The Dilemmas of Risk-Sensitive Development on a Small Volcanic Island (original) (raw)
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Understanding Disaster Risk on Volcanic Islands: a Research Agenda
2007
Disasters as a result of natural hazards are increasing in frequency and having a greater impact on populations and economies worldwide (World Bank, 2005, ISDR, 2004, Emergency Disasters Data Base). Therefore it is imperative for scientists and practitioners in hazardous areas to have a better understanding of the causes of disaster risk, and improved tools for assessing its impact on vulnerable populations.
Eruption Hazard and Challenges of Volcanic Crisis Management on a Small Island: A Case
International Journal of GEOMATE, 2020
Ternate Island is a volcanic island formed by the product of Gamalama volcano since thousands of years ago until the present time. It covers 111.4 km 2 and inhabited by more than 200,000 people. Its small size and dense population make it vulnerable to eruption hazards. This study aims to analyze the Gamalama volcano eruption hazard and the challenges of crisis management due to eruption on the small volcanic island of Ternate. This research also offers potential solutions for reducing the risk of catastrophic eruptions on small volcanic islands. Data on eruption events, including the type of eruption and the impact are collected and analyzed to see various potential eruption hazards. Besides, the analysis was also carried out to find potential solutions for volcanic risk management on small volcanic islands. The results show that the Ternate Island has the potential volcanic hazard, (primary), i.e., ejecting and incandescent of volcanic material (volcanic ash, sand, gravel, and bomb), lava flow, and pyroclastic flow. The other hazard (secondary) can be in the form of lahar and volcanic-tsunamis. A small island with dense population and all kinds of limitations will be more susceptible to eruption. The potential strategy that must be developed for volcanic risk management on a small island is the sister island concept. This concept is a networking system between communities on disaster-prone islands and communities on other islands that are safe to prepare evacuation procedures to avoid chaos in a volcanic crisis.
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The Windward Islands are vulnerable to a number of natural hazards. This thesis examines the possibilities for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Windward Islands. The Windward Islands offer a special case of “Island Vulnerability”. Island vulnerability is essentially defined as an increased probability in disaster events against what would be expected if vulnerability were to be measured against international levels of poverty, defined as Gross National Product per capita. There are three reasons for this namely the topography of islands, the site characteristics and the socio-economic setting. The topography is one where islands, largely of volcanic or coral origins, face multi-hazard experience particularly from flooding and storm surge. The site issue is that islands usually have a high ratio of coastline to land mass implying a relatively higher exposure to extreme events. The socio-economic conditions are peculiar to island including isolation, mono-agriculture and mono-indu...
Natural Hazards, 2014
The last major eruption of La Soufrie`re volcano in Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles) in 1976–1977 caused the mass evacuation of part of the population, whereby a total of 76,000 people were displaced for a period of 3–6 months. This evacuation has left a bitter memory among the inhabitants who believed that the political authorities of the time had not anticipated the possibility of an eruption crisis and that decisions were taken in haste. La Soufrie`re remains active, and future eruptions could once again lead to partial or even total evacuation of the population if there were a major Plinian eruption. This article offers an investigation of future evacuation procedures, questioning different aspects of Guadeloupe’s current territorial and social challenges (the multi-risk context, the reporting to the scientists and to the authorities, the importance of local solidarity). In order to do so, we used the Focus Group Discussion method, making it possible to identify resources and gaps in crisis management on the basis of previous event history.
Disaster risk reduction on non-sovereign islands: La Réunion and Mayotte, France
Natural Hazards, 2011
The Islands of Réunion and Mayotte are French territories in the Indian Ocean and are prone to numerous and recurrent hazards as well as to increasing vulnerabilities. This paper examines disaster risk reduction on non-sovereign islands through the case studies of Réunion and Mayotte. The approach used is embedded in standard geographical approaches to risk analysis, focusing on place-based vulnerability, in order to understand disaster risk and disaster risk reduction on both islands. In addition to establishing baseline information and visiting both islands for further data, 21 semi-structured individual interviews were completed to understand the people's perceptions of the hazards and of their vulnerabilities. Disaster risk reduction strategies, and attitudes from governing bodies implementing the strategies, tend to assume similar vulnerability contexts as mainland France, despite obvious differences on the islands. Many policies are implemented in a top-down manner by those from mainland France who have little interest in, and who do not fully take into consideration, local realities. This paper contributes new case studies to the literature, especially in comparing two non-Anglophone non-sovereign islands, and reinforces recommendations factoring in local contexts when addressing 'vulnerability of a place' to disasters.
Fostering Participation of Local Actors in Volcanic Disaster Risk Reduction
Advances in Volcanology, 2017
Studies of recent volcanic crises have revealed that official evacuation and contingency plans are often not followed by communities at risk. This is primarily attributable to a lack of long-term coordination and planning among concerned stakeholders, and in particular, a lack of participation of local populations in disaster risk reduction (DRR). A lack of participation suggests the prevalence of top-down approaches, wherein local people are disengaged or even excluded in the development of DRR plans. It is not surprising, therefore, that existing plans are often non-operational, nor acceptable to the people for whom they are intended. Through an investigation of case studies at Mount Rainier (USA) and Bulusan (Philippines), and references to volcanoes elsewhere, this chapter aims to determine the key principles and important considerations to ensure peoples' participation in volcanic DRR. The chapter discusses key factors that encourage local empowerment, engagement, influence, and control in development of plans and actions. It adds information to the existing literature about how participatory approaches can encourage contributions by both local and outside actors, the latter providing knowledge, resources and skills when unavailable at local levels. Such approaches promote dialogue and co-production of knowledge between the community and outside actors. Contributions from multiple and diverse stakeholders
Institutional and Social Responses to Hazards Related to Karthala Volcano, Comoros
Although Karthala volcano in Grande Comore Island has erupted four times since 2005, the government and the local population still remain unprepared for a major eruptive crisis. The reasons for this lack of preparation lie in a deep tangle of political, socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental factors. Consequently, the population accepts the volcanic threat in different ways and to different levels. The ways in which Comorians deal with this threat lead to important changes in their society (eg social links evolving, exposure to volcanic hazards in exchange for some improvements in daily life, and easier access to resources). On a national scale, deep structural adjustments are required in order to reduce vulnerability sustainably.
Beyond the volcanic crisis: co-governance of risk in Montserrat
Journal of Applied Volcanology, 2015
Disaster risk governance is concerned with how institutions change in response to perturbations or, conversely, are able to remain static for long periods of time. In Montserrat, the volcanic eruption in 1995 produced unprecedented challenges for both local government authorities and the UK Government. The sharp and sustained rise in the level of volcanic risk combined with an inadequate response from UK and local authorities prompted a shift in governance arrangements, and when levels of risk declined these new configurations did not go back to their pre-crisis state. This paper focuses on one aspect of this governance transition: the relationship between the local Montserratian government and the UK government. Before the eruption Montserrat enjoyed high levels of political and fiscal independence from the UK in disaster risk management and other investment decisions, but the volcanic crisis highlighted low levels of capacity and the inherent instability in this system. A new co-governance regime was established after the crisis, characterised by greater UK intervention in local investment decisions and some loss of political sovereignty. On the other hand, Montserrat has become more integrated in regional and international disaster risk governance systems, and today the division of local and central responsibilities for different aspects of disaster risk management is much clearer than before the volcanic crisis. This paper demonstrates how disasters can create spaces for existing risk governance systems to be questioned and modified. The volcanic crisis led to a reconsideration of responsibilities and risk management practices by both Montserratian and UK authorities, and initiated a process of transformation in land-use and development planning that has substantially reduced levels of volcanic risk on the island. However, these benefits have to be weighed against loss of livelihoods for a significant proportion of the population and considerable social upheaval. Critical to the success of this new development model is the need for vertical coherence and dialogue between different stakeholders. Montserrat and UK risk governance systems are more integrated now, but unless communities are engaged in risk management decisions, Montserrat's low-risk development model could come unstuck. Small islands with large risks can learn a lot from the Montserrat experience.