We are shaken by tragedy, but are we stirred enough to act? More than 160 people have been killed by two major earthquakes that struck Venezuela within a minute of each other on Wednesday. The worry is that, with at least 1,000 others injured, the toll could climb steeply through Thursday night. On the same day, the dashboard of India’s National Disaster Management Authority counted five minor quakes in Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Kashmir. It reminded us that a seismic faultline runs across the Himalayan foothills. India has been testing its mobile-text-based, location-specific disaster communication system called SACHET more frequently in recent months. The need is to back it up with constant messaging and training on how to behave when the phone beeps an alert.
