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Titel |
The unperceived risk to Europe's coasts: tsunamis and the vulnerability of Cadiz, Spain |
VerfasserIn |
J. Birkmann, K. v. Teichman, T. Welle, M. González, M. Olabarrieta |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1561-8633
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ; 10, no. 12 ; Nr. 10, no. 12 (2010-12-21), S.2659-2675 |
Datensatznummer |
250008545
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/nhess-10-2659-2010.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
The development of appropriate risk and vulnerability reduction strategies
to cope with tsunami risks is a major challenge for countries, regions, and
cities exposed to potential tsunamis. European coastal cities such as Cadiz
are exposed to tsunami risks. However, most official risk reduction
strategies as well as the local population are not aware of the probability
of such a phenomenon and the potential threat that tsunami waves could pose
to their littoral. This paper outlines how tsunami risks, and particularly
tsunami vulnerability, could be assessed and measured. To achieve this, a
vulnerability assessment framework was applied focusing on the city of Cadiz
as a case study in order to highlight the practical use and the challenges
and gaps such an assessment has to deal with. The findings yield important
information that could assist with the systematic improvement of societal
response capacities of cities and their inhabitants to potential tsunami
risks. Hazard and vulnerability maps were developed, and qualitative data
was obtained through, for example, focused group discussions. These maps and
surveys are essential for the development of a people-centred early warning
and response system. Therefore, in this regard, the Tsunami Early Warning
and Mitigation System in the North Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and
connected seas promoted by the UNESCO-Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission (IOC) should encompass these assessments to ensure that action is
particularly intensified and fostered by those potentially exposed. That
means that besides the necessary technical infrastructure for tsunami
detection, additional response and adaptation measures need to be promoted
– particularly those that reduce the vulnerability of people and regions
exposed – in terms of national systems. In addition, it is important to
develop emergency preparedness and awareness plans in order to create an
integrated regional Tsunami Early Warning System (TEWS) by 2011. The
findings of the paper are based on research conducted within the framework
of the EC funded project TRANSFER: "Tsunami Risk ANd Strategies For the
European Region", a project that aims to improve the understanding of
tsunami processes in the Euro-Mediterranean region, to develop methods and
tools to assess vulnerability and risk, and to identify strategies for the
reduction of tsunami risks. |
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