Large-scale natural disasters, demonstrating nature's massive power, can stretch preparation and resources possibly beyond most nations’ capacity to cope. This is what Epoch Times staff from Pakistan to Spain discovered when they asked locals, “Do you feel your country would be prepared to cope with a major natural disaster like an earthquake?”

Henry Huggins, Detroit, USA.

Detroit, USA
Henry Huggins, 63, High School Teacher

No I don’t. Within recorded or living memory, the metro Detroit area has never had a natural disaster like a hurricane or an earthquake happen. So even though there are trained personnel that are very capable of handling small-scale events, I feel a major catastrophe would be beyond their capabilities. After several decades, we are still recovering from the negative impact the 1967 riots had on the city of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs, both economically and socially. So looking at the potential long-term impact, I’m afraid that what happened to the poorer populations in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, many leaving and few returning to the area, would also happen here.

Faisal Raza Khan, Pakistan.

Pakistan
Faisal Raza Khan, 32, Journalist

Definitely, Pakistan can manage. We have the experience of the 2005 [Kashmir] earthquake; its magnitude was 7.6 on the Richter scale. We managed by providing relief in that difficult mountainous area. The government and relief agencies provided shelter and food to all affected; over 10,000 earthquake victims were rehabilitated. However, we cannot forget the support that the international community provided us, their technical and financial assistance. Yet we need financial assistance to build even better infrastructure.

Maria Veronica Neumann, Canary Islands, Spain.

Canary Islands, Spain
Maria Veronica Neumann, 71, Jewelry Store Owner

I think so, because human beings do their best in limited situations. Though I live in Spain, I was born Chilean from German parents, and I lived through what is known as the biggest earthquake on earth (9.6 on the Richter scale) that happened in Valdivia, Chile, on Saturday, May 22, 1960. As you may imagine, in 1960, the resources to overcome a catastrophe like this had no comparison at all with what we have today, and we survived. So I think so; we are prepared regardless of the chaos that a situation like this provokes at first.

Maurizio Zamponi, San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy.

San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy
Maurizio Zamponi, 47, Bricklayer

Italy is an older country, and to talk about our construction, I think we are not prepared. Only the newly constructed buildings are prepared for an earthquake. We had a big earthquake last year, the earthquake in L’Aquila, in an older region in the mountains of Italy. Many people died and many people lost their houses because they were older homes.

Mariusz Chalaj, Poland, Warsaw.

Poland, Warsaw
Mariusz Chalaj, 22, Extra in Films

The government could not handle a catastrophe like an earthquake. It is unable to cope with simple problems, such as unemployment or the salary issue; the problem is not in the government itself, but with those who are ruling. A reasonable and wise man who directs himself for the good of the country, without thoughts of monetary gain, would cope with problems of any kind.

Dewakar Prasad, Gold Coast, Australia.

Gold Coast, Australia
Dewakar Prasad, 38, Rental Sales Agent

I feel Australia or Gold Coast, we are not well prepared for any large-scale natural disasters like tsunami or earthquake. Probably one of the reasons is, it hasn’t happened to us. I don’t think the focus is on that, to get the infrastructure, either to get people educated about it. I think we did pretty well with floods in the north and the fires that happened in Victoria and the disaster there. But I’m thinking about the Gold Coast at the moment. The biggest worry about the Gold Coast is a tsunami or something coming, because the ocean is just next-door.

Jarmila Helsnerova, Rosice, Czech Republic.

Rosice, Czech Republic
Jarmila Helsnerova, Cultural Information Center Employee

I think not. It depends on the range of a disaster and relates to various equipment; we can cope with some smaller incidents. But if something big would come, it’s not within the ability of humans to cope with the power of nature.

Juhudi Nyamoga, Mswiswi, Tanzania.

Mswiswi, Tanzania
Juhudi Nyamoga, 35, Teacher

I’m not sure, but I think the country is still poor and is not capable of handling the problem itself without the help of another country.

Juliana Nassin, Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Juliana Nassin, 20, Student of Biological Sciences

No, if an earthquake happens everything would be destroyed, just because the buildings were not designed for that. There would be no way to advise people in time; we don’t have places to hide. But if it happens, the country would come together to try to rebuild those most affected places, as happened in the south region of Brazil after the Catarina hurricane [March 2004], when the whole country sent groceries and support for the victims. We are all Brazilian and we take care of each other, even though there are problems with politics and corruption.

Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “Have you heard or experienced any environment anomalies where you live recently?”