Expenses on measures to prevent emergencies are fifteen times less than those involved in rescue operations

During past several weeks public attention in Ukraine and all over Europe has been drawn to the flood in Zakarpattia. Natural calamities are becoming regular trials for Ukraine. Man’s activities are also aggravating the ecological situation. These problems were discussed in the following interview with Vasyl Durdynets, Minister of Emergency Management and Chornobyl Relief.

The Day: What has been done and is planned to be done in the immediate future to return life in the natural calamity area — separate administrative districts in Zakarpattia — back to normal?

V. D.: The consequences of the disaster are extremely grave, yet it should be noted that, despite the water raising above the historically maximum level, compared to 1998, the impact is less severe. A series of coordinated measures over the past two years in Zakarpattia, in keeping with a Verkhovna Rada resolution, presidential and cabinet measures, has played a positive role making it possible to cushion the blow of the elements.

The following has been accomplished owing to the combined efforts of rescue teams, central and local executive authorities:

— the population is regularly supplied with fresh water, food and medications; there are field kitchens and fresh water supply in the flooded villages where the residents were not evacuated; every home is regularly checked by medical and sanitary teams; 2,261 infectious cases have been registered; drinking wells are being disinfected; these operations involve about 7,000 paramedics;

— UAH 11 million has been directed to Zakarpattia under the president’s edict of March 6, 2001; money has been delivered to the affected territories for special payments, along with UAH 5 million worth of subventions and UAH 1 million to supply Derzhvodhosp [State Water Management Committee] needs; a special cabinet sitting decided to finance search-and-rescue operations and repair.

We would also like to thank the Hungarian government for sending rescue teams and helicopters taking part in complicated missions, although Hungary is in an as bad a situation.

We are now assessing the actual damage to determine the scope of repair and preventive projects. Based on the findings, a rescue- and-repair schedule will be worked out, to be basically implemented by the end of the year. Special attention is being paid to temporary evacuees.

Measures are being taken to carry out the president’s edict On the Proclamation of Certain Districts of Zakarpattia Oblast as Natural Disaster Areas in a most exhausting and quality manner. The edict makes it possible to personify and enhance the responsibility of the leadership of administrative bodies and forces involved in the process.

The Day: Can Ukraine stabilize the ecological situation in Zakarpattia single-handedly? What kind of help can we count on from the international community?

V. D.: As I have stressed, the consequences of the 1998 flood were four times worse than this year’s. As of March 2001, 2,349 homes have been built, plus some 318 apartments; 311 are being completed, and 12,230 homes have been repaired.

In compliance with the antiflood program, 27 kilometers of floodwalls have been built and 43 km of riverbeds adjusted. A list of works done over the past two years shows that the state can actually help natural calamity victims. Had the two-year antiflood program been completely financed — and not by 50% as it has — the consequences would have been considerably less painful. A lot is being said about ruination in the disaster area. I would like to point out that all the newly built homes have withstood the flood, none of the hydrological constructions have been destroyed, and the same is true of all the new bridges. In other words, life can get back to normal there and be even better than before the flood.

As in the past two years, we will rely on our own resources without ruling out possible foreign investment. The government has allocated UAH 15 million from the reserve fund. A draft resolution has been prepared to provide another 30 million worth of subventions and additional finance sources for rescue and repair works. After finally assessing the damage, this additional financing that will be provided. We have received an initial tranche of UAH 5 million from the Development and Cooperation Directorate of the Swiss Confederation. Humanitarian aid has been sent by eleven countries and by practically every region of Ukraine; Russia has also made a significant contribution.

Today as never before, we are faced with the need of combining the efforts of the countries of the Carpathian region in counteracting disastrous floods. An in-depth analysis of the 1970, 1998, and 2001 floods testifies to a sharp change in the climate and, accordingly, the flood’s hydrological characteristics. Therefore, alongside the antiflood program adopted by the Ukrainian government for 2001-05, it is necessary to complete the development of a comprehensive prevention program in Zakarpattia. In other words, we have to build a complex of large hydrological regulating facilities (water reservoirs). The president supports the idea and has issued appropriate instructions. The program will cost UAH 120-180 million a year for the next five years, bringing the total to 700-800 million, while we annually spend UAH 200-500 million worth of flood rescue and repair works.

It is worth organizing a meeting of authorized representatives from the countries of the Carpathian region, primarily Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, to decide on the practical financing for the Carpathian Region Project.

The Day: Were there any financial abuses with regard to government subsidies when combating the 1998 flood? If so, what is the impact on the current situation?

V. D. From the outset, the government ecological emergency headquarters spot-checked the situation, and I initiated a number of inspections to check the targeted usage of the government relief allocations. The inspections were carried out by the Accounting Chamber, Finance Ministry, and the Chief Audit Directorate. Ten criminal cases were opened proceeding from the findings and all the money used for wrong purposes was returned to the state budget. There was no impact on the current situation, but quite an impact on the social psychology of the victims and authorities’ prestige.

The consequences were aggravated by the understated flood status and inadequate response from certain regional administrators and village councils. Some of them could not find their bearings on the eve of the disaster, so adjustments had to be made on the spot, and this resulted in uncoordinated efforts, especially by Khust city and Vynohradiv district authorities. People were outraged by their conduct and with reason, so I requested their dismissal in keeping with established procedures. Other such administrators will be dealt with later, after a detailed analysis of their individual performance, regardless of their posts, at both central and local bodies.

In general, the Emergency Management Ministry quickly responded to the situation, joining and coordinating the efforts of the regional headquarters, ministries, and agencies involved in rescue and repair works. The Defense Ministry and its minister responded instantly, as did the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, Water Management Committee, and the Ukravtodor Corporation.

The Day: How would you describe Ukraine’s industrial safety status?

V. D.: The president expressed an official assessment of the natural and industrial disaster status in his decree of February 9, 2001, On Measures to Raise the Level of Protection of the Population and Territories from Industrial and National Calamities, and there is also the cabinet resolution of February 7, On the Coordinated Series of Measures Aimed at the Effective Implementation of the National Policy in the Sphere of Protection of the Population and Territories from Industrial and Natural Calamities, Prevention [of] and Quick Response in the Period to the Year 2005. It approves the findings and proposals contained in the joint report of the Ministry and National Academy of Sciences, “On Ukraine’s Natural and Industrial Safety and Guidelines to Improve It.”

Ukraine’s natural and industrial safety status is to a considerable degree determined by excessive industrial strain on the environment. This risk is steadily mounting, owing to the increasing use of obsolete technologies and equipment as well as lowering renovation and modernization rates. The depreciation of fixed assets in all sectors of the nation’s economy averages 50%. Potentially dangerous production facilities register a heavy ratio in Ukrainian industries, supplying almost one-third of all products.

Starting in 1997 to the end of 2000, almost 50,000 residents of Ukraine died in various emergency situations (ranging from fires to road accidents to drowning to production accidents), including over 11,000 in 2000.

During the same period, some 6,400 emergency situations were registered, including 2,000 industrial and almost 1,000 natural calamities. Every year Ukraine sustains more than 300 natural disasters (weather, water, and ecological). Geographically, most such emergencies occur in the south and western regions, as well as in the Donbas.

Take the latest statistic. Landslide risk areas in various regions have expanded 2-5 times over the past 30 years. In Zakarpattia alone, 400 families have been evacuated and another 900 require immediate evacuation. Ukraine operates some 2,000 dangerous chemical facilities storing or using approximately 300,000 t of strong poisonous agents.

There are more than 1,200 explosive and fire-hazardous facilities storing over 13.6 million solid and liquid explosives and fire-hazardous substances. Recent surveys show that Ukraine is threatened by a total of 7,541 technological projects; over 1,500 can only be described as clear and present danger. Of these, 144 must be dealt with immediately; 300 require urgent preventive measures.

And so we have government-run emergency management systems, search-and-rescue teams trained to operate in all conceivable emergencies; research centers are looking for ways to achieve more accurate forecasting. What we need is a series of coordinated preventive measures to significantly reduce the risks. Experts believe such projects will require approximately 15 times less spending than rescue and repair operations. In Western Europe, with its government regulation of disaster risks, the number of emergency situations has dropped 7-10 times over the past decade.

Chornobyl shutdown rates a separate discourse and I think we’ll be able to discuss it on the pages of your newspaper.

The Day: How well are the Ministry’s search-and-rescue units equipped?

V. D.: We have 19 such rescue paramilitary units, also the State Paramilitary Mining Rescue Service, the Central Paramilitary Search-and-Rescue Detachment (it is general purpose), Special Paramilitary Search-and-Rescue Unit (anti-fountain), Head Search- and-Rescue Coordinating Center, State Water Emergency Relief Coordinating Center, a mobile hospital, and a special air group.

In other words, we are sufficiently equipped to cope with any emergency, anywhere, but the equipment as such leaves much to be desired, to put it mildly.

This problem will be solved when implementing the enactment of the National Security and Defense Council, president, and cabinet, concerning the setting up of a state special search-and-rescue service in place of the civil defense forces.