. The risk is always there, but to ignore it is to empower it.

It is for that reason that Central American countries are considering including this issue on the development agendas of all countries.

The Mitch + 5 Regional Forum (5 years after Mitch passed through Central America), which will be held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on December 9-11, will be an opportunity to open up a space for reflection regarding efforts being undertaken in the area of risk prevention and reduction.

In this respect, the Mitch + 5 Regional Forum is the perfect platform for the lessons learnt on the impact of disasters to influence not only national policies and programmes, but also our authorities' way of thinking and their approach. Moreover, from a development perspective, it could respond to the potential risks generated by our behaviour, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Some information obtained from Dr. Elizabeth Cubías Medina, representative of El Salvador to the Board of Directors of the Coordination Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC).

Juan Fernando Valey R. is the Transport and Natural Disasters Advisor of the Association of Caribbean States. The views expressed are not necessarily the official views of the ACS. Feedback can be sent to mail@acs-aec.org

November 27, 2003