"It is better to be prepared now in order to minimise damage rather than grapple with the consequences of being unprepared when disaster does strike" warns Dawn.com in an editorial.
The online newspaper calls the attitude towards preparing for and managing disasters in Pakistan "ad hoc and shambolic". The author reports that nearly half of the seismometers in Pakistan are not transmitting data in real time to the national seismic activity monitoring network, stating this is due to to the Met office not having been able to pay their monthly connectivity cost. In addition, there is a concern about the lack of earthquake drills, and building codes and structures not conforming to safety standards approved.
Explore further
Hazards
Earthquake
Country and region
Pakistan