Dr.Mohamed Salah
Natural disasters and crises like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes are devastating events that cause widespread damage and loss of life. In such difficult times, the role of mainstream media becomes crucial in informing, educating and helping people. The media plays a very important role in natural disasters by:
Informing people: When a natural crisis strikes, media is usually the first source through which people get to know about the event. Radio, television and online news outlets provide timely updates on the location, intensity and damage caused by the crisis. This helps people assess the situation and take necessary precautions. The media also informs people about evacuation orders, relief camps and resources available.
Educating about preparedness: Even before natural disasters occur, responsible media educates people about being prepared through special programs and articles. They highlight do’s and don’ts during different crisis situations like storms, earthquakes etc. This awareness helps reduce harm when disasters do take place. The media reminds people to stock essential supplies, learn first aid and have emergency plans ready.
Coordinating relief efforts: During relief and rescue operations, media acts as a link between affected people and authorities. It provides minute-by-minute coverage of relief work and highlights shortages or hurdles. This enables efficient mobilization of resources like medicine, food, shelters etc to crisis-hit areas. The media also solicits and facilitates donations for disaster relief.
Countering rumors: In times of crisis, rumors and misinformation spread fast through social media. Responsible journalism counters false news with verified facts from authentic sources. This promotes calm and order during emergencies. Clarifying rumors prevents panic reactions and chaotic behavior.
Giving voice to survivors: By sharing survivor stories and eyewitness accounts, media puts a human face on the Impact of disasters. This galvanizes public support and sympathy. It also gives voice to survivors’ concerns and suffering which can drive more practical policy changes for future crisis management.
Here are some real examples of how media has played a role in major natural crises:
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami – Television channels and radios provided early warnings to people in coastal areas after the devastating tsunami. Live coverage helped coordinate aid efforts. the BBC set up online donation drives that raised millions.
2005 Hurricane Katrina – 24/7 cable news coverage exposed slow government response and brought national attention to the suffering in New Orleans. Citizen journalist uploads on YouTube and social media told stories ignored by mainstream media.
2010 Haiti Earthquake – Smartphone videos livestreamed on platforms like YouTube showed true scale of destruction, countering initial low casualty estimates. Citizen reports helped direct UN peacekeepers to remote impacted areas.
2011 Japan Tsunami – Livestreams on Ustream and tweets verified facts and dispelled rumors in the aftermath. International donations poured in after global TV coverage of nuclear emergency at Fukushima plant.
2012 Hurricane Sandy – AccuWeather and national TV stations advised precise evacuation orders saving lives. Crowdsourced crisis maps on Google, Facebook helped coordinate rescues of those stranded.
2017 Hurricane Maria – When power failed, radio stations with generator backups became sole source of updates for Puerto Ricans. Amateur HAM radio operators bridged gaps in official communication networks.
Conclusion, mainstream media plays a significant role in natural crises by being the primary source of verified information to the public. It coordinates relief efforts, educates about preparedness and countering misinformation – thereby helping minimize damage. Responsible journalism is vital for crisis communication and management, in all such major natural calamities, traditional and new media have played a vital supplementary role to authorities by enabling urgent warnings, coordinating relief and documenting impact on the ground – if we follow all of above in Morocco and Libya sure, it will prove critical for saving lives.
