..Mother Earth..

People are dying daily,sometimes in the most tragic way.This happened while world leaders were warning system although some claim that it is not entirely foolproof.On hindsight,it is strange that we are now talking about an early warning system,when the system is around us everyday,that is,Mother Nature herself.Going by some of the anecdotes elated after the tsunami,this point has been totally missed.Take for example,the case when various sea creatures landed on the shores of Penang and Kedah.To some people,this rare incident was a clear signal of some impending disaster from the sea,adn thus took steps to move away to safer places.In doing so,they avoided the catastrophe.Generally,it is not a coincidence to read reports that were proportionally fewer animal carcasses found in the tsunami.Animal which have a developed sense of early warning system,had avoided the areas.In other words,if only we take the trouble to listen to nature,and understand the subtle signals sent,many lives would have been spared.The case of the mangrove swamps is a case in point.The swamps have a vital role to play as part of the natural habitat,and managed to protect humans from the tsunami.While many of the man-made structures wee swept away,the mangroves stood intact of the waves.We need to retrain ourselves on how to listen and understand the signals from the equally sophisticated natural systems,which are accessible to almost everyone who cares.Technology is merely an aid to the natual eco-system so that we can decipher it's messages even better.If we do not allow the eco-system to function in it's natural state,no amount of technology can give us an effective early warning system.