OVERVIEW OF RECENT HISTORY OF DISASTERS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

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OVERVIEW OF RECENT HISTORY OF DISASTERS IN
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

• David A. Novelo

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OBJECTIVES

• To understand the diversity of natural disaster,
  hazards, and vulnerabilities in LAC.
• To become familiar with several real-world
  scenarios.
• Review of Hurricanes Georges, Venezuela Floods
  and El Salvador Earthquakes.
• To understand the missions of different regional
  organizations in the LAC area .
• To learn about the evolution of emergency
  operations centers in LAC.

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MEXICO 1985 EARTHQUAKE
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HURRICANE GEORGES
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Mitch Landslides
North Norte
Rio Choluteca
Landslide Derrumbe
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EL SALVADOR EARTHQUAKES
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VENEZUELA FLOODS
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HURRICANE GEORGES struck the eastern Caribbean.
The most affected countries were St. Kitts and
Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda on September 20 and
21, and the Dominican Republic and Haiti on
September 22, 1998.
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HURRICANE GEORGESDamage Report

• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC At least 210 people reported
  dead, dozens missing. About 100,000 homeless.
  About 70 of bridges were damaged 90 of banana
  and other plantations were destroyed. Heavy
  flooding in Santo Domingo. Damages estimated at
  more than 1 billion.
• HAITI 167 deaths reported. Sixty missing.
  Flooding in Port-au-Prince, Artibonite Valley,
  northern coast around Cap-Haitien. Dozens of
  homes destroyed.
• CUBA Five deaths, thousands of homes destroyed.
  Nearly 20,000 homes flooded in Holguin province.
  Damage to coffee, cacao and banana crops.
  Electricity knocked out in some areas. 200,000
  people evacuated.
• PUERTO RICO At least three people killed
  directly by the storm, nine others by heart
  attacks and other health complications, 28,000
  people in shelters. Hundreds of homes lost,
  near-total blackout, most water service lost.
  Damages surpass 2 billion.

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HURRICANE GEORGESDamage
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HURRICANE MITCHDamage
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VENEZUELA FLOODS Two weeks of unrelenting
rain led to flash flooding in northern Venezuela
during December, 2000. On December 16, the
Government of Venezuela declared a State of
Emergency for eight states and the Federal
District of Caracas. The states of Miranda and
Vargas were particularly hard hit.
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VENEZUELA FLOODS

• Schools, banks and government offices were
  ordered closed, and officials urged residents to
  stay home.

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Flashfloods transformed streets into raging
rivers and mudslides brought houses crashing down
hillsides Aerial view of Carballeda showing
massive deposition of sediment delivered by flash
floods
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VENEZUELA FLOODS

• Venezuela is one of the most urbanised countries
  in Latin America, with 85 of its people living
  in cities and towns. That figure is matched only
  by Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
• In several LAC countries the loss of forests has
  worsened the impact of heavy rains, as the water
  rushes quickly down to the nearest stream,
  unimpeded by tree roots and the soil.
• It has been Venezuela's worst natural disaster in
  a half-century.
• Around 190,000 persons were evacuated and 326
  military shelters were set up to house more than
  100,000 evacuees. In addition, 63,000 people
  received assistance in 280 shelters in different
  parts of the country and numerous families took
  in family members and friends.

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Flash flood damage to Universidad Bolivar campus.
One-story buildings in foreground are buried to
rooftops with sediment
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VENEZUELA FLOODS

• About 80,000 troops were mobilized to help in the
  rescue operation by air, sea and road.

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Aerial view of Carballeda showing newly opened
channels in foreground and center right of
photograph

• Today, it is estimated that the death toll stands
  at some 30,000 people and that 81,000 houses were
  affected, of which 30,000 were totally destroyed.
  In addition, the country suffered major economic
  losses and incurred significant environmental
  damage since massive mud slides swept away
  vegetation, leaving huge bare spaces on the
  mountain slopes

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EL SALVADOR EARTHQUAKES
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EL SALVADOR EARTHQUAKES

• The largest earthquake occurred 13 January, 2001
  with a magnitude of 7.6. More than 800 deaths and
  thousands of injured people were reported. More
  than 1 000 000 people were affected and there was
  about 1 billion USD in material losses.
• The second earthquake of 13 February (M6.5)
  caused approximately 305 deaths, more than 3000
  injured, 36 674 houses destroyed and large
  material losses.

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EL SALVADOR EARTHQUAKES DAMAGE

• Economical losses equivalent to 13 GNP.
• Approximately 20 of houses were destroyed or
  damaged.
• Ample destruction of the road network
  (landslides).
• Great impact to the health and education sectors.
  
• About 20 of losses to the coffee sector.
• Great damage to the small and medium industry.

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STRONG SUPPORT FROM NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
MILITARY FORCES
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SOME PROBLEMS DURING THE EMERGENCY

• Need for better national coordination.
• Lack of rapid and reliable scientific
  information.
• Need of seismic monitoring and analysis.
• Need of professionals (sociologists, earth
  scientists, etc.)
• Strong pressure from society to be informed
  (considering right to information and education
  for prevention and response)

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IMPORTANT CONSEQUENCES FROM EL SALVADOR
EARTHQUAKE

• Creation of a new governmental institution for
  disaster reduction, prevention and mitigation.
• Greater regional integration for risk management.
• More participation of Civil Society.
• Proposal to consider risk reduction as a national
  and regional priority for sustainable
  development.

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Comparation of economical losses caused by recent
natural disasters (USD)
Hurricane Andrew, 1992 United States of
America US 29,500 millions
Mexican 1985 Earthquake US 6,197 millions
El Niño 1997-1998 Andean Community US 7,545
millions
Hurricane Mitch Central America US 6,018 millions
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Economical Effects in these Countries
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DIFFERENT KIND OF VULNERABILITIES IN LAC

• Physical
• Environmental
• Geological
• Technical

• Social
• Economical
• Social
• Political
• Ideological
• Cultural
• Educational
• Institutional

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EXAMPLE OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE C.A.
REGION THAT CAN BE DAMAGED DURING A DISASTER
Transnationals Roads
- Pacífico (1700 Kms)
- Panamericano (1400 kms)
- Atlántico (1400 Kms)
- Conexiones (1100 Kms)
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REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• COORDINATION CENTER FOR DISASTER PREVENTION IN
  C.A. (CEPREDENAC)

• CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY RESPONSE (CDERA).

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PREANDINO Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and
Venezuela

• Andean Regional Program for Risk Prevention and
  Mitigation Creation of CAPRADE
• GENERAL OBJECTIVE
• To promote and support the formulation of
  national and sectorial policies for risk
  prevention and mitigation and the development of
  programs oriented to incorporate the concept of
  prevention in institutional organizations.

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CERESIS Centro Regional de Sismología para
América del Sur (Regional Center for Seismology
in South America)

• International Organism created in 1966 by
  agreement between the government of Peru and the
  United Nations Education, Science and Culture
  Organization (UNESCO).
• PURPOSE To facilitate all kind of seismological
  studies and activities in the South American
  region as well as to act as a link between
  seismological institutions from the region and
  the international seismic centers.
• HEADQUARTERS Lima, Peru.

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CERESIS COUNTRY MEMBERS

• At present, 11 countries are members Argentina,
  Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
  Paraguay, Perú, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and
  Venezuela.
• The agreement is open for the incorporation of
  other countries with a real interest in the South
  American Seismology.

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CFACLa Conferencia de Fuerzas Armadas
Centroamericanas (Conference of Armed Forces for
Central America)

• Country Members
• The Presidents of Guatemala, El Salvador,
  Honduras y Nicaragua, as Generals of the Central
  American Armed Forces, created on November 12,
  1997, the Conference of Armed Forces for Central
  America CFAC

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RIO GROUP

• The Governments of Argentina, Brasil, Colombia,
  Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela
  adopted the Rio de Janeiro Declaration on 18
  December 1986, to create a Permanent Mechanism
  for Political Consulting and Concertation - Grupo
  de Río.

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RIO GROUP New Members

• In the framework of the IV Summit of the Rio
  Group, held in Caracas, Venezuela, October, 1990,
  Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay were
  incorporated, as well as a representative from
  the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Central
  America. Since 2000, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominican
  Republic were integrated as full members.

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RIO GROUP AD-HOC WORKING GROUP FOR TECHNICAL
COOPERATION IN NATURAL DISASTER PREVENTION AND
RESPONSE

• Created during the XIII Assembly held in Mexico,
  28-29 May, 1999.
• Proposed Actions
• 1. Designing and adopting public national
  politics on disaster prevention, early warning,
  emergency, mitigation, re-habilitation and
  re-construction, by strengthtening or
  re-structuring national systems.
• 2. Implementation of policies, actions and
  projects on natural disaster prevention in a
  perspective that takes in consideration the
  national strategies for development such that the
  results must have social, economical and cultural
  benefits to country members.
• 3. Preparation of a regional directory of
  especialized national organisms and institutions
  responsible for regional cooperation as well as
  an inventory of national capacities, including
  civil society, for prevention, early warning,
  emergency, mitigation, re-habilitation and
  re-construction.

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ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES

• The ACS has a membership that includes all the
  independent island states and all mainland
  countries bordering the Caribbean Sea, from
  Mexico in the northwest to French Guiana in the
  southeast. The Dutch speaking islands and the
  French Caribbean departments are also Associate
  Members.
• There are 25 full Member States and 15 Observer
  Countries.

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ACS Special Committe on Natural Disasters
Preparedness and Response.

• The ACS has a regional agreement for co-operation
  in the management of natural disasters. Countries
  are working to develop co-operation projects in
  natural disaster preparedness and response.
• This Special Committees meet at least once a year
  to make recommendations to the Ministerial
  Council.

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GRUPO DE LOS TRES (GROUP OF THREE COLOMBIA,
MEXICO, VENEZUELA)

• Their combined population is about 32 of the
  total in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• The Agreement was signed January, 1995.

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GRUPO DE ALTO NIVEL (GROUP OF HIGH LEVEL GAN)
Disaster Prevention and Response

• This GAN was proposed in Caracas, Venezuela, 7-8
  April 2001, with the purpose of exchanging
  information and experiences and establishing a
  coordination with national authorities and a
  regional mechanism to attend emergency situations
  in country members. The GAN was installed
  January, 2002.

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ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) UNIT FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT

• Since 1983 the Unit, through its  Natural Hazards
  project, has been providing technical support to
  reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and thus
  avoid disasters or mitigate their effects.  Its
  activities include assistance with policy
  formulation, hazard and vulnerability
  assessments, training in disaster mitigation
  techniques, and formulation of mitigation
  measures for development of investment projects.

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PLAN PUEBLA-PANAMA (PPP)

• Supported by an Inter Institutional Group
  Central American Bank for Economical Integration
  (BCIE) Inter American Development Bank (IDB)
  Economical Commission for Latin America and the
  Caribbean (CEPAL).
• The objetive is to maximize the human and
  ecological richness of the Mesoamerican region,
  within a framework of sustainable development
  that considers the cultural and ethnic diversity.
  For these reasons, an integral strategy for the
  region with a package of mesoamerican initiatives
  and projects are considered.

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PPP MESOAMERICAN INITIATIVE FOR DISASTER
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION TWO ACTIONS

• 1. Adoption of disaster risk reduction as an
  element of the strategy for regional development
  which should be incorporated in all sectorial
  projects. Specifically, it is recommended that
  the formulation of projects should consider the
  vulnerability and impact of such projects to
  incorporate actions and resources to reduce
  present and to avoid future risks.
• 2. Implementación of three projects
• Development of the insurance market for
  disasters.
• Public conscienciation for disaster prevention.
• Hidrometeorologic information for competitivity.

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Risk Management in Latin America and the
Caribbean Characteristics
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Risk Management in Latin America and the
Caribbean Some Characteristics
Weak Planning. Regulation Framework generally
obsolete. Responsible Institution not
coordinated as System.
Lack of adequate national mechanisms for disaster
prevention and response
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Present Conditions increase Vulnerability
Meteorological and Geological Hazards
Changes of Economical Processes
Population increase
INADEQUATE LAND USE
INCREASE OF RISK AND VULNERABILITY
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Institutionality in Latin América and the
Caribbean

• Created (most of them) after a great disaster
  with the purpose of improving the response in
  future disasters.
• Most of them created under the concept of
  response with a low impact in Mitigation and
  Prevention.
• Recent developments have allowed to include
  prevention and mitigation as part of their Agenda
  but without important changes in their
  structures. In some cases, this situation is the
  cause of low efficiency in both, prevention and
  response.

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Other Problems

• Highly centralized institutions.
• Low distribution of responsabilities within the
  Governments structure.
• In most cases prevention is considered as a
  problem for technical and scientific
  institutions.
• Organisms with low budget for operation and low
  technical capacity.
• Null participation of the private, financial and
  insurance sectors.

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POSSIBLE AREAS OF COOPERATION FOR DISASTER
PREVENTION AND RESPONSE

• Strenghtening of Emergency Operation Centers.
• Promotion and/ or strenghtening of Mechanisms for
  Regional Integration.
• Development of Programs for regional monitoring
  of meteorological and geological phenomena of
  potential great impact.
• Strenghtening the regional institutionality.
• Promotion to incorporate risk reduction as a
  national priority in sustainable development
  programs.
• Promotion of greater participation of Civil
  Society.
• Promotion of Programs for social participation
  (from community level).
• Development of a Regional Information System for
  decision-making.
• Development of Communications during Emergencies.
  
• Training in Search and Rescue.
• Strenghtening Programs for Public Health and
  Medical Assistance.
• Logistic.
• Programs for Food Security.
• Support to Public Work and Engineering.

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GRACIAS!