Natural disasters in South America

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(1).CM.. ,('e,¿e,tr H4ilMI,,,). /,(ht/¿, ./{. .re 0"'4.' � .,..,.."'. .J1S3. Centro Reglonal de Sismologfa para Am,rica del Sur. June 1991. Apaltlldo 14°03113 Telef, : 247421 lima • Per6 cabl•: Ceresla Telex : 200113 PE PB LIMTC Faeslmlle: 111.14 3192ff Ubic:aci6n: Arenales 431, 01, 1.

(2) JUSTIFICATION Statistics published by the Swedish Red Cross point to the increasing risk from natural events. The annual rate of lifes lost due to natural disasters during the seventies was about seven times higher (142,920) than during the sixties (22,570). The risk is increasing exponentially, whereas the hazard itself remains at a constant level. The number and characteristics of natural events which occur constantly has not changed with time, to any significant extent. The higher death toll and number of people affected by loss of· home, Job, physical incapability or a disrupted soci�l structure, has to be Ascribed to a lack of or inadequate preparedness and preventive measures, to the migratory processes that concentrate populations 1nto urban enclaves without due regard to proper land use, and to a general deterioration of the environment. Where do natural disasters do the most damage and leave deeper �cars� through the period from 1960 through 1981, Nicaragua, Peru, Iran, India, China and Bangladesh suffered over a million and a half disaster-related deaths; these are all underdeveloped countries. The numbers of fatalities are part of the p1cture. Other, apparently less dramatic casualty statistics, but Justas serious, refer to social, health and economic effects 16ss such as becoming handicapped or suffering mental disarray; of the source of livelihood� blocked roads, bridges are lost and remian unrepairRd for years; the same happens to lifelines, industrial facilities. energy supply and housing in general. Post-event analysis of the Nevado El Ruiz volcanic eruption in Colombia, the Mexico city earthquake, landslides throughout the Andes and Car1bbean hurricanes, have brought out the fact that with adequate prevention measures, losses would have been reduced �ignificantly. Houses, schools, shops and roads are often built· on flood plains in valleys prone to flash floods, mud flows or avalanches or on volcan1c slopes as is the situation of Quito, Arequipa, Santiago, Masaya and Mendoza, where deforestation and other environmental damage is taking place. This problem ig closely related to development, quality of life and conservation of the environment. Thus it is necessary to learn in a systematic way the behaviour of the principal natural disasters, the societal response and that of the institutions, and the actions which must be carried out to prevent its most destructives effects. -�} It is proposed to carry out a diagnosis of the situation in · � the region, on the basis of the experiences accumulated in many. countries, to be found in reports, studies, videos and testimony of various sorts. It is necessary to analyze systematically the available material ñnd to find answers to the following leading questions:.

(3) What do we know at present? What is essential that we need to learn in arder to be to formulate and adopt national prevention policies?. able. What must be done to effectively prevent and mitigate the destructive effects of disasters originated by natural phenomena? The purpose of the work proposed is coincident with the objective of the International Decade far Natural Disaster Reduction ( IDNDR) � also, it is hoped it will contribute to the · region's efforts to meet the goals of the Decade. ObJective To contribute significantly to prevention and mitigation of the natural disasters and to provide a useful guide for establishment of regional priorities and as an important stimulus to the IDNDR National Committees for the IDNDR. Specific Objectives The specific objectives �f-the Program ares To systematize regional disaster hazard and risk data available, relevant to the principal disasters which affect the regían� from the point of view of scientific and technical knowledge and of the social and institutional response and behaviour; To produce recommendations far policies and actions to be implemented in arder to improve the level of natural ·..__ disaster prevention and mitigation measures; To identify specific issues which require further study research.. and. Scope of the Proqram The natural disasters which are to be considered, because of their greater hazard potential, are: Floods Innundations (El NiAo included) Earthquakes Tsunamits Volcanic eruptions.

(4) SCOPE OF THE PR06RA". NATURAL DISASTER. AR& BOL BRA COLCHI ECU PAR PER TRI URU YEN. Lan dslides. p. X. X. X. X. X. p. X. o. Yolcan1c eruptions. p. p. o. X. X. X. o. X. o o o. El Ni�o. o. p. p. X. X. X. p. X. o. p. o. Floods. X. l. X. X. p. X. X. X. p. l. X. llin d stor1s. X. X. X. X. p. X. X. X. l. 1. X. Earthquaku. X. p. p. X. X. X. o. X. X. o. X. Tsunatis. o o o. X. X. l. o. X. o o o. X Significant hazard P Potential hazard O little orno hazard. p. AA& CERESIS. X.

(5) Figur-e 1, SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM, lists those disasters considered for each countr-y. In each case� their relative potential for- occurr-ence and damage is indicated: (X) for high incidence, (P) average and (O) low incidence, or none at all. Fr-om a geogr-aphic point of view, the Program following countries:. includes. the. Argentina Bolivia Br-asi 1 Colombia Chile Ecuador Paraguay Per-u Trinidad-Tobago Ur-uguay Venezuela Thematically, the following ar-e considered1 Scientific knowledge available ·for- per-tinent geophysical and geological hazar-ds; Role of public insti tuti·ons. civi 1 society and national inter-national scientific communities;. and. Role of international cooperation; Economic and social impact of natur-al disasters; Impact on health. Work Plan and Activities A multidisciplinary team of specialists on natural disasters will r-eview and systematically Órganize documentary sources and available information; they will interview qualified specialists, public authorities and institutional leaders in each country; The most impor-tant Documentation Centers will both in and outside the region;. be. visited. Analysis of the r-ole of government, society, the scientific community, mass media, international cooperation, in the gener-al management of natural disasters and vis-a-vis the r-esponse capacity of each country; Or-ganization and conduction of workshops, sub-regional, may be necessar-y1. as.

(6) Analysis of the information obtained, preparation and publication of monographs, reports and executive summaries; Dissemination of results. Throughout the duration of the Program, particularly during the ''dissemination of results » stage, CERESIS shall work closely with the IDNDR National Committees of each country in the region. Institutional Framework The program will be centralized at the CERESIS o1fice in Lima, Peru. CERESIS is an International Organization (see brochure) created in 1966 by the Uniled Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (Unesco) and the Government of Peru. In 1971, a Multinational Agreement established CERESIS as an autonomous inter-governmental regional organization. The Governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela have Peru, Spain, Trinidad-Tobago. Uruguay and subscribed the Agreement and are Member States of the Organization; Brasil will join formally, in the near future. CERESIS was created to improve the capacity of the Member States to cope with and mitigate. as a result of concerted regional action, the effects of natural disasters, - earthquakes, eruptions, tsunamis and associated phenomena, by volcanic promoling and giving support to scientific, technical and social activities oriented to that basic objective. CERESIS has carried out over the years, severa! regional programs and projects. with multidisciplinary and multinational teams. The results of the most recent of these projects, concerning volcanic risk, are contained in the publications Riesgo volcánico, evaluación y mitigación en América Latina1 Aspehtos socieles, institucionales v cientificos and El Nevado El Ruiz y el riesgo volcAnico en América Latina, published in 1989, and in a video produced on the same subject, for the purpose of sensibilizing and capacitation.. EXPECTED RESULTS 1•. On the principal findings of the Regional report: investigation carried out, with emphasis on the possibilities for regional concertation and cooparation.. 2.. Executive Summaries for each cguntry: Diagnosis situation and emphasis on the recommentations.. 3.. Monographs by type of disaster: Specially oriented to enhance the regional understanding of the varicus aspects related to each type of disaster.. of. the.

(7) 4.. Aide-Memoire far National Seminars1 Synthetic documents designed for the promoters of the National Seminars.. From the point of view of the region's capacity to implement prevention and mitigation measures, J. t is hoped that a most important result of the program will be to facilitate the establishment of and to strengthen a regional network of concerned institutions and experts.. DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS 1.. Through the Network: it through which documentation.. CERESIS has a network of institutions to pertinent distribute is able. In addition. CERESIS shall establish a specific link with the Scientific and Technical Committee far IDNDR. in order to provide this Committee with products resulting from the progr�m. �nd shall also establish the pertinent coordination to reach other counlries and institutions, via UNDRO. 2.. National Seminars: When the products of the Program are r-·eady, CERESIS sh.?\ll request the IDNDR National Committees to organize "National Seminars on Prevention of Disasters" and provide them with relevant information.. #. These Seminars will be oriented to:. a). Sensibilize: Promoting interest in the subject of natural disasters in government. schools, universities, mass media, industry, etc. calling attention to the collective and individual responsability far prevention and mitigation.. b). with groups, Capacitate: key activities Organizing previously identified in accordance with the country's characteristics ñnd priorities, as well as the specific areas vulnerable to natural disasters.. 3.. Non-qovernment Organizations for Development (NOG)1 NGOs have grown in numbers and importance in the past yearsJ organizations 5Uch as the United Nations� the Workd Bank and the Interamerican Development Bank work with NGOs. It is estimated that in the countries involved in the Program there are at least 1500 NGOs. In general, they are institutions which are not involved with natural disasters except during post-disaster phases. CERESIS propases to involve ONGs as much as possible in the natural disaster aspects of development, using the results derived from the Program and by activities to sensibilize and capacitate..

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(9) Involvement of the Organization of American States CERESIS and the Natural Hazards Project/Department of Regional Development and Environment of the OAS are exploring the possibility of combining forces to present this proposal to funding �gencies. The following points will be emphasized and/or introduced: Emphas1s on country-specific products that have an immediate application; the content of the products are to be taken not only as far as possible. but will introduce new forms o� communicating and using the information. as applicable� in a way that the user can continue to update country data - thus developing a strong regional network of institutions which are both purveyors and users of information, in a fairly standard framework easily shared. The creation, ñnd instruction for use of PC data bases by development planning and operational ministries, which will aloow them to easily institutions and NGOs. relate proposed project activity areas to natural hazard information, inclL1ding in map formats (using the very inexpensive geographic jnformation system - GIS - software progrñm which is easy to learn)..

(10) PRELil-UNARY. BUDGET. (36 fMIOflths - in US4*) 140,400. Honocacium 54,000 54,000 21,600 10,800. Program Director ($1.500 x 36m) Expert ($1.500 x 36m) Expert ($600 x 36m) Asistant ($300 x 36m). Consultants. 40, (1(1(1. (2 consultants x 10 countries x $2,000) 40,000 18,000. S�cretarial sygport and administration 10.000 1,800 1,800 3,60(1. Secret�ry ($300 x 36m) Supplies Photocopies Comunications (phone, fax, mail). Air travel. 9,768. 1 Lima-San José-Delaware-Boulder-Lima 1 Lima-Ginebra-Lima 2 Lima-Stgo.Chile-Buenos Aires-S.Juan Montevideo-Lima ($959.88 c/u) 2 Lima-La Paz-Asunción-Ria de Janeiro Sao Paulo-Recife-Lima ($1,619.94 c/u ) � Lima-Quito-Bogotá-Caracas-Lima ($836.76 ea.). 1,608 1,326 1,920 3,240 1,674. Subsistence. 14,85(1. Geneve (1 Experto x 15 dias x $150) Costa Rica and USA (1 expert x 20 days >t $150) South America (2 experts :: 12 cities x 4 dias x $100). 2,250 3,000 9,600. Disemination materials. 24,000. (250 pp x 1,500 issues) 4,500 1 Book (60 pp x 10 Executive Summaries 12,000 1.000 each; $1,200 EA.) (100 pp x 500 5 Monographs 7, 500 each; $1,500 ea.) SUB TOTAL. Miscellaneous ( 5'l.). 247,018 12,352. TOTAL. US$. 259,370.

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