Hazards CS - Caracas

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

Capital of Venezuela in SA

Question 2

Nature of the hazard

Answer 2

• primarily situated in the base and on the flanks of a large valley making it very susceptible to landslides
• 1999 tropical storms led to heavy rain, this triggered mudflow/landslides which killed over 10,000 people
• caracas is the capital of Venezuela situated on destructive (convergent) boundary of Caribbean and SA plates and under the main airport
• large earthquakes in 1967 (magnitude 6.5) and killed over 300 people
• alluvial fans
• area of 25,000 km squared

Question 3

Social characteristics reflecting hazard imoacts

Answer 3

• safest and most valuable landis on the valley floor. This is due to the change of landslides being greatly reduced here
• wealthy live on valley floors, with well built expertly designed (westernised) buildings -> many have earthquake resistant technologies such as: triangular steel reinforcement of shock absorbing foundations -> buildings are also widely spaced out enabling easy evacuation to prevent damage to one structure also impacting upon others
• residents of Barrios (slum) have adopted a fatalist view -> deciding that the rewards offered by the city are worth the risks of having to live on the hazardous valley sides in unreinforced masonry buildings
• water supply has no consideration as all 3 supply lines cross major faults
• the main road between the air port and nearby sea port also crosses a fault as well as using a large bridge which is at risk of landslides

Question 4

Economic characteristic affecting hazard impacts

Answer 4

• Venezuelan economy is based on oil with 50% of it GDP being generated from oil sales, also being an urban area Caracas is also focused on services (banks, shops and national organisations based in the city)
• each organisation/service often plan their own response to hazardous rather than follow the city wide plan
• economy would be badly hit as there are more people in the city than they can accommodate/employ due to rapid growth rate

Question 5

Political characteristics reflecting hazard impacts

Answer 5

• economic divisions of late have led to rallies on both sides of the wealth divide asking for greater equality
• any large event would likely lead to huge death tolls and current political instability could enable uncontrolled rioting/protests

Question 6

Community response to hazards

Answer 6

• lack of equality in the city means different groups respond in different ways
• poorer residents that live in the steep barrios can’t do much
• financial restrictions on the government mean that their preferred method of management is risk zoning, designating certain high risk areas as ‘no build zones’ -> effectiveness limited by weak governance and that most of barrios are constructed illegally
• both affluent and those informal housing advised to orientate buildings to be parallel to any debris flows to minimise damage and maximise survival chance
• lack of education is being addressed to increase awareness (to ensure spacing between housing) (also laying sheets out in the parallel pattern)
• wealthy residents employ western builders to ensure the buildings are built to strict western codes -> also include their own defences
• government undertake seismological research (experiments to assess risks of different parts of the city) -> has lead to better knowledge of the area
• better knowledge of are has lead to implementation of new designs for construction and reinforcement for old dwellings