01
MUMBAI: In the dark night of December 26, 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.3 on the Richter scale occurred off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The earthquake had one of the worst death tolls from a natural disaster in recorded history. It triggered a deadly wave of tsunamis, resulting in the destruction of homes and entire landscapes across the continent, including India. In remembrance of the event, this December, Discovery Channel‘s REVEALED: ANATOMY OF A RECOVERY takes a look at the relief and reconstruction efforts in the aftermath, and the lessons learnt from the tragedy that may help to prepare for such disasters in the future.
Discovery Channel?s will air Tsunami special REVEALED: ANATOMY OF A RECOVERY on Saturday, December 26 at 9 PM showcasing the reconstruction efforts and the stories of the survivors.
Commenting on the programme, Rahul Johri, senior vice president and general manager ? India, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific said, ?Along with its high-quality global programming, Discovery Channel is also dedicated to present engaging India-based programmes. We air the untold stories on India in Discovery?s weekly slot ? Discover India, the most recent being a special programme on the 26/11 attack, Surviving Mumbai. This week, it will present a programme on another deadly strike that took place five years back, the 26/12 Tsunami. In this programme, viewers will learn how the process of recovery can contribute to a greater understanding of how we can prepare for, if not control, the forces of nature.?
Five years after the devastating tsunami, Discovery Channel revisits the affected regions of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives to take a look at the outcome of reconstruction efforts. REVEALED: ANATOMY OF A RECOVERY provides an insight into the daunting challenges facing governments and humanitarian aid agencies on the long road to recovery, as well as the attempts by the survivors to rebuild their homes and their lives.
In India, the programme showcases efficacy of participatory housing approach which has gained popularity among some NGOs. The agency and government keeps a leading role in construction but the community is involved in varying degrees and roles in the construction process. This is a step forward in empowering house owners, it is known as the owner-driven approach. And nothing more illustrates this point than the World Bank Housing Complex site near Chennai ? it houses almost 5000 small flats homes on this site were originally built to re-house the slum dwellers of Chennai, but when the city was hit by the Tsunami disaster, some of the families (approximately 432 families ) were provided with immediate shelter and allocated homes at this site. The programme also highlights the works of organisations like ActionAid and ITWWS ? an organisation for tribal community of Irulas in Tamil Nadu.
ANATOMY OF A RECOVERY presents the accounts of different regions which suffered the wrath of the natural calamity - their chronicle of recuperation, the problems faced and the lessons learnt from them. The programme documents the efforts of the survivors to re-establish themselves and rebuild their lives from the scratch.
This is a story, not of disaster but of recovery. It may not be possible to control the forces of nature but it is certainly possible to control the preparedness and can make choices which can serve to protect, and ultimately save mankind.
