For over two-thousand years, people around the world have relied on the government to ensure their safety, protection, and comfort from earthquakes, tsunamis, and all natural disasters. Especially in the United States, our federal government has become one of the most exemplary administrations in the world. We have established sufficient resources and allocated an exorbitant amount of money focusing on earthquake protection.
However, other nations are not as privileged and as “ahead of the game” as we are when tackling natural disasters. Since 2001, 90% of the earth’s most violent earthquakes have happened in poorer countries such as Nepal and Haiti. As a result of their limited resources, more impoverished countries are unable to mitigate disasters and protect their constituents from earthquakes. Even if they were to spend resources to conceal the damage of one disaster, it seems almost pointless because the next disaster will ruin all of the work done prior. For instance, in Bangladesh, a densely populated country with 160 million people, it is almost difficult to decide where to allocate their limited resources: unpredictable earthquake mitig ation or immediate needs such as healthcare and education. Not only does Bangladesh get many earthquakes, but a plethora of tropical cyclones, riverine flooding, and problems associated with rising sea level since a majority of the country is only ten meters above the water.
Organizations through the United Nations (UN) have reached out to mitigate these issues. Hot meals were delivered to Haitian children; earthquake training has been enlisted in Mexican schools; doctors have been summoned to Haiti to care for pregnant women. Our world is in shambles, literally, but humanity is the only hope we have left to rescue ourselves. Earthquakes, like most natural disasters, are matters of life or death. In America, we have the resources to help others. We can donate more to the UN and support our fellow humans to make a change on this earth and help others. We need to use our own resources to support those fighting for their lives. We have the ability to ensure that everyone can truly get the help they deserve. Are you in?
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