EARTHQUACK RISK, MITIGATION AND THEIR MANAGEMENTIN PAKISTAN

WORKSHOP By

Usama Maqsood

MS RS & GIS

NUST

• The basics of Earthquake

• Its causes

• The risk management:

• During disaster

• After disaster

WHAT REALLY IS EARTHQUAKE…?

• An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves

TECTONICS

• Earthquake occurs at plate margins and at major fault lines.

• But mostly on the conservative and destructive margins.

• The two plates at a plate margin cannot move past each other easily. The two plates become locked. Friction causes pressure to build up. Suddenly, the pressure is released and the plates jolt into a new position. This causes seismic waves. The vibrations they cause are called an earthquake.

REASON FOR EARTHQUAKES

VULNERABILITY

EARTHQUAKE RISK!!!!!

• Two third of Pakistan lies on fault lines. So can’t be IGNORED

• NDMA is responsible for Disaster management in Pakistan.

• Its function is to organize Training and Awareness Activities for officials of NDMA, PDMAs, DDMAs, ministries, departments and other stakeholders to enhance their knowledge and skills on disaster risk management.

• Due to lack of technology and awareness about the new trend we always suffer additionally and don’t learn from our past mistakes.

• Our most hazard prone areas (active zones) are highly populated.

• Using RS and GIS tools, these scenarios can be well addressed and properly tackled.

RECENT EARTHQUAKE IN PAKISTAN

EARTHQUAKE MITIGATION

• Mitigation is: “any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk tohuman life and property from natural hazards”.

• Transferring the responsibility of the risk by getting insurance.

• Also educating the public and raising awareness of earthquake risks...!!!

Hazard Mitigation

Identification

Risk Analysis

Defining Strategy

Activities and Projects

PRECAUTIONARY METHODS

PERONAL LEVEL: BEFORE

• Put together an emergency kit – flashlight, first aid kit, radio,drinking water, blankets.

• Develop a family communication plan – identify a relativeliving at least 100 miles away; everyone can call to “check in”to tell family you’re safe.

• Make sure all heavy or breakable items are on lower shelves.

• Know how to turn off utilities.

PRESONAL LEVEL: DURING

1. DROP to the ground.

2. COVER yourself under a sturdy table or desk, and coveryour face and head with your arms.

3. HOLD ON to something sturdy until the shaking stops.

• If you’re driving, pull off the road, away from buildings and utility poles, and stay inyour car.

• If you’re outside, drop to the ground, away from large objects, and cover your faceand head with your arms.

PERSONAL LEVEL: AFTER

• Find your family; check for injuries

• If you smell gas or hear a hissing sound, go outside – shut offgas valve

• Be careful to avoid live power lines and broken glass

• Listen to news for latest emergency information

• Be ready for aftershocks!

NDMA(NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT

AUTHORITY)• Establish Disaster Management Authorities

• Conduct National Risk Assessment

• Establish Emergency Operations System

• Training, Education and Awareness

• Support Disaster Risk Management Planning

• Implement Mitigation programs in 50 High Risk Districts

• Integrate Disaster Risk Reduction into Development practice

• Strengthen a Multi-hazard Early Warning System

• Develop Post Disaster Recovery Capacity

WHAT WE ALWAYS SEE….

PRE-EVENT ACTIVITIES:

Demarcation of active fault lines

Possible damage and cascading effects

Land-use monitoring in active areas

Regularized monitoring and assessments

Modelling using RS and GIS data

House structure monitoring

Educating general public about the possible damages and ways to avoid them

Public awareness

After every event, recalibrate the model to produce more precise predictions

POST EVENT ACTIVITIES

Mapping the hit areas

Re-establishing the communication infrastructures

Clearing the roads and providing emergency help

Serve the injuries first and evacuated them

Look for any cascading effects and minimize them

Database the whole exercise in order to avoid discrepancies about requirements

Getting supplies for all sort of needed object until the area becomes stable again

EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

ARCHITECTURAL CONSIDERATIONS

ANY QUESTIONS…!!!!