According to the survey, 82 per cent of the local private businesses have no necessary preparedness for natural disasters, said Dr. Soe Tun, Co-Chair of Myanmar Private Sector Disaster Management Network, at the talk on “Economic Strength and Emergency Preparedness” held at Novotel Hotel in Yangon on September 13.

We discussed the policies and frameworks for economic vulnerability, preparedness programs for the economic vulnerability caused by natural disasters and emergency response programs. The majority of private businesses are weak in preparedness, Dr. Soe Tun added.

Private businesses may collapse when they face natural disasters due to a lack of preparedness. Efforts are being made to step up its works for knowledge dissemination on natural disaster preparedness.

Maw Naing Tun, assistant director of Disaster Management Department under the Yangon Region Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement said: “Nowadays, the world is facing the increasing number of natural disasters. Unexpected matters may occur due to extreme climate changes. We face landslide, floods and heavy rains  as the storms hit neighbouring countries. We have to disseminate knowledge about natural disasters very often.”

The lack of preparedness in the disaster-hit areas may lead to the collapse of businesses, thereby resulting in the loss of jobs by the people working in these businesses.  The facts from the talks will be implemented.

Myanmar has been one of the three countries most affected by weather-related damage (storms, floods, heat waves etc.) in the last two decades, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2019.

Scientists warn that climate change will lead to an increase in the intensity and frequency of heat waves, droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.

Myanmar experiences natural disasters such as earthquake, strong winds, tsunami, storm, landslide, fire and floods.