Recovery following the Gediz earthquake: a study of four villages of western Turkey

This paper is the result of a social and economic survey of four villages in the Gediz region of South West Anatolia, Turkey, which was undertaken in two phases, October/November 1982 and March/April 1984. The specific aims of this survey were to define what was perceived as recovery in the local social, cultural and economic context and to measure recovery in communities which had suffered different degrees of distress and loss following the earthquake and, consequently, had received different amounts and kinds of assistance from the government. Essentially, therefore, the survey sought to answer the question – how far did the government programme of assistance promote recovery and over what period of time? The implications of such an inquiry concern what constitutes appropriate assistance following earthquake in rural communities. It is hoped that studies of this kind can help to guide decision making of both national governments and international humanitarian organizations on the role of material aid in the process of recovery. This is particularly urgent in view of the fact that preliminary investigations of other small rural and under-developed communities struck by earthquake suggest that material aid may actually preclude recovery in the longer term.     

Nutrition assessment through the use of a nutritional scoring system

In 1984 and 1985, Chad was affected by a large scale drought. In order to ensure rapid decision making for the allocation of food and because of the practical problems encountered when using the classical nutritional survey methods, a Nutritional Score System (N.S.S) was developed. This method was based on the use of social, economic and nutritional indicators and allowed comparison of nutritional status between communities. This paper discusses how the N.S.S. was developed and applied, and how it compared with the classical survey methods.     

西南农村社区避难建筑的面积指标与配置策略研究

地震是西南地区面临的最严重和破坏性最强的灾害类型,在农村迫切需要安全可靠的社区避难建筑保障村民的生命安全.近年来国家高度重视避难建筑建设,要求提高室内避灾规模,而我国缺乏农村社区避难建筑设计的规范标准,既有研究也有所不足.因此,该文系统介绍了核定西南农村社区避难建筑面积指标的研究方法与技术依据.首先说明了避难建筑面积配...     

流域土地利用变化对洪水径流过程的影响

大清河水系土地利用发生了较大变化,并对洪水径流过程产生了影响。选择大清河水系紫荆关流域为研究对象,在对土地利用类型分类的基础上,采用1988年和1996年两期土地利用图分析了土地利用变化情况,除林地和灌木林面积减少外,其他土地利用类型面积增加。利用1984-1996年实测降雨径流资料对SWAT模型进行了率定和验证,并对两期土地利用情况进行了径流模拟,结果表明,土地利用变化使紫荆关流域的年径流减少。     

论灾区开放政策

本文论述了在我国实行灾区开放政策的重要意义,并以我国唐山、澜沧-耿马地震、原苏联亚美尼亚地震的震后救灾活动为例,以实行不同对外开放政策的效果对比,说明实行灾区开放政策的必要性;用通讯调查的结果和国际救灾组织及主要援助国对外救援情况,反映实行灾区开放政策的可行性。最后,提出灾情开放、救灾开放、灾害的考察研究开放和灾区重建开放的四项灾区开放政策的建议。     

Refugee income generating projects and occupational health

The shift from purely emergency relief for refugees in developing countries to aid within the context of development strategies is slowly gathering momentum (UN, 1983; UNHCR, 1984; Simmonds, 1984). Such a move implies that if self-reliance is to be a realistic goal then employment for refugees is essential; a number of income-generating schemes are therefore being both proposed and developed (ILO, 1983 and 1984).
Many of these schemes have implications for the health of the refugees, so this paper summarises some occupational health hazards and offers suggestions for future action.     

淮阴地区测震台网监测能力分析

根据原淮阴市境内,淮阴、盱眙、沭阳、宿迁４ 个地震台１９８４～１９９６ 年１３ 年来的地震观测报告和各台ＤＤ－ １ 测震仪的放大倍率、仪器的频率特性等资料,运用理论和统计两种计算方法,对淮阴市境内的测震能力进行分析,并通过定位精度研究［１］ ,得出淮阴市境内测震台网监测能力可控制ＭＬ≥２．０ 地震,定位精度为２ ｋｍ ,高于Ⅰ类精度５ ｋｍ 的要求。     

茅山地区垂直形变网的改造和监测能力

本文对茅山地区垂直形变网按照最优化原则进行的改造工作进行了论证,并探讨了如何提取地形变信息的问题。     

气象灾害灾情评估指标研究与应用——以陕西为例

为了定量评估气象灾害造成的灾情,利用陕西1984-2007年气象灾害普查数据库,建立人员死亡率、农作物种植面积受灾率、直接经济损失率3个灾情因子评估指数并计算灾情综合指数,构建灾情因子和综合灾情年景定量评估指标,将气象灾情年景分为严重、较严重、一般、较轻和轻5类。利用建立的年景评估指标对陕西2008-2010年气象灾害灾情年景进行评估,应用到年度气候影响评价业务服务中。分析每种气象灾害灾情因子指数和灾情综合指数多年平均值,确定陕西危害度最大的气象灾害依次为暴雨、干旱、冰雹、连阴雨、气象地质灾害等。研究结果表明:陕西气象灾害造成的人员死亡率呈现减少趋势,多年平均值为3.23/百万,直接经济损失率变化趋势不明显,多年平均值为1.51%,农作物种植面积受灾率呈明显增加趋势,多年平均值为21.99%。     

Assessing differences in chemical disaster proneness: The community chemical hazard vulnerability inventory*

The burgeoning number of accidents with dangerous chemicals makes it incumbent upon community and regional planners to systematically deal with this problem. The first step invariably involves the assessment of the likelihood and type of incident which may impact a given area so that disasters may be averted or, at least, their effects mitigated. This paper presents one such assessment scheme, the Community Chemical Hazard Vulnerability Inventory (CCHVI). This instrument, aside from considering the type and volume of substances posing a threat to a designated area, considers the physical and human resources available, as well as the general state of readiness of the area (including such things as the interface of emergency-related organizations). The use of such vulnerability assessment instruments allows local emergency planners to identify particular dangers within their communities and permits regional planners to allocate funds for planning according to relative needs.     

Disaster devastation of US communities: long-term demographic consequences

This paper describes demographic changes resulting from devastating natural disasters in which at least half of the community's structures suffered major damage or total destruction. Considering 92 US communities that suffered disasters (mainly from hurricanes, river flooding, and tornadoes) between 1992 and 2008, locations that were already experiencing declining populations before their disaster were most likely to experience large post-disaster population losses. Communities suffering severe flooding were most likely to lose over a third of their population. Population movement typically occurred regardless of whether the community formally relocated. Small communities were particularly at risk of losing population following destruction, particularly when they lacked schools. Communities with higher home vacancy rates before their devastation were significantly more likely to experience large population declines. Wealthier communities and those located nearer metropolitan cities were most likely to retain their populations following major destruction, yet overall pre-disaster home values and median incomes in the communities were well below national averages. Race and Hispanic population were not significantly related to post-disaster population change in the overall study.     

Earthquake drills and simulations in community-based training and preparedness programmes

The San Francisco, California, bay area is subject to continuous seismic risk. One particular response has been the development of community-based training programmes designed to teach residents basic emergency response skills. Citizens are taught emergency medical techniques, search and rescue, fire suppression and other fundamental response skills. Current estimates in the Bay Area place the number of programmes at more than 100. Many programmes now include an annual community drill to reinforce the training and to evaluate the programme. The study described here is based on an evaluation of an effort initiated by BayNET (Bay Area Neighborhood Emergency Training), a voluntary association of communities with community-based disaster preparedness programmes. In April 1996, BayNET asked all of its members to hold a community earthquake drill. After the drill, a mail survey was conducted of all programme managers. The survey examined the structure and administration of the programmes, training efforts and other related components. This paper describes the typology of drill formats that communities used, the role of the simulation in the city's preparedness efforts, the qualitative costs and benefits, as well as an assessment of the drill based on survey respondents.     

Disaster risk management: Pro-active financing to reduce vulnerability

This study explores the preparedness of residents livingin a rural community in Victoria, Australia, for wildfires, and the factors influencing their preparedness. Overall, participants were well aware of wildfire risks and appeared well prepared for the event of a fire. However, residents involved in agriculture and with a long-standing association with the area appeared better prepared than were those on small properties and newcomers. Their social networks, previous experiences with wildfires and grassfires, and involvement with the local fire brigade influenced preparedness of long-term residents. Characteristics of agricultural communities, including a culture of self-reliance, experience with fires as part of farming, and social cohesion, appeared to contribute to wildfire preparedness within this community. Included are recommendations encouraging preparedness for wildfires.     

Famine forecasting; Prices and peasant behaviour in Northern Ethiopia

This paper, completed in January 1984, begins by briefly outlining the contrasting views of price behaviour during the last Ethiopian famine (1972–1974) put forward by Seaman and Holt (1980) and Sen (1981). A hypothesis is developed to account for peasant behaviour and price responses under developing famine conditions. This is then tested with data recently made available. The paper concludes by summarizing the findings and their implications for famine forecasting, and argues that famine conditions in Northern Ethiopia are likely to worsen during 1984.     

The impact of drought on production, consumption and nutrition in southwestern kenya

In this paper I compare the effects of the 1984 drought on agricultural production, income, food consumption, and nutrition of farm and non-farm households in South Nyanza District, Kenya. Survey work covered the period 1984 to 1987. It was the late arrival of the long rains in spring 1984, rather than an absolute shortfall in rain, that caused most of the fluctuations in agricultural production. Agricultural households who were least affected by the drought were able to cope by increasing the amount of cultivated land and by relying more on coarse grain production. Coping strategies for the landless households in South Nyanza were more limited and this group of households therefore experienced greater fluctuations in income between the drought and non-drought periods than did most types of agricultural households. Surprisingly, changes in food consumption between the drought and non-drought periods were small for most households. In spite of differences in production, food availability and incomes, however, the health and nutritional status of pre-school-aged children was not significantly different in the two time periods. Differences in health and nutritional status appear to be influenced more by community-level health and sanitation factors than by differences in agricultural production and incomes in drought and non-drought years.     

Cyclone mitigation, resource allocation and post-disaster reconstruction in south India: lessons from two decades of research

This paper opens with a history of development and disaster-prevention strategies in a cyclone-prone area of the east coast of India and traces the evolution in the area of British and Indian governments' programmes and policy over a century. Research over the last 20 years has shown, however, that the programmes and policies have failed to balance economic growth with safety. Resources intended for the benefit of all have been diverted by alliances of powerful people to a small minority, and recent developments have reduced the physical protection of the area. The result is that increasing numbers of people are vulnerable to the effects of cyclones and floods. The findings suggest that the best way to reduce vulnerability is to improve the socio-economic standing of the most vulnerable and for this to happen these people must have an assured income based on assets that will enable them to acquire social and economic credit-worthiness within the local economy. This paper presents evidence that suggests that non-governmental organisation (NGO)-supported co-operatives are the best way to achieve this through self-help and self-employment schemes. It also suggests that NGOs should be encouraged to take up environmentally and ecologically beneficial activities involving the poorest groups in the communities, in this way combining sustained self-employment with environmental protection.     

The role of socio-economic data in food needs assessment and monitoring

This paper reviews six case studies examined as part of a project to review targetting methodologies employed by non-government organisations in Africa during the 1984-6 food crisis. Most agencies have not yet fully evaluated the role of data in informing policy decisions during their respective emergency programmes. The case studies presented reflect a wide variety of approaches to targetting emergency food aid that are based largely on the use of 'socio-economic' data. The recent emergency relief operations in Africa seem to indicate a change in relief agencies' approaches to the assessment and monitoring of needs of the affected populations. Earlier dependance on nutritional data has given way to an increasing reliance on the use of socio-economic indicators. There was a wide variation in the case studies of the type of indicators collected and utilised in needs assessment and monitoring. There were those who relied almost exclusively on nutritional data to target resources during the 1984-86 African crisis, and others whose experiences during that period lead them to attach more weight to socio-economic data. Other agencies appear to have recognised the problems of relying solely on nutritional data to target food aid during their 1984–86 emergency programmes, and thus more or less abandoned classical anthropometric surveys in their needs assessment and monitoring methodologies during this period. Thus nutritional data has a less significant role in the decision making process than previously had been the case.     

The role of schools in helping communities copes with earthquake disasters: the case of the 2010–2011 New Zealand earthquakes

ABSTRACT

This article draws from the author’s four-year study of five school communities hit by the 2010–2011 earthquake sequence in the Canterbury region of New Zealand to highlight the roles that schools played in supporting their communities in the aftermath of the disaster. The article begins by synthesising the relevant literature on disasters, schools in earthquake disasters, and the importance of schools to their communities, pre- and post-disaster. The following themes from the data are discussed: (a) the role of schools in their communities prior to the earthquakes; (b) the role of schools in immediate rescue and response; (c) the role of schools in short-term relief; and (d) the role of schools in long-term recovery. The author then argues that as more evidence shows that schools play such crucial roles in post-disaster response and recovery, we need to better prepare and support them to undertake these functions. Further, we need to recognise the wider roles schools play supporting local communities to build and sustain resilience as part of on-going community cohesion and connectedness, so that society is better prepared when major disasters occur.     

Vulnerability to typhoon hazards in the coastal informal settlements of Metro Manila,the Philippines

In many low‐ and middle‐income countries informal communities—also termed slum and squatter areas—have become a dominant and distinct form of urban settlement, with ever increasing populations. Such communities are often located in areas of high hazard exposure and frequently affected by disasters. While often recognised as one of the highest ‘at risk’ populations, this paper will argue that informal settlers have been directly and indirectly excluded from many formal mechanisms, thereby increasing their vulnerability to disaster events. Household surveys were conducted across several frequently flooded informal coastal communities in Metro Manila, the Philippines, following a major typhoon and storm surge disaster. The study revealed a large level of diversity in socio‐economic vulnerability, although all households faced similar levels of physical exposure and physical vulnerability. Disaster risk reduction policies and responses need to better integrate informal settlement areas and recognise the diversity within these communities.     

A review of coastal community vulnerabilities toward resilience benefits from disaster reduction measures

The coast has always been an area of significant hazards. In situations of community self-sufficiency, consequences of coastal hazards might be isolated to regions directly affected by the hazard. But, in the current global economy, fewer and fewer communities are isolated; damage to one location frequently has consequences around the globe and coastal community resilience can have broad-reaching benefits. Hazard responses for the built coastal environment have typically been resistance: constructing stronger buildings, enhancing natural barriers or creating artificial barriers. These approaches to hazard reduction through coastal engineering and shoreline defence efforts have been crucial to sustained coastal development. However, as coastal forces continue or magnify and resources become scarcer, resistance alone may be less effective or even unsustainable, and interest in resilience has grown. Resilience is a community's ability either to absorb destructive forces without loss of service or function, or to recover quickly from disasters. Community resilience encompasses multiple elements, ranging from governance to structural design, risk knowledge, prevention, warning systems and recovery. This paper focuses on hazards of coastal communities, and provides a review of some recent engineering efforts to improve the resilience elements of risk knowledge and disaster warnings for coastal disaster reduction.