Last updated 14 April 1997

Prevention and Mitigation of Geology-related Natural Disasters

• As an integral part of the efforts by MRS to promote the consideration of geological conditions in planning, the Section is advertizing the benefits of hazard zoning for more effective disaster management, This is based on the premise that natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunamis, etc. do not always have to result in disasters, i.e., if people and assets are not placed at risk in hazard zones. This of course is a most effective approach in new development areas, where planning is more easily influenced by geological information. In already built-up areas however, hazard zoning is still considered beneficial, such as for the enforcement of building codes, but also for the optimum deployment of personnel and equipment required in post-disaster relief operations.

In a joint effort with the Water Resources Section, an ESCAP publication on geology-related disasters was prepared in 1994 as the second volume in a set of two, entitled Natural Disaster Reduction in Asia and the Pacific.

In most cases however, the Mineral Resources Section views geology-related natural hazards as one of the "themes" to be considered in the collection of geological data for land-use/urban planning. Based on this viewpoint, geology-related natural hazards feature prominently in periodic ESCAP meetings and publications on geology for urban planning.