DHL, U.N. prep for natural disasters’ effects on Indian airports

Deutsche Post DHL Group and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) – the network within the U.N. that focuses on social issues, such as poverty and human rights – are ramping up efforts to prepare for natural disasters in India as they affect the flow of goods through the nation’s airports.

This week, officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and airport operations experts from across the subcontinent are meeting at Calicut International Airport (CCJ) to receive training in the Get Airports Ready for Disaster (GARD) program and develop action plans in preparation for the occurrence of natural disasters.

At present, Gopinath Airport (GAU) in the northeast region of the country and Chennai Airport (MAA) in the southern region are both GARD-trained.

Following the workshop, attendees will be able to teach GARD workshops at their own airports. “These include training local authorities in special customs and immigration policies that need to be activated in the event of an emergency,” said Preeti Soni, assistant country director at the UNDP.

South Asia is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to floods, landslides, monsoons, cyclones and earthquakes, the occurrence of which are only expected to increase with climate change. The scope of effects can be devastating – often resulting in human fatalities in the triple-digits and causing costly and debilitating damage to infrastructure, which has potential to cause a domino effect through the regional supply chain.