Urban Technological Risk Characterization and Management: Towards a Better Understanding of Non-Natural Threats in Merida City, Venezuela

Alej; ro Liñayo

doi:10.20965/jdr.2010.p0509

single-dr.php

« previous

JDR Vol.5 No.5 pp. 509-516

(2010)

doi: 10.20965/jdr.2010.p0509

Paper:

Views over last 60 days: 358

Urban Technological Risk Characterization and Management: Towards a Better Understanding of Non-Natural Threats in Merida City, Venezuela

Alejandro Liñayo

Disaster Risk Management Research Centre (CIGIR), Network for Social Studies on Disasters Prevention in Latin-American (LaRED), Mérida, Venezuela

Received:

February 14, 2010

Accepted:

October 15, 2010

Published:

October 1, 2010

Keywords:

technological risk, right-to-know, Venezuela, chemical accidents, urban spatial conflict, GIS

Abstract

The past four decades has seen an increase in the destructive impact of human-originated and natural hazard disasters in industrial facilities. This illustrates the limited capacity for comprehensively estimating and responding to technological risk scenarios at all urban scales. Accidents, such as the chemical releases at Séveso (Italy) in 1976 and Bhopal (India) in 1984 and the 1992 gas explosion in Guadalajara (Mexico), have led national legislation for implementing strategies for countering and preparing for urban technological risks. Other accidents, however, suggest the need to understand that the inherent conflict between how we occupy urban space creates new needs for technological risk management methods that can be used by city planners and disaster/emergency management planners. Information and procedural gaps also exist in terms of citizen knowledge (the right to know) and local administrative knowledge (missing expertise). This paper illustrates that technological risk does occur in many areas of the city and is not isolated in just large industrial sites. Advances and experience accumulated by the Disaster Risk Management Research Center in identifying and integrating technological risk treatment for the city ofMérida, Venezuela are presented. The application of new tools and technologies in geospatially characterizing risk scenarios are presented. Strengthening of the institutional and community aspects of local urban risk scenario management is recommended.

Cite this article as:

A. Liñayo, “Urban Technological Risk Characterization and Management: Towards a Better Understanding of Non-Natural Threats in Merida City, Venezuela,” J. Disaster Res., Vol.5 No.5, pp. 509-516, 2010.

Data files:

References

[1] E. L. Quarantelli, “Future Disasters in the United States: More and Worse.” – Preliminary Paper #125, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, 1988.
[2] V. C. Marshall, “The Seveso Disaster: An Appraisal of Its Causes and Circumstances,” Loss Prevention Bulletin, 104, April 1992.
[3] S. R. Rajan, “Missing Expertise, Categorical Politics and Chronic Disasters: The Case of Bhopal,” In “Catastrophe and Culture” by S. M. Hoffman, and Anthony Oliver-Smith, Santa Fe, New Mexico; School of American Research Press, 2002.
[4] 42 U.S.C. §11001 et seq., “Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act,” 1986.
[5] S. Stephens, “Bounding Uncertainty-The Post-Chernobyl Culture of Radiation Protection Experts,” In “Catastrophe and Culture” by S. M. Hoffman, and Anthony Oliver-Smith, Santa Fe, New Mexico; School of American Research Press, 2002.
[6] B. E. Aguirre et al., “The Social Organization of Search and Rescue: Evidence from the Guadalajara Gasoline Explosion,” Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, 1994.
[7] A. Liñayo, “A Systemic-Interpretive Approach to Disasters Administration in Latin America,” Interpretive Systemology Studies Center, University of Los Andes, Mérida, 2002.
[8] A. Liñayo et al., “Urban Technological Risk Characterization and Treatment in Mérida City – Preliminary Report,” Research Center on Disaster Risk Reduction CIGIR (www.cigir.org), Caracas, 2010 (unpublished) .
[9] V. Jiménez, A. Liñayo, M. Santana et al., “Integral Risk administration: Actions to Construct State Policies,” Ministry of Science and Technology, Caracas, 2005.
[10] A. Liñayo, “Ideas for the municipal strengthening in Risk Administration,” Risk Administration and Disasters Reduction Program, Ministry of Science and Technology, Caracas, 2002 (Unpublished).

This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.

[1] [1] E. L. Quarantelli, “Future Disasters in the United States: More and Worse.” – Preliminary Paper #125, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, 1988.

[2] [2] V. C. Marshall, “The Seveso Disaster: An Appraisal of Its Causes and Circumstances,” Loss Prevention Bulletin, 104, April 1992.

[3] [3] S. R. Rajan, “Missing Expertise, Categorical Politics and Chronic Disasters: The Case of Bhopal,” In “Catastrophe and Culture” by S. M. Hoffman, and Anthony Oliver-Smith, Santa Fe, New Mexico; School of American Research Press, 2002.

[4] [4] 42 U.S.C. §11001 et seq., “Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act,” 1986.

[5] [5] S. Stephens, “Bounding Uncertainty-The Post-Chernobyl Culture of Radiation Protection Experts,” In “Catastrophe and Culture” by S. M. Hoffman, and Anthony Oliver-Smith, Santa Fe, New Mexico; School of American Research Press, 2002.

[6] [6] B. E. Aguirre et al., “The Social Organization of Search and Rescue: Evidence from the Guadalajara Gasoline Explosion,” Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware, 1994.

[7] [7] A. Liñayo, “A Systemic-Interpretive Approach to Disasters Administration in Latin America,” Interpretive Systemology Studies Center, University of Los Andes, Mérida, 2002.

[8] [8] A. Liñayo et al., “Urban Technological Risk Characterization and Treatment in Mérida City – Preliminary Report,” Research Center on Disaster Risk Reduction CIGIR (www.cigir.org), Caracas, 2010 (unpublished) .

[9] [9] V. Jiménez, A. Liñayo, M. Santana et al., “Integral Risk administration: Actions to Construct State Policies,” Ministry of Science and Technology, Caracas, 2005.

[10] [10] A. Liñayo, “Ideas for the municipal strengthening in Risk Administration,” Risk Administration and Disasters Reduction Program, Ministry of Science and Technology, Caracas, 2002 (Unpublished).