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TitleAssessing community earthquake risks; Planning for a disaster-resilient community in Western Canada
AuthorHastings, N L; Dercole, F; Journeay, M; Mason, D
SourceUNISDR Scientific and Technical Advisory Group Case Studies; by United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction; 2014 p. 1
Year2014
Alt SeriesEarth Sciences Sector, Contribution Series 20140175
PublisherUNISDR Publications
Documentbook
Lang.English
Mediapaper; on-line; digital
File formatpdf
ProvinceBritish Columbia
NTS92K; 92L
AreaNorth Vancouver
Lat/Long WENS-128.0000 -125.0000 50.5000 49.5000
Subjectsgeophysics; earthquakes; earthquake risk; earthquake studies; health hazards; geological hazards; disaster planning
Illustrationslocation maps; photographs
ProgramQuantitave risk assessment project, Public Safety Geoscience
LinksOnline - En ligne
LinksPoster - Affiche
Abstract(unpublished)
The west coast of Canada is one of this country's most seismically active regions. A significant felt earthquake has not been experienced in the region in the recent past. This case study focuses on a mid-sized municipality in the greater Vancouver region, situated on the Pacific Ocean with the Coast Mountains as backdrop. With a population of 84,000 people, the District of North Vancouver forms part of the greater 2.4 million populous of the surrounding Metro Vancouver region. Projected growth in the municipality anticipates an additional 40,000 people by 2030. The community's industrial waterfront is part of Canada's busiest port, providing economic opportunities and jobs. The challenges for this community are in understanding and assessing the risks from a potentially damaging earthquake. Currently, Canadian municipalities rely on the National Building Code of Canada, earthquake emergency plans and earthquake exercise drills to test preparedness. Is this enough? How can local governments more accurately prioritize and efficiently take action to address the safety and economic risks resulting from a damaging earthquake in their community? How can this municipality focus its efforts to reduce these risks?
Until now, no national methodology has been available in Canada for assessing earthquake risk. In 2009, Canada's Department of Natural Resources partnered with the District of North Vancouver, the North Shore Emergency Management Office, the University of British Columbia and Defence Research and Development Canada, to adapt and validate the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) national loss estimation tool, Hazus, for use in Canada. As of 2014, the District of North Vancouver and the North Shore Emergency Management Office are now using this knowledge to develop an earthquake ready action plan. The action plan aims to strengthen the community's resilience capacity with respect to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from earthquakes by identifying the people, buildings and infrastructure that are most vulnerable.
Summary(Plain Language Summary, not published)
The report is for a publication with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's (UNISDR) Science and Technical Advisory Group. This group provides technical advice for supporting activities to the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction. The publication profiles case studies to demonstrate how science is being used for disaster risk reduction, enable disaster risk assessment, reduce impact of disasters and improve risk mitigation programs. NRCan's, quantifying geohazard risk project have been working with partners to adapt and validate the United States, Federal Emergency Management Agency's loss estimation methodology, Hazus, to model losses from earthquake events. The two-page report is submitted to the UNISDR publication to profile science generated in the case study and demonstrate how action is being taken by this municipality to make its community more disaster resilient.
GEOSCAN ID295130