Is Bhutan Prepared for a catastrophic disaster?

The devastating earthquakes in China recently have left the Giant deeply shaken. The death toll, according to media reports, have surpassed the 60, 000 mark. And fears abound that it may rise in the days to come as thousands are still reported missing. Sichuan province meanwhile has been turned into a heap of rubble.

A little down the map, the neighboring country of Myanmar is trying to recover from the worst cyclone hit in its entire history. Cyclone Nargis that struck Myanmar a few weeks back was little more than an act of adding-fuel-to-fire to an already politically disturbed country.

In both situations, nature’s wrath has wreaked havoc on human lives and properties. These two cases are stark reminders that disasters-natural or manmade-are destructive, painful and tragic. The expanse of which can sometimes go beyond man’s reckoning. Do not forget the tsunami that killed people in hundreds of thousands.

As we see the drama of human suffering unfurl in these two countries even as rescuers and aid providers rush to the scene to save lives, a thought gains prominence. What if such disaster of such great magnitude strikes Bhutan? Are we prepared for the worst? Is Bhutan equipped to respond to the disaster? Do we have a disaster management programme that is holistic, inclusive and with a capacity to respond instantaneously?


Blessed, and peacefully cloistered in the Himalayas, Bhutan has so far been fortunate. I pray that even hereafter Bhutan continue to enjoy unprecedented peace and prosperity. But certain facts cannot be overruled or sidelined. We cannot and should not rule out the probability of an eminent disaster although even this thought (touch wood) chills my heart. We should not forget that instead of China it could have been us. And it would not come as a surprise because geologically Bhutan is located in the danger zone where massive earthquakes can occur.

The question is not about why but what if. In being prepared is in our own best interest. If a huge country like China can feel the blow, just place our country in such malignant position. It sends shudder through my spine.

Here and there, in little tits and bits, we did experience our own share of disasters. Punakha floods in 1992. Earthquakes that did not do much harm. Erosions that blocked roads for days. Forest fires continue to malign us.

But comparatively and considerably, these are small incidents. Rather. Warnings of glacial lake outburst and floods in Punakha have done its rounds for a while now.

But what is being done? Even the plan to build the Punatshangchu Hydro power project is taking off. Engineers have said that the dam could resist the volume of water from the flood. That is good news but how true and fact-based are their statements. The flood is not here and even the dam is not constructed. Lets see who wins.

People living by the riverside are at great risk. If the 2010 flood is eminent, or even if it is not sure, chances cannot be taken. The government needs to take measures to relocate people with good compensation packages.

Only a few weeks back heavy cyclone blew off hundred of rooftops across the eastern districts of Bhutan. Many were left homeless in this wake of events.

The positive note is that the new government did not lose any time to reach out to the people affected. It responded swiftly and extended all possible help that could be extended to the beleaguered people.

Quite perturbed by the incident members of the parliament and the national council alike raised the need to have a systematic, disaster management programme for the country. While some said rescue force should be introduced, others pressed for a trauma centre. These are new ideas. New necessities of the time.

We may as well need a bomb squad. Why not? After the serial bomb blasts that rocked Bhutan in the eve of the first democratic elections, the need for a bomb squad cannot be ignored.

A few months before that bomb blasts, there was a bomb scare in Phentsholing. Somebody had left a carton and luggage in front of the Mic cinema hall. In a fit of reckless response, the fire brigade of Phentsholing flushed the bags and the carton to check if it at all it was a bomb.

To everyone’s relief, it turned out not to be.

But the question lingered in my mind, what if it had been a bomb? The fire brigade would have helped it to explode instead of diffusing it. Their incompetence (we can’t blame them either-they are suppose to be fire fighters not bomb diffusers) may cost a life or two. Or perhaps lot many. This incident very well explains why we need a bomb squad by now. The idea of having a high profile intelligence service is an appealing one too. For how long can we depend on the Indian forces to help us?

So far-nothing is done by the government; there are the protective deities we can always look upon. Perhaps, they have always been Bhutan’s best disaster management programmes. Pray to the Gods.