Land-based And Marine Hazards: Scientific And Management Issues (advances In Natural And Technological Hazards Research)

Causes of major disasters are many and diverse, and the risks associated with them endanger human lives, property, the environment, the economy, and even the country's political and social well-being. It is clear that, with rapid population growth, environmental degradation, climate change, poorly regulated industries, and continued economic uncertainty, the chances are that communities may become more vulnerable to disasters. The dramatic losses in recent years from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides, wildland fires, droughts and floods, cyclones and storm surges attest to the fact that we are still a long way from applying even the knowledge we have today to make communities safe. Tackling this problem requires a sound evaluation of disaster mitigation policies and tools. As a contribution to the International Decade for Natural Disasters Reduction (IDNDR), the fifth international symposium HAZARDS-93 was held in Qingdao, P.R. China on 29 August - 3 September, 1993. China is a country frequently hit by almost all kinds of disasters. Its history is one of combating natural disasters and working towards their reduction. More than 250 scientists, engineers and government officials from 20 countries met for the purpose of engaging in a free exchange of knowledge, experience and ideas regarding the scientific and socio-economic aspects of mitigating losses from natural and man- made disasters. A total of 180 papers were presented at 28 sessions covering a very broad range of topics related to disaster management. The twenty-one articles included in this book deal with the scientific and management issues of land-based and marine hazards which cause the most severe economic losses, deaths and environmental degradation in many parts of the world. The book also includes specific recommendations addressed to the IDNDR Secretariat, national governments and scientific experts to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of disaster management. Thus, __Land-Based and Marine____Hazards: Scientific and Management Issues__ forms an excellent reference for scientists, engineers, policy-makers and the insurance industry. Front Matter....Pages i-vii Front Matter....Pages 3-3 A Comparative Study of Stochastic Models for Seismic Hazard Estimation....Pages 5-24 Data Base for Seismic Risk Assessment in Cusco, Peru....Pages 25-36 Reducing the Seismic Vulnerability of Earth Buildings....Pages 37-48 Some Geological Hazards in Egypt, Their Nature and Extent....Pages 49-69 The Ecological Impact of Fire on the Peatland Forest in the DA Xingan Mountain, China....Pages 71-78 EL Niño/Southern Oscillation, Indian Monsoon and World Grain Yields — a Synthesis....Pages 79-95 EL-Niño and Storm Surges in the Bay of Bengal....Pages 97-111 Storm Surges and River Flooding Bangladesh: A Rising Challenge in a Changing Global Climate....Pages 113-138 Numerical Study of Nonlinear Tide-Surge Interaction in the Coastal Waters of Shanghai....Pages 139-156 A Numerical Model to Simulate the Movement of Suspended Sediment off the Huanghe River (Yellow River) Delta....Pages 157-177 Hazards from Sea Level Rise and their Impacts on Resources Utilization in the Yangtze River Deltaic Plain, China....Pages 179-189 The Trapping of Oil at DAWHAT AD DAFI - An Analysis of Results from the 1991 Arabian Gulf Oil Spills....Pages 191-202 Damage to Fine Structure of Gills of Mytilus SP. Due to Pollution by LAS (Linear-Alkyl-Benzene-Sulphonate) and Cadmium....Pages 203-214 Front Matter....Pages 215-215 Natural and Technological Disaster Management: Uncertainty in Technical, Sociopolitical and Scientific Issues....Pages 217-228 Governmental Measures to Mitigate Earthquake Impacts in Algeria....Pages 229-237 Unified Natural Hazard Management: Lessons from Flooding....Pages 239-244 On the Natural Disaster Reduction Policy and Management System in China....Pages 245-256 Disaster Mitigation and Economic Development in Shandong Province, China....Pages 257-263 Marine Disasters in China and the Strategy for Their Mitigations....Pages 265-277 Storm Surge Disasters in Beibu Bay (China) and Countermeasures for Their Reduction....Pages 279-285 Front Matter....Pages 215-215 Managing Forest Fires: An Automatic Fire Weather Station Network in China....Pages 287-293 Hazards-93: Concluding Plenary Session and Recommendations....Pages 295-297 Back Matter....Pages 299-301 Causes of major disasters are many and diverse, and the risks associated with them endanger human lives, property, the environment, the economy, and even the country's political and social well-being. It is clear that, with rapid population growth, environmental degradation, climate change, poorly regulated industries, and continued economic uncertainty, the chances are that communities may become more vulnerable to disasters. The dramatic losses in recent years from volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides, wildland fires, droughts and floods, cyclones and storm surges attest to the fact that we are still a long way from applying even the knowledge we have today to make communities safe. Tackling this problem requires a sound evaluation of disaster mitigation policies and tools. As a contribution to the International Decade for Natural Disasters Reduction (IDNDR), the fifth international symposium HAZARDS-93 was held in Qingdao, P.R. China on 29 August - 3 September, 1993. China is a country frequently hit by almost all kinds of disasters. Its history is one of combating natural disasters and working towards their reduction. More than 250 scientists, engineers and government officials from 20 countries met for the purpose of engaging in a free exchange of knowledge, experience and ideas regarding the scientific and socio-economic aspects of mitigating losses from natural and man- made disasters. A total of 180 papers were presented at 28 sessions covering a very broad range of topics related to disaster management. The twenty-one articles included in this book deal with the scientific and management issues of land-based and marine hazards which cause the most severe economic losses, deaths and environmental degradation in many parts of the world. The book also includes specific recommendations addressed to the IDNDR Secretariat, national governments and scientific experts to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of disaster management. Thus, Land-Based and Marine Hazards: Scientific and Management Issues forms an excellent reference for scientists, engineers, policy-makers and the insurance industry.