| The last mile: earthquake risk mitigation assistance in developing countries. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 16844655 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
Over the past few decades, we have seen many joint programmes between developed countries and developing countries to help the latter in managing their earthquake risks. These programmes span the whole spectrum of disciplines from seismology and geology to engineering, social science and economics. Many of these programmes have been effective in raising awareness, in urging governments to work towards risk reduction and in spawning an 'industry' of disaster management in many of the developing countries. However, even as these efforts proceed, we have seen death and destruction due to earthquake after earthquake in developing countries, strongly suggesting that the problems for which those assistance programmes were developed are not so effective. Therefore, it is natural to ask why this is happening. Are the assistance programmes reaching the right people? Maybe we are reaching the right people and doing the right type of things in these countries, but we have not allowed enough time for our actions to take effect. Maybe we are reaching the right people and doing the right actions for most of the miles we need to cover in helping communities mitigate their earthquake risks. However, the issue could be whether we are reaching people who represent the 'last mile' on this pathway. Here, I explore whether the work that many organizations and countries have done towards earthquake risk reduction over the past few decades in developing countries is appropriate or not. Why do we keep seeing the catastrophes of Sumatra, Chi Chi, Bhuj, Turkey, Algeria and on and on? I will articulate what I think is the problem. My contribution is intended to generate discussions, self-analysis of our approaches, what we are doing right and what we are not doing right. Hopefully such discussions will result in a better connection between the last mile and programmes around the world which are working towards earthquake risk mitigation. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Haresh C Shah |
Related Documents
:
|
13536795 - The insecticide-resistance problem: a review of developments in 1956 and 1957. 8902915 - New antiepileptic drug trials in developing countries: are they necessary? 2488575 - Hiv counselling in prisons. 20709415 - Free-roaming dog control among oie-member countries. 22632635 - Venomous bites, stings, and poisoning. 12153105 - Nulling interferometry without achromatic phase shifters. |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences Volume: 364 ISSN: 1364-503X ISO Abbreviation: Philos Transact A Math Phys Eng Sci Publication Date: 2006 Aug |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2006-07-17 Completed Date: 2006-09-20 Revised Date: 2009-04-16 |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 101133385 Medline TA: Philos Transact A Math Phys Eng Sci Country: England |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 2183-9 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
Stanford University, CA 94305-4020, USA. haresh.shah@rms.com |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Developed Countries
/
statistics & numerical data* Disaster Planning / methods*, organization & administration* Disasters / statistics & numerical data* Environment* Internationality Risk Assessment / methods* Risk Factors |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Global early warning systems for natural hazards: systematic and people-centred.
Next Document: Managing extreme natural disasters in coastal areas.