Estonian govt endorses risk analysis of natl emergencies
06.03.2008
TALLINN, Mar 06, BNS - The Estonian government at its meeting on Thursday endorsed a risk analysis of national emergencies which, unlike a similar document in 2007, no longer views long-term disruption of electronic communications as a potential national emergency.
A panel of experts at the Ministry of Economy and Communications found that as a result of the presence of multiple operators, application of stricter reliability requirements and presence of numerous alternatives such a possibility no longer has to be treated as a separate risk.
Compared with last year, disruption of the chain of fuel supply and group escape of detainees or convicts have been moved one notch higher and are now rated as risks of medium probability.
Rated as risks of high probability with very grave consequences are extensive pollution at sea, long-term irregularities or disruption in the work of information systems, epidemic or pandemic, food safety crisis, and outbreak of infectious animal disease.
Risks of high probability with grave consequences are a major fire or explosion, mass unrest, transport accident, natural disaster, mass poisoning, and extensive environmental pollution.
Emergencies of high probability are emergencies which the analysis considers possible once in ten years.
Emergencies of medium probability having very grave consequences for Estonia are a terrorist act and long-time and extensive disruption in electricity supply.
One step lower come emergencies of medium probability with grave consequences, or massive inflow of refugees, group escape of detainees or convicts, and disruption of the chain of supply of fuel.
Emergencies of medium probability have a likelihood of occurring once every 10-25 years.
The risk analysis has to be kept in mind by ministers when they draw up the development plan for their ministry's area of government for 2009-2012 and the budgetary appropriations plan for 2009.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8862, sise@bns.ee
 
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