✅Case Study - Caracas Local Hazards Flashcards
Where is Caracas?
Venezuela
How does infrastructure make Caracas vulnerable?
Infrastructure is poor and run across seismic faults
How many main water pipes run across a seismic fault?
3
How many people live per km2 in barrios?
25,000/km2
How is the population of the city growing?
Rapidly, 3.1% per year
Why may the main bridge have to be rebuilt?
Due to a slip in the plates
What is a major inequality in Caracas?
Economic, unequal wealth
Is there any planning around hazards in the city?
No, and none in the country as a whole
What is the issue with the government in Caracas?
There is a lack of stability
What hazards is Caracas exposed to?
Tropical storms Earthquakes Drought Cyclones Sea level rise Landslide/rockfall
What are social class divisions reflected by?
The occupancy of residential areas
How did members of the upper class gain wealth?
Through sale of land and real estate
Where do the upper class live?
On the Eastern margins of the valley and the Caribbean coast
What do the upper class homes avoid?
Landslide and earthquake risk
Where do lower class people live?
In hillside shanty towns overlooking the West and South
How do building regulations differ between the city centre and shanty towns?
On the hillside there are no building regulations and no means of escape, everything would be destroyed. In city centre, international building regulations and flat land provides safety
What is high in Caracas?
Unemployment
What percentage of Venezuela’s GDP is based on oil sales?
50%
What has the city focused its service in?
Banks, NGOs and shops
How do planned responses vary around the city?
Each company has its own individual planned responses, rather than city wide, common plans
What are the areas most at risk in Caracas?
Transportation and utilities as well as squatter settlements
Which university recently developed a framework plan for building disaster resilience?
Columbia Univeristy
What are the immediate disaster avoidance goals?
Strengthening critical infrastructure, housing stock and emergency services
What are the more intermediate goals?
Upgrading fragile housing units, creating detailed hazard maps and incorporating disaster education into cultural activities
