Preparing for the worst

This refers to the editorial ‘Rising toll’ (September 26). The editorial has touched a most important but neglected issue of facing natural disasters that always take a heavy toll on people, besides causing extensive damage to roads and houses. After 2005, a new organisation, the NDMA, was established. The question is why no necessary infrastructure was developed, especially in the AJK area that is prone to earthquakes? Heavy machinery, tents blankets, and other related material should have been placed in warehouses.

Unfortunately, we always wake up after the event and after the damage is done. We need to immediately develop proper infrastructure throughout the country to combat natural calamities, especially at places that lie on fault lines and are prone to frequent earthquakes as pointed out in the editorial.

Mukhtar Ahmed

Karachi