Disaster Governance for Community Resilience in Coastal Towns

Chilean Case Studies

Bibliographic Data

ID15479128
AuthorsPaula Villagra (0000-0001-6428-3933, Austral University of Chile, corresponding author), Carolina Quintana (0000-0003-4551-7540, Austral University of Chile)
Year2017
Volume14
Issue9
Pages1063-1063
Publication date2017-09-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph14091063
PMID28906480
OpenAlexW2754628646
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited25

This study aimed to further our understanding of a characteristic of Community Resilience known as Disaster Governance. Three attributes of Disaster Governance-redundancy, diversity, and overlap-were studied in four coastal towns in southern Chile that are at risk of tsunamis. Overall, we explored how different spatial structures of human settlements influence Disaster Governance. Using the Projective Mapping Technique, the distribution of emergency institutions (N = 32) and uses given to specific sites (e.g., for refuge, sanitary purposes and medical attention) were mapped. Content and GIS analyses (Directional Distribution and Kernel Density Index) were used to explore the dispersion and concentration of institutions and uses in each town. Disaster Governance was found to be highly influenced by decisions taken during regional, urban, and emergency planning. Governance is better in towns of higher order in the communal hierarchical structure. Most of the emergency institutions were found to be located in central and urban areas, which, in turn, assures more redundancy, overlap, and diversity in governance in the event of a tsunami. Lack of flexibility of emergency plans also limits governance in rural and indigenous areas. While the spatial relationships found in this study indicate that urban sectors have better Disaster Governance than rural and indigenous sectors, the influence of resource availability after tsunamis, the role and responsibility of different levels of governments, and the politics of disaster also play an important role in Disaster Governance for determining Community Resilience. These findings shed light on emergency planning and aspects of the Disaster Management cycle

Business · Corporate governance · Economic growth · Economics · Emergency management · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Disaster Management and Resilience · Flood Risk Assessment and Management · Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research