PROPOSAL OF A DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN FOR BUEA IN

THE CONTEXT OF VOLCANIC ERUPTION OF MOUNT FAKO

Introduction
A disaster is any natural or man -made event that negatively affects life, property,
livelihood and industry causing permanent effects on human societies, ecosystem
and the environment. Earthquakes/volcanic eruptions usually emit toxic gases and
causes landslides. Climatic changes (drought, rainy phenomenon, thermal
phenomenon,) ecological as well as hydrological changes in varying degree and
magnitudes. Industries are often damaged resulting in permanent changes to
human society, ecosystem and the environment.

Volcanic eruption is one of the natural disasters that affect millions of people
worldwide. Disaster management focuses on effective preparedness for, and
response to various disasters and crises of all magnitudes, including volcanic
eruption. Strengthening disaster preparedness is thus critical to save lives, protect
livelihood and strengthen recovery from disaster and crises. In order to avoid gaps
that may exist in saving lives of affected people, a better integration of diverse
practices of contingency planning for volcanic eruption is compulsory for
emergency preparedness and response.
Mount Cameroon is the only actively volcano along the Cameroon volcanic line
(CVL) and most actively in the equatorial West Africa which has erupted 7 times
in the last century with the most recent being in the 1999 eruption that prompted
evacuation of over 600 inhabitants of Bakingili village on the South Western
slopes- the first in the history of this volcano. This eruption revealed a lack of
preparedness on the part of communities and the Cameroonian administration to
such phenomena, as a National Scientific committee was only created following
challenges from local scientists who began monitoring of the event only out of
scientific curiosity. Consequently, the evacuation camp was not prepared for any
emergency relief operations and there still remains a lot of mistrust between the
community, local scientists and emergency managers. Thus, it is very good to
prepare a disasters emergency plan for the local community should a disaster
resurface to avoid challenges.

A disaster emergency plan for Buea should provide clearly roles and
responsibilities of different partners and humanitarian actors during a volcano
crisis. The testing through simulation will help to keep it updated and to ensure its
applicability in a case of volcanic eruption. In addition, to obtain a better disaster
preparedness plan it requires a comprehensive inter-sectorial response mechanism
to the volcanic eruption context.

Volcanoes are found world wide and significant number of people often live in
close proximity to them. The fertile volcano soil is good for agriculture and is
attractive for establishments of towns and villages beside volcanoes in order build
up good livelihood for their families as is the case of Buea.

In order to come out with a good proposal for disaster management in case of
volcanic eruption in Buea, it is proper to know certain phases of volcanic activities
and warning codes or signs which are scenario provided for planning purposes and
is not intended to be representative of what may or may happen in real volcanic
eruption, which is impossible to predict with certainty. Volcanic eruption impact
and its aftershocks are dependent on a variety of factors. These scenarios are
supplied to help the respondents to think through a planning process of how the
population should react during a volcanic eruption crisis.

Step1: Prevention and mitigation

This is done through the use of the phases of volcanic activities and warning codes.
PHASES OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY AND WARNING CODES

Level Description Behavior/Preventive

measures
GREEN -The volcano is in its -The population goes about
sleeping state, not-flowing their normal business
or, after a change to higher -Education phase on possible
level of alert: Volcanic risk involves
activity is considered to have -Preparation phase
ceased and volcano has
returned to normal, non-
eruptive
YELLOW The volcano shows signs of -the volcano is active, but the
volatility than its normal danger is not yet there
state or, after a Change to -People can go about their
higher levels of alerts: business and must follow the
Volcanic activity has precautions.
decreased significantly but -Inform the public about the
continues to be monitored color changes
closely -Listen to the radio and the
television, read newspapers
etc
ORANGE The volcano has a high pre-alarm
volatility with a growing -The evacuation of vulnerable
potential for eruption or (elderly, disable, sick, children
being emission free or low pregnant woman, families
emission of ash and other etc.)
volcanic products -Inform the public about the
color changes
-Increase awareness
-Listen to the radio
RED Imminent eruption -Inform the public
forecasting, with significant -evacuation of the entire
emission of ash and volatiles population in high risk area to
in the atmosphere the provisional (host) sites
-current ash significant of
volcanic products in the
atmosphere

Some other preventive measures include:

-Avoid the construction of houses very close to the mountain.

-There should be evacuation of people from the disaster risk zone

-Farming around this danger zones should also be limited or stopped completely

-This disaster could also be prevented by gradually relieving energy for eruptions
using a supercritical geothermal system

-Seismographs should also be placed around the mountain so as to detect

earthquakes which occur immediately beneath the crater, signaling the onset of an
eruption.

During the orange phase, there is high probability an eruption might soon occur
thus a proposal plan should be rehearsed for management of disaster in the Buea
municipality incase an eruption occurs, and the consequence of the eruption should
be clearly presented to the population as seen below

Effects/consequences of volcanic eruption

-Dead of people and animals by suffocation and directly by volcanic products of
explosion

-Cases of missing children and elderly

-Injury cases registered

-Possible explosion of fuel stations

-Air pollution and pathologies as a result of pollution

-Destruction of environment by acid rain

Step2: Preparedness Plan

Management of Operations Preparedness plan
Once there is an orange alert for a volcanic eruption, the ministry of territorial
administration, transport, defense etc. Will take all necessary actions to enhance
preparedness measures including:

-The people in the risk zone should have a detailed knowledge of their vicinity, the
various harm zones and the different escape routes in case the disaster occurs.

- Plans for evacuation especially for the vulnerable should be put in place. This
plan should be implementable and for which commitment and resources are
relatively assured.

- There should be a “horizontal coordination” at central government levels among

ministries and specialized government bodies and “vertical coordination”
between central and local authorities. This will bring about a firm structure for
decision- making, inter-ministerial committees to coordinate the plan, focal points
within each ministry to be responsible for the plan implementation and
communication, as well as regional and community structures to implement the
plan at local levels.

-Early warning and monitoring systems should be put in place to update the early
warning information and evacuation communication. A good warning system can
save so many lives as it provides adequate notice of an impending disaster in
which the people can either escape the event or take precautions to reduce the
dangers.

-The requirements for this type of disaster should be made explicit and should
cover all aspects of disaster relief and recovery implementation. Some of the
major requirements should include; Shelter, medicines, food, supplementary
food, communication systems, logistic systems, relief workers, and clearance
equipment.
- A plan will only be effective if those who are the ultimate beneficiaries know
what to do in the time of the disaster and know what to expect. Hence an
important part of a disaster preparedness plan is the education of those who may
be threatened by disaster and those who want to be part of the disaster relieving
committee.

-There is also a need to rehears the preparedness plan so as reemphasize points

made in separate training programs, test the system as a whole and invariably
reveal gaps that otherwise might be overlooked.

-A committee for disaster management should also be created.

-New or comfort areas for evacuating victims should be made available including
health facilities in case of many injured victims from the given disaster.

-The Government creates permanent scientific committees to continuously monitor

volcanic activities around Mount-Cameroon.

-Build capacities of health staff in hospitals and health centers in preparedness to

handle emergencies in case of any future eruption.

-The Government and or Council should ensure a readily available and safe means
of transport.

-Allocate a permanent site to keep those fleeing the volcano.

-Continue education on precautionary measures to take before, during and after the
mountain erupt.

-Continue education and preparation of possible accommodation sites.

-Involving communities in disaster relief efforts.

Step3: Responses
Roles and Responsibilities for Respondents
The Ministry of territorial administration holds the responsibility to harmonize the
work of humanitarian actors especially for coordination of assistance during an
emergency and information sharing.
The contingency plan for volcanic eruption is activated by the Ministry of
territorial administration based on confirmation of an imminent volcanic eruption
to operationalize cross-sectorial rapid assessment, to proposed the emergency
response offered after assessments and manage information with the support of the
international humanitarian community coordination will be done by the Ministry of
territorial administration which has the primary responsibility of the response to
crises and disasters. Specifically, the disaster response unit will handle the
response in partnership with the Buea Police/disaster and fire brigade and the Red
Cross and or standby medical team. The following table shows in detail the
activities required for response and related rules and responsibilities.

S/N Activity Organ Responsible

1 Review test and share the plan of disaster Regional delegation of
management through simulation exercise and culture
awareness campaigns.
2 Identification and preparedness of an assembly Ministry of housing and
sites in case of an eminent eruption probably urban development
far away from Buea, around Kumba, Limbe
and Tiko.
3 Map available strategy sites more prone to risk.
Buea council
4 Identification of vulnerable people and Regional delegation of
determine special intervention road maps public health and Ministry
of defense
5 Mobilize additional standby teams and invite Security forces
them when necessary
6 Awareness campaign on readiness measures Ministry of
communication,
Delegation of public
health
7 Establish agreement with NGOs and traditional Ministry of territorial
rulers or community members on how to work administration
together.
8 Management of emergency conditions. Buea regional delegation
of public health
9 Control and monitoring in petrol and gas Security forces.
stations.

Operational responses
Once the confirmation of volcanic eruption is issued a committee for disaster
management which should have been created should be activated by Ministry of
territorial administration and the sector plans are activated by various delegates of
the South West Region. The pre-assessment team should ensure the evaluation of
the risk and the needed determination to implement the evacuation plan. Members
of the disaster committee should start providing assistance to the affected
population according to a National Response and Recovery Strategy. There is one
response framework while the non-governmental humanitarian actors’ work with
the government responders. For this response to occur, the following are to be put
in place:

-Mobilization of emergency services in the disaster area such as fire fighters,

police, ambulance crews, and rescue teams.

-Affected victims should be monitored according to the appropriate triage which

are

-Victims should be evacuated from danger zones to areas of good air, water and
food.

-There should also be the availability of proper health care for the affected victims,
shelter and moral support to help them overcome the trauma

-Wear a dust mask designed to protect against lung irritation from small particles.

-Protect your eyes by wearing goggles. Wear eye glasses and not contact lenses as
these can cause corneal abrasions.

-Keep as much of your skin covered as possible and listen to the radio for civil
defense advice and follow instructions. You could also seek shelter in a car or a
building.

-Wear a dust mask or use a handkerchief or cloth over your nose and mouth.

-Stay indoors as volcanic ash is health hazard, especially if you have respiratory
difficulties such as asthma or bronchitis. When indoors close all windows and
doors to limit the entry of volcanic ash. Stay out of designated restricted zones.

-Stay in the evacuation center until further instructions. Do not attempt to leave the
place unless told to do.
-Keep a watchful eye on the kid because they might be tempted to go out and see
what is going on outside.

Step4: Recovery
This refers to the long-term aftermath of a disaster and this includes:
-The rebuilding of destroyed property.
-The re-employment of those who have lost their jobs.
-The repair of essential infrastructure.
-The implementation of new mitigative measures.
With a disaster preparedness plan like this, it will help to overcome the negative
impacts in case of any eminent disaster thereby reducing its effects on the
immediate population.

REFERENCES
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Volcano, Montserrat, with Implications for Human Health Hazards.” Bulletin of
Volcano logy 65: 346-362
3) Kokia, M., Fuji, S., Shinjuku, N. and Edwards, G. 2004.”Natural Disaster and
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4) National Strategy for Disaster Response and Recovery Kigali, 2014
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6) Plan de Contingence provincial lie a l’eruption volcanique, Gama 2014