Weather catastrophes are increasing dramatically, compounded by growing figure of serious incidents amidst multiplying population densities resulting in greater number of populace affected and property destroyed. Extreme weather events have been attributed to global warming, and contemporary studies through modeling showed they are becoming more intense. Global warming could eventually advance to increasing occurrence of highly destructive weather events. These linkages have been established by the World Meteorological Organization and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (i)
The level of devastation in Taiwan following the onslaught of Typhoon Morakot was such that the military�s role was extended to assist in the evacuation and rescue operations. The Taiwan leadership acknowledged that the biggest risk to the country is currently extreme weather and climate change. The death toll from Typhoon Morakot exceeded 500 with hundreds buried in mudslides. In the near future the Taiwan armed forces are anticipated to undergo intensive disaster response training following establishment of a national disaster prevention agency which will take over crisis management from the National Fire Agency. This is an emerging trend with a number of countries already assigning their armed forces disaster prevention and rescue as central responsibilities. �The enemy is no longer people across the Taiwan Straits, but nature� said the Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. Relief operations involved usage of military heavy-lift helicopters and inclusion of Special Forces for rescue operations in the worst hit areas.(ii)
The effect of climate change is likely to bring about more violent weather, altered drought and rainfall patterns, more intense storms, more temperature extremes and more intense and severe downpours. These findings are well acknowledged in a number of studies. Investigation and studies into climate change and trends have drawn in numerous institutions including the World Water Council (2003). (iii)
Profiling extreme weather events in 2009 revealed disconcerting trends. The year started with severe deep freeze which swept through Europe, mudslides and avalanches in Washington State, prolonged drought in Kenya, a cold-snap in mid-western US, cyclones in Madagascar, and several storms in parts of Europe. While the impact varies depending on the natural disasters, the results remain horrendous. It include those frozen to death, extremely large numbers being evacuated, millions at risk of acute hunger, closure of airports, cancellations of hundreds of international flights, and also power cuts. Elsewhere drought devastated crops and water supplies to millions cut while wild fires destroyed farms and homes in California and Australia.
Bursts of violent weather have been prominent of late with combinations of intense snow blizzards, and succession of violent tornadoes in various parts of Midwestern US. July 2009 saw intense flooding in China with massive destruction and 700,000 people evacuated, while torrential downpours in India destroyed a number of villages and left 500,000 people homeless.
Overall, the extreme weather events have considerable impact, posing serious challenges to our present-day society in coping with the future. With continued global warming, climate change will bring about increased frequency and intensity on extreme weather. So, to what magnitude will the impact be from this expected extreme weather? It will be tempered to the extent that current governance takes steps to develop responses and sustain preparedness to deal with it when it happens. The Taiwan experience with disaster said it all. Natural disaster can be a political disaster.
References:-
(i) Extreme Weather, Wikipedia.Org
(ii) AFP. Taipei 18 August 2009
(iii) Heatisonline.Org
