Engineering Geology and Geohazards Lecture 3: Tropical Risk reduction

Question 1

Define a disaster

Answer 1

Disaster- Extreme sudden event that
overwhelms the capacity of a society to react,
absorb or buffer the impact.

Question 2

Describe the relationship between hazards and disasters

Answer 2

Hazards are inevitable, however disasters are not. (If managed correctly)

Question 3

What is the equation for risk

Answer 3

Risk = (Hazard x Vulnerability x exposure capacity)

Question 4

Describe preparedness in the context of a disaster

Answer 4

Reduce levels of material and financial
response needed

• Reduces recovery time
• Reduces societal impact
• Reduces economic impacts

Question 5

List the steps for planning an Emergency

Answer 5

Pre impact
1. Prevention/Mitigation
2. Preparedness

Post impact
3. Response
4. Recovery
5. Rehabilitation

Question 6

Define Preventation

Answer 6

Measures taken before a potentially damaging event is confirmed.

For example

Surveillance (Long term control of a hazard).

Land planning - Organisation of the uses of land to minimize effects of hazards, e.g.law regulated rules for buildings.

Mitigation - Planned reduction of human and economic risks (after evaluation of vulnerability).

Education, for example long term education campaigns about hazards.

Question 7

Define Preparedness

Answer 7

Development of plans and strategies to reduce the loss of like and damage during an emergency.
e.g.
Emergency plan and/or monitoring-forecasting

Emergency plan - Rules, policies and hierarchy by which an emergency will be managed.

Monitoring - control of phenomena and it evolution

Forecasting - statement about future events.

Question 8

Define response

Answer 8

Evacuation
Moving people away from hazard area. Involves important psychologicaleconomical- social- political consequences.

Location has to be safe and
appropriately supplied.

loss of trust if
phenomena not confirmed.

Search and rescue
First 48 hours vital for human lives.

• First 12 hours- Performed by public/locals
  organisations (red cross, police)
• 12-24 hours- Specialists with appropriate
  equipment: fireman, army, police
  Helicopters, cranes…
• 24- 48 hours- More focused on remote
  areas

Damage assessment
-Identification of basic infrastructure
damaged (roads, hospitals)
-Identification of areas more affected
-Estimation of losses

Shelter
Two types of shelter:
1. Protect people during the hazard. (E.g. Hurricane shelters)
2. Emergency accommodations to house evacuated and displaced people.

Supply/Supplies
Provision of necessary goods to respond
and recover

Question 9

Define Recovery

Answer 9

Short term planning of the return to normality

• Repairing(supply lines), Reconstruction(of basic infrastructure), Remediation (Ensuring no secondary effects)
• Insurance?

Question 10

Define Rehabilitation

Answer 10

Assessment of problem- WHY?
b) Long term planning

• Causes- Human/natural/both
• Possibilities of the event repeating it.
• Possibilities of having reduced it.
• Failures on the system
• Strategies for the future