Injury prevention in natural disasters. A theoretical framework

A theoretical framework for conceptualizing injury patterns in natural disasters is described. In this conceptual framework, natural disasters are divided chronologically into predisaster, disaster and postdisaster phases. Within each phase, four factors (human, engineering/technological, physical environmental and socioeconomic) are identified that play an important role in the causation of injury. By combining these phases and factors into a three by four matrix, one may begin to identify points in the natural history or evolution of a disaster that may be amenable to therapeutic or preventive intervention. The application of this proposed three-phase matrix model to a disaster will permit researchers to reduce a large, complex problem into more manageable, conceptually simpler parts. It may also be of value to disaster planners by suggesting preventive and mitigation measures, as well as aiding in the setting of priorities so that scarce resources can be allocated to achieve maximum reduction of injuries.     

Vulnerability of community businesses to environmental disasters

Business plays important roles in community functioning. ² However, disaster research has been disproportionately focused on units of analysis such as families, households and government agencies. This paper synthesises the major findings within the business development research field and the disaster research field. It constructs a framework for evaluating business vulnerability to natural disasters. Our theoretical integration of the research conducted to date addresses five major issues. First, it defines the ways in which businesses are subject to the impacts of natural disasters. Second, it identifies the factors that determine the magnitude of business impacts after a disaster. Third, it identifies how and when businesses return to their pre-disaster level in the disaster stricken community. Fourth, it describes measures that can be taken by individual firms and community planners to reduce the impacts of environmental disasters. Fifth, it identifies needs for public policy and future research to reduce business vulnerability to environmental disasters.     

渤海和黄海北部地区海冰灾害风险评估

海冰灾害是中国海洋灾害的主要灾种之一。渤海和黄海北部地区由于受冬季风带来的寒潮天气影响成为中国最主要的结冰海域。基于灾害风险理论,将研究区海岸带上17个地级市的71个县区作为评价单元,对海冰灾害风险进行评估。选取冰期天数和最大冰厚2个指标,计算致灾因子危险度指数;选取涉海人口密度、海洋经济密度、海洋一产比重等3个指标,计算承灾体脆弱性指数;综合危险度指数与脆弱性指数计算各县区的海冰灾害风险指数,并绘制风险等级图。该风险等级图揭示了海冰灾害风险在渤海和黄海北部地区海岸带上的分布状况,为中国制定海冰灾害风险防范策略提供参考。     

A multi-hospital system for disaster situations*

From a review of the literature, it can be concluded that it is always advantageous and usually necessary to distribute the casualties of a disaster to several hosp-hospitals rather than allowing 1 hospital, the nearest to the scene, to bear the whole load. The potential of these hospitals would be enhanced if their preparedness and planning included anticipation of their functioning as part of a framework of the entire capacity of the medical services of an entire small country, or a region of a larger one. For the smooth functioning of this framework, central co-ordination and control of the distribution of the load, the movements within it, the strengthening of its various component parts is necessary and services other than medical (transport, communications, etc.) are essential. The establishment of a multihospital system for disaster situations for a whole region is suggested. This would integrate all medical facilities and services of the region, as well as promoting additional services, first horizontally integrated and later vertically, and would have a central governing body with full authority to prepare the system for the calamity and to execute the implementation of the plan when disaster occurs. This body may find it useful to base some of its decision in the planning as well as the implementing stage, on an assumed population of casualties that is characteristic for the region and on implications that may be drawn from the population.     

2004年主汛期我国强对流天气灾害统计特征

运用全国各省、市、县气象部门直接上报国家气象局的气象灾害数据,对全国各地2004年主汛期(6-8月)对流性天气造成的灾害分布特征和人员死亡情况进行了统计分析,结果表明,主汛期内强对流天气在全国31个省市都有发生,其中黄淮、江淮、江南、西南地区东部为强对流天气灾害死亡人数多发区,且在主汛期内,以7月份强对流天气发生频次最高;在年度所有气象灾害中,除了暴雨洪涝灾害造成人员死亡最多外,雷击事件造成的死亡人数占气象灾害死亡人数的第二位;各大城市均遭遇到强对流天气袭击,造成了严重的交通瘫痪,城市应急响应系统建设亟待加强。     

How to get there? Assessing motorists’ flash flood risk perception on daily itineraries

Flash floods are characterized by their suddenness, fast and violent movement, rarity, small scale but high level of damage. They are particularly difficult to forecast accurately and there is little lead time for warning. This makes motorists especially vulnerable. Assuming that these flash flood hazard specificities may be the significant factors leading to difficulties for drivers to perceive danger, we used cognitive mapping combined with GIS data processing to assess motorists’ flash flood risk perception on their daily itineraries. The analysis of 200 mental maps collected allows planners to have maps highlighting dangerous areas where risk perception is weak and to identify reasons for this.     

How to get there? Assessing motorists' flash flood risk perception on daily itineraries

Flash floods are characterized by their suddenness, fast and violent movement, rarity, small scale but high level of damage. They are particularly difficult to forecast accurately and there is little lead time for warning. This makes motorists especially vulnerable. Assuming that these flash flood hazard specificities may be the significant factors leading to difficulties for drivers to perceive danger, we used cognitive mapping combined with GIS data processing to assess motorists' flash flood risk perception on their daily itineraries. The analysis of 200 mental maps collected allows planners to have maps highlighting dangerous areas where risk perception is weak and to identify reasons for this.     

Mapping cultural vulnerability in volcanic regions: The practical application of social volcanology at Mt Merapi,Indonesia

Protecting at-risk communities from geological hazards requires both knowledge of the physical hazard and an understanding of the community at risk. Interdisciplinary disaster research therefore explores the interface between hazards and society in order to improve disaster risk reduction strategies. At this interface there exist disaster sub-cultures that are produced through hazard experience and can be developed as a coping mechanism for the at-risk communities. Therefore, disaster sub-cultures could contribute to either social resilience or vulnerability. The fluid nature of the term culture and the difficulty in quantifying these important human traits mean that the local sub-cultures are complex and often not included within conventional risk management tools such as risk maps. However, this paper demonstrates how a disaster sub-culture found at Mt Merapi volcano, Indonesia, can be examined using interdisciplinary methods. The distinctive Mt Merapi sub-culture influences local community actions during the frequent eruptions. The findings from ethnographic studies completed on Mt Merapi in 2007 and 2009 have been translated and mapped in order to be incorporated within a holistic risk assessment. The key findings, methods of translation and maps are presented here, and demonstrate the potential for interdisciplinary research applications in disaster risk reduction.     

行星位置与全球性灾害事件时间预测模拟

根据某类事件发生时的行星空间位置分布,可以从理论上建立该事件的时间预测模型.指出这一方法有可能通过计时历史资料的归算,提供未来灾害事件发生时刻的预测信息.以地震为例,给出了该方法的具体思路.处理了1900-1996年中国震级6.5及以上级的311次地震资料,据此:(1)统计得出了历史时期的地震时间与行星位置分布的相关性;(2)利用这种相关性并以7星组合作1997-2010年间6.5及以上级地震的模拟预测,给出了6个可能的危险日期;(3)采用1997年1月至2006年6月的35次M6.5级地震对模型作检验,表明总计14种单星和组合模型中日、月、水星、金星和天王星等五种模型稍好,而冥王星和海王星模型则不理想.(4)指出该模型不适用于较大区域,因其难以提供较精确的地点信息.此外,预测精度还与步长和确定的危险日期的数量有关.     

评价自然灾害健康效应及其需要的指标体系

介绍了评价自然灾害健康效应及其需要的指标体系。提出通过调查死亡、伤亡、患病等，分析其与灾区人口、特定年龄人群、职业、习惯、地理位置、时间分布等关系，来科学评价灾害的严重性，提出救灾技术措施和确定主要卫生服务内容，保护易感人群，为灾后进行建筑物结构或位置的易感性分析以及制定防灾减灾计划提供科学依据。     

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.     

基于GIS的震害空间分布图集的设计与编制

快速地生成震害分布预测图,对提高减灾救灾能力有着重要意义.本研究采用3S(地理信息系统-GIS、全球定位系统-GPS和遥感-RS)技术,设计了一套全方位、多角度、综合自然环境、社会经济和人文要素的震害空间分布图集.本文将GIS强大的空间分析和数据管理能力与GPS、RS和地震科学相结合,从设计思想、图集内容、表现形式等方...     

GIS支持下的气象灾害风险评估模型——以重庆地区冰雹灾害为例

以重庆地区的冰雹灾害为例,介绍了该地区的气候背景和经济环境,选取地貌、灾害频率、人口和社会经济为评价因子,应用模糊评价法建立了气象灾害孕灾背景、灾害危险性、承灾体易损性等数学模型。在使用有关基础图件和资料的基础上,运用MapInfo Professional软件,通过对属性数据库和图形数据库的操作,得到了各种灾害的孕灾背景、灾害危险性、承灾体易损性评价图层,再经过图层叠加、斑块合并以及等级划分等操作,最后得到了冰雹灾害的风险评估及其区划。     

Learning from the rubble: the case of Christchurch,New Zealand,after the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes

Learning after a disaster is crucial in creating more resilient places. However, many societies are repeatedly overwhelmed by disasters. This can be because of missed opportunities to learn in post‐disaster settings or because of actions implemented that seem to be highly relevant to recovery in the short term, but potentially constrain aspirations in the longer term. This paper assesses learning processes among state and non‐state actors and the ways in which these are bridged and scaled up to wider improvements in governance. Aiming to enrich understanding of post‐disaster learning, it explores different actors’ response actions after the earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2010 and 2011. On the one hand, ‘learning by doing’ is occurring, yet, on the other hand, systemic learning is hindered by mismatches between top‐down steering and bottom‐up initiatives. The study concludes that better linking and synergising of learning processes among different levels is vital for enhancing resilience in post‐disaster societies.     

震害预测空间数据的更新策略

由于震害预测空间数据具有图多面广和二次生产数据的特点,数据更新的问题还没有根本解决。指出我国空间数据封闭式管理方式是导致其数据类型和格式不一致、坐标系统不一致、比例尺不一致的原因,震害预测空间数据更新的困难是没有建立统一的空间数据管理平台、城市电子地图不能共享及标准不统一、与基础属性数据脱节、震害预测分析程序未实现模块化嵌入、防震减灾信息系统的管理跟不上等因素所致。提出了震害预测空间数据的更新策略,包括建立统一的空间数据管理平台、建立城市信息共享、预测结果数据的更新、建立数据编码对照表、建立完善的管理和数据更新机制等,并详细介绍了建立统一的空间数据管理平台的功能。     

The creation of vulnerability to natural disaster: Case studies from the Dominican Republic*

This paper argues that natural disasters are not a category of events which can be separated from the broader Issues of development, since economic change can create vulnerability to natural disaster. The analysis of case studies from the Dominican Republic shows how the development of large scale commercialized agricultural production has created such vulnerability by reducing or restricting the resource base of certain sectors of the population. It b suggested that the vulnerable state of a population should be considered as much a cause of natural disaster as the extreme physical phenomena Involved. Therefore there Is a need both for a broader framework for analysis of disasters and for strategies to reduce such vulnerability to be an Integral part of long term development planning.     

Satellite remote sensing as a tool in Lahar disaster management

At least 40,000 deaths have been attributed to historic lahars (volcanic mudflows). The most recent lahar disaster occurred in 1998 at Casita volcano, Nicaragua, claiming over 2,500 lives. Lahars can cover large areas and be highly destructive, and constitute a challenge for disaster management. With infrastructure affected and access frequently impeded, disaster management can benefit from the synoptic coverage provided by satellite imagery. This potential has been recognisedfor other types of natural disasters, but limitations are also known. Dedicated satellite constellations for disaster response and management have been proposed as one solution. Here we investigate the utility of currently available and forthcoming optical and radar sensors as tools in lahar disaster management. Applied to the Casita case, we find that imagery available at the time could not have significantly improved disaster response. However, forthcoming satellites, especially radar, will improve the situation, reducing the benefit of dedicated constellations.     

基于GIS的南通市自然灾害风险区划

本文从自然致灾因子危险性和承灾体易损性2个方面选取评价指标,在南通市基础图件的基础上,通过GIS软件分析分别得到南通市自然致灾因子危险性分区图和社会经济易损性分区图.两图叠加后,生成南通市自然灾害风险区划基本单元,采用自下而上的定量区划方法,合并得到自然灾害风险区划图,最后分别论述了每个风险区的自然灾害和社会经济的特征.通过对风险区划指标和区域划分的探讨,以期为南通市防灾减灾工作提供科学依据.     

Natural Hazard Reporting in the UK Press

Important sources of information concerning world natural hazards are provided by the mass media, especially newspapers. The nature, depth and consistency of the reporting, however, varies considerably depending upon the journalistic approach of the newspaper and on the perceived 'newsworthiness' of a disaster. Intensive events are much more likely to receive attention than pervasive hazards but other contributory factors play a part, such as the day, time, severity in terms of damage and loss of life, and location of the event. This paper reflects on the reporting of natural hazards in UK newspapers and is based on an analysis of press cuttings taken over a period of twelve months. The survey indicated that there is a very uneven coverage of world disasters, that location maps are scarce, and that valuable follow-up reporting is minimal.     

Casualty treatment after earthquake disasters: development of a regional simulation model

This paper presents a new approach to the casualty treatment problem following a large-scale disaster, based on a mathematical model of how a regional health-care system responds to an earthquake event. The numbers and locations of casualties rescued alive, the scale of pre-hospital care, the post-earthquake hospital capacity, and the transport system are inputs to the model. The model simulates the movement of casualties from the stricken areas to hospitals. It predicts the number of casualties that die as well as other statistics about the health-care system response, such as waiting time before treatment. The model can be run with varying input assumptions to simulate alternative disaster response strategies. Preliminary runs demonstrate the potential of the model as a tool for planning and training.