It’s been a few days since another quite terrible and unexpected event marked me again. After losing my phone , I was one of the victims of an almost natural disaster. I say « almost disaster », because officially, the rain that devastated Antananarivo last Thursday was neither a cyclone nor a tropical depression. It was just a simple summer rain, but it managed to cause a lot of damage, like a real disaster.
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« The calm before the storm »
Now, I confirm the veracity of this quote. Last Thursday was a Thursday like any other. Everyone did his usual daily activities: work, study, have fun, and so on. For me, it was also the case. I woke up full of energy, with the joy that today I end my evening with a dinner at the restaurant. A very important dinner for my professional career, so no way to miss it.
The appointment was at 7 pm, but I had planned to leave home at 4 pm. Indeed, with traffic jams and leaving the south of the city while the restaurant was located in the north, I had to be careful if I wanted to arrive on time. I was convinced that I was going to arrive very early, everything was well planned. Yet around 2 pm, the unexpected happened: a great big rain! And when it rains too much, oops! Antananarivo is underwater.
From 4 pm to 5 pm, no bus or taxi at the stop to drop me off. They must all have been blocked somewhere because of the inaccessibility of the roads. So, I had to walk a long distance, make negative self-stops, until a good Samaritan (a person to whom I wish to reiterate my thanks) agrees to take me.In the end, I arrived late, exhausted, and anxious, all because of the flooded city.
That’s about my troubles this Thursday, but it is certain that on that day, many people have also experienced similar situations, even worse.
Some saw their cars drowned, their goods destroyed, their houses submerged; the whole city was engulfed. Others have even lost their lives.
cc: Facebook
Whose fault is it?
After this event, we all searched for a culprit, myself included. Most judgments have blamed the state for being solely responsible. However, let us face it, if the city has been flooded, it’s because the drainage channels are blocked. The state could not have obstructed them alone. But our garbage thrown here and there, yes! Of course, the state is responsible for cleaning and maintaining the infrastructure. But we also hold a great part of responsibility. It is high time to behave like a good citizen, stop pollution!
Change begins with me, with you, with all of us! We have an interest in keeping the city clean. We have endured together the misdeeds of the flood! It is time that we avoid together that this situation comes back or worsens.
As we tend to say « Cleaning is good, but not polluting is better ». In addition to sensitization and sharing on social networks, we must also act! Be the change you want to see! Above all, do not have the mentality of those who say. “There is no harm in me throwing my garbage wherever I want, because anyway, there is a staff to pick them up and clean after.”
