Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545896
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 JULY 2026 NEWS CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The report concludes that sev- eral weaknesses in Malta's emer- gency response system could result in "disproportionate na- tional impacts" if the country were struck by a severe natural or technological disaster. The report was prepared for the European Commission's Directorate-General for Euro- pean Civil Protection and Hu- manitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). Among the most serious con- cerns is the centralisation of healthcare services at Mater Dei Hospital, which the report describes as a "single point of failure". A fire, earthquake or other major incident affecting the hospital could severely un- dermine Malta's ability to pro- vide emergency healthcare at precisely the moment it is most needed. The report also notes that Mal- ta has limited surge capacity for specialist treatment, particular- ly for burn victims in the event of large industrial fires, while ambulance response standards for life-threatening emergencies remain difficult to meet in re- mote localities. It recommends introducing a volunteer com- munity first responder scheme to provide basic life support be- fore ambulances arrive. The assessment paints a broad- er picture of a country whose critical infrastructure is highly centralised, making it vulnera- ble to cascading failures. Elec- tricity generation, water supply and transport networks all have limited redundancy, meaning that even moderate damage could trigger nationwide dis- ruption affecting households, businesses and essential servic- es. The World Bank warns that this concentration of critical infrastructure leaves Malta's economy particularly exposed. Tourism, financial services and logistics—all key pillars of eco- nomic growth—are especially vulnerable to coastal damage, transport disruptions and fail- ures in energy or water supply. Fire and earthquake risks The report identifies the lack of legally enforceable seismic and fire safety building regula- tions as one of Malta's most sig- nificant structural weaknesses. Although the Civil Protec- tion Department has developed comprehensive fire safety codes, these have never been formally adopted, leaving authorities without the legal powers to en- force them. The report also reveals that seismic resilience measures were omitted from some criti- cal government control rooms during construction because of cost considerations. Ironically, facilities intended to coordinate emergency response during an earthquake could themselves become inoperable during one. Industrial hazards present another concern. Malta's con- centration of ports, fuel storage facilities and industrial installa- tions increases the risk posed by major fires and hazardous ma- terial incidents. The assessment even questions whether cur- rent stocks of firefighting foam would be sufficient to tackle a large oil storage tank fire. Earthquake monitoring also relies on informal arrangements with the University of Malta's seismic laboratory rather than formal institutional agreements, creating a potential vulnerabili- ty if academic experts are una- vailable during an emergency. Climate change increasing risks The report identifies climate change as an overarching threat that is increasing Malta's expo- sure to heatwaves, drought and wildfires. Yet despite the Civil Protec- tion Department maintaining specialised wildfire response ca- pabilities and regularly assisting other European countries, pub- lic awareness of the risk remains exceptionally low. A 2024 survey cited in the report found that only 1% of Maltese respondents believed they were personally exposed to wildfire risk, compared to an EU average of 16%. The report warns that this lack of public preparedness for low-frequency but high-impact events could prove dangerous as climate change increases wild- fire risks across the Mediterra- nean. Emergency coordination weaknesses The assessment also identifies serious shortcomings in Malta's emergency coordination sys- tems. Different emergency services use incompatible radio systems because equipment has been procured independently over the years, preventing first re- sponders from communicating directly with one another dur- ing major incidents. Malta also lacks a permanent National Emergency Opera- tions Centre bringing together all emergency agencies under one roof. Instead, different au- thorities operate separate con- trol rooms, limiting information sharing and coordinated deci- sion-making during crises. Outdated laws Many of these shortcomings are rooted in legislation that has failed to keep pace with modern disaster management, the re- port argues. Malta still relies primarily on the Civil Protection Act of 1999 and the Emergency Powers Act of 1964, both of which focus largely on responding to emer- gencies rather than preparing for them. According to the World Bank, these laws do not explicitly re- quire authorities to carry out core preparedness functions such as national risk assess- ments, early warning systems or community engagement. As a result, officials undertaking such work may lack a clear legal mandate. The report proposes a phased programme of reforms. Within the next two years it recommends updating the Civil Protection Act, designating an inter-agency National Emer- gency Operations Centre and strengthening early warning systems. Over the medium term it calls for a government-wide disaster management information sys- tem capable of integrating data across agencies and producing impact-based early warnings. Longer-term recommenda- tions include introducing re- silient building standards, re- viewing the safety of all critical public buildings and consider- ing the creation of a national disaster fund. The report concludes that Malta needs to shift from a sys- tem focused primarily on emer- gency response to one centred on disaster resilience, arguing that the country's increasingly complex economy and grow- ing climate risks require a more proactive approach to protect lives, infrastructure and essen- tial services. World Bank warns Malta lacks enforceable seismic, fire safety building codes Firefighter putting out fire Malta also lacks a permanent National Emergency Operations Centre bringing together all emergency agencies under one roo