The 2004 tsunami may have spared Kenya its vast destruction, but the worst is not yet behind us, according to experts.
Charles Magori, a scientist with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), says the natural disaster was a wake-up call.
“We have the option of manifesting a 'wait and see' attitude, hoping for the best and being reactionary should a future tsunami occur," he says. "Or we can take deliberate precautionary measures and be more prepared and equipped to save lives and property.”
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami elicited a lot of debate on the role of coral reefs, mangroves and other coastal vegetation for coastal protection.
For instance, it has been emphasised that mangroves and coral reefs can help to protect coastal areas from tidal waves and flooding. Coral reefs act as natural ‘wave breakers’ and mangroves as ‘shock absorbers’.
John Pernetta, a former project director for the United Nations Environment Programme, says mangroves are extremely important in forming an effective barrier against any wave.
“It takes the energy out of the wave, so while the forest itself will be trashed, it will protect the infrastructure behind it,” he says.
A publication by KMFRI scientists Charles Magori and Jared Bosire, in collaboration with scientists from Europe, US and Sri Lanka, confirms the role of mangroves in alleviating damage during a tsunami.
“In Sumatra, Indonesia, where more than 110,000 people were killed in the tsunami, the government replanted at least 30,000 acres of mangrove and 600,000 acres throughout the country’s coastline,” Magori says.
"In Malaysia, the government set aside a budget of installing a national warning system and declared an embargo on mangrove extraction."
WHAT KENYA CAN DO
The scientist recommends that Kenya takes proactive steps on a number of fronts to enhance coastal safety from this and related natural catastrophes.
Kenyan mangroves, he says, have not been spared from overexploitation, leaving vast areas bare. This leads to coastal erosion, reduced fish catches and lack of protection against storms and tidal waves.
“A concerted effort by the government, NGOs and local communities is necessary to reforest these degraded areas and ensure a healthy sea wall, among other important benefits,” Magori adds.
Coral reefs have also been damaged especially through destructive fishing activities, which reduce their effectiveness in breaking sea waves.
Haphazard establishment of settlements along the coastline are another risk factor. Magori calls for a comprehensive management plan of the coastal zone.
Kenya, he says, needs to formulate a coastal zone management policy as required under the Environment Management and Coordination Act, EMCA 99. This will regulate development along the coastline and provide for appropriate management of coastal resources.
The policy will also provide for the type of structures to be constructed along the coastline and varying setbacks, depending on the vulnerability of different areas.
Equally, the policy, according to Magori, will discourage the practice of grabbing beach plots and constructing too close to the sea, and thus reduce wanton overexploitation of coastal resources.
He recommends that the government establish a legal framework and strengthen capacity at the National Disaster Operation Center under the Office of the President.
“Let there be deliberate disaster response protocols outlining response mechanisms for different types of catastrophes. Each should address the mode of response, infrastructure required, institutions involved and overall coordination responsibility,” he says.
Magori recalls how a tsunami alert by the government to Kenyans was not taken seriously in 2004. “The response was similar during a tsunami alert on September 12, 2007,” he says.
The scientist calls for a concerted effort to sensitise people on the potential impacts of tsunamis so they get to appreciate their seriousness and respond appropriately by moving to higher grounds when a warning is issued.
Edited by T Jalio
