On January 29, 2015, a routine delivery of gas to a maternity hospital in Mexico City leads to a deadly explosion killing 4 and injuring dozens. The explosion occurred when a gas tanker was making a routine, early morning delivery of gas to the hospital kitchen, and gas started to leak. The tanker workers worked for 15 to 20 minutes to repair the leak while a large cloud of gas was forming, then exploded. Technologies for monitoring, forecasting, and warning are vital for becoming resilient. Presentation courtesy of Dr Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction

1. MAKING OUR WORLD DISASTER RESILIENT
“Good Success” Will be Our Legacy

2. DISASTER RESILIENCE HAS A
VERY HIGH BENEFIT/COST
1 < BENEFIT/COST <
1000
THE PAYOFF IS
GREATER SAFETY,
SECURITY, HEALTH
CARE, AND QUALITY
OF LIFE FOR
EVRYONE

3. AT PRESENT, OUR WORLD IS
NOT DISASTER RESILIENT
• INDUSTRIAL
ACCIDENTS
• FLOODS
• SEVERE
WINDSTORMS
• EARTHQUAKES
• TSUNAMIS

4. AT PRESENT, OUR WORLD IS
NOT DISASTER RESILIENT
• DROUGHTS
• VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS
• LANDSLIDES
• WILDFIRES

5. JANUARY 29, 2015
MILLIONS OF
COMMUNITIES ARE NOT
RESILIENT TO
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS

6. A Routine Delivery of Gas to a
Maternity Hospital in Mexico
City Leads to a Deadly
Explosion Killing 4 and Injuring
Dozens
January 29, 2015

7. ELEMENTS OF THE DISASTER
• The explosion occurred when a gas
tanker was making a routine, early
morning delivery of gas to the hospital
kitchen, and gas started to leak.
• The tanker workers worked for 15 to 20
minutes to repair the leak while a large
cloud of gas was forming, then
exploded.

8. ELEMENTS OF THE DISASTER
• The explosion sent up an
enormous fireball and plumes
of dust and smoke.
• The Hospital caught fire and
collapsed.

9. MEXICO: GAS EXPLOSION

10. MEXICO: GAS EXPLOSION

11. SMALL THIS TIME, BUT IT COULD
HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE
• The maternity hospital is located on the
western edge of Mexico’s densely
populated capital.
• It is located in a middle class
neighborhood, next to a school.
• Miraculously, the hospital’s oxygen
tanks were not affected by the
explosion or fire.

12. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF
COMMUNITIES ARE NOT
RESILIENT TO FLOOD
DISASTERS

13. BUILDING IN FLOOD PLAIN
FLOODS
INUNDATION AND SCOUR
INTERACTION WITH
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
EFFECTS OF WATER ON
STRUCTURE & CONTENTS
INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR
HEALTH PROBLEMS,
INJURIES, AND DEATH
LOSS OF FUNCTION OF
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
VULNERABILITY OF NON-
STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

14. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL FLOODS
PREPAREDNES
FOR THE
EXPECTED AND
UNEXPECTED IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
BECOMING
DISASTER
RESILIENT

15. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL FLOODS
EARLY WARN-
ING (THE ISS)
AND EVACU-
ATION ARE
ESSENTIAL
FOR DISASTER
RESILIENCE

16. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL FLOODS
TIMELY
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL
FOR DISASTER
RESILIENCE

17. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL FLOODS
RECOVERY
AND RECON-
STRUCTION
USUALLY TAKE
LONGER THAN
THOUGHT.

18. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT RESILIENT TO
HURRICANE OR TYPHOON
DISASTERS

19. WIND AND WATER
PENETRATE BUILDING
ENVELOPE
SEVERE
WINDSTORMS
UPLIFT OF ROOF SYSTEM
FLYING DEBRIS PENETRATES
WINDOWS
STORM SURGE AND HEAVY
PRECIPITATION
IRREGULARITIES IN
ELEVATION AND PLAN
POOR WORKMANSHIP
IGNORING NON-STRUCTURAL
ELEMENTS
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

20. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL WIND-
STORMS
PREPAREDNES
FOR THE
EXPECTED AND
UNEXPECTED IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
DISASTER
RESILIENCE

21. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
• ALL
WINDSTORMS
• WITHOUT
ADEQUATE
PROTECTION, HIGH
VELOCITY WIND
WILL LIFT THE
ROOF OFF OF NON-
ENGINEERED
BUILDINGS.

22. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
• ALL WINDSTORMS.
• DISASTER-
INTELLIGENT
COMMUNITIES USE
TIMELY EARLY
WARNING TO
EVACUATE PEOPLE
AND TO PREPARE.

23. LESSONS LEARNED FOR
DISASTER RESILIENCE
• ALL
WINDSTORMS
• CAPACITY FOR
INTELLIGENT
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE.

24. LESSONS LEARNED FOR
DISASTER RESILIENCE
• ALL
WINDSTORMS
• CAPACITY FOR
RECOVERY AND
RECONSTRUCTION
IS ESSENTIAL FOR
COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE.

25. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT RESILIENT TO
EARTHQUAKE DISASTERS

26. INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO
HORIZONTAL GROUND SHAKING
EARTHQUAKES
SOIL AMPLIFICATION
PERMANENT DISPLACEMENT
(SOIL FAILURE AND SURFACE
FAULTING )
IRREGULARITIES IN MASS,
STRENGTH, AND STIFFNESS
FLOODING FROM TSUNAMI WAVE
RUNUP AND SEICHE
POOR DETAILING OF
STRUCTURALSYSTEM
IGNORING NON-STRUCTURAL
ELEMENTS
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

27. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL EARTHQUAKES
PREPAREDNESS FOR
ALL OF THE LIKELY
AND UNLIKELY
HAZARDS AND
RISKS IS ESSENTIAL
FOR DISASTER
RESILIENCE

28. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL EARTH-
QUAKES
BUILDING CODES
AND LIFELINE
STANDARDS ARE
ESSENTIAL FOR
DISASTER
RESILIENCE

29. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL EARTHQUAKES
TIMELY
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
DISASTER
RESILIENCE

30. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL EARTHQUAKES
IF APRIORI PLANS
FOR RECOVERY AND
RECONSTRUCTION
ARE ABSENT, THE
PROCESS WILL BE
LONG, COMPLEX,
AND HIGHLY
POLITICAL

31. JANUARY 29, 2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT RESILIENT TO
TSUNAMI DISASTERS

32. HIGH VELOCITY IMPACT OF
INCOMING WAVES
TSUNAMIS
INLAND DISTANCE OF WAVE
RUNUP
VERTICAL HEIGHT OF WAVE
RUNUP
INADEQUATE RESISTANCE OF
BUILDINGS
FLOODING
NO WARNING, OR
INADEQUATE WARNING
PROXIMITY TO SOURCE OF
TSUNAMI
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

33. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
• ALL TSUNAMIS.
• DISASTER-
INTELLIGENT
COMMUNITIES USE
TIMELY EARLY
WARNING FROM A
TSUNAMI WARNING
SYSTEM TO
EVACUATE PEOPLE
FROM HARM’S WAY.

34. LESSON: RECOVERY AND RECON-
STRUCTION IS LONG AND COMPLEX

35. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT RESILIENT TO
DROUGHT DISASTERS

36. PROLONGED LACK OF
PRECIPITATION
DROUGHTS
LOSS OF SOIL MOSTURE
LOSS OF AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTIVITY
DEPLETION/POLLUTION OF
GROUND WATER
LOSS OF VEGETATION
INSECT INFESTATION
PROGRESSIVE LOSS OF LAND
BY DESERTIFICATION
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

37. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES ARE
NOT RESILIENT TO VOLCANIC
ERUPTION DISASTERS

38. PROXIMITY TO LATERAL
BLAST
VOLCANIC
ERUPTIONS
IN PATH OF PYROCLASTIC
FLOWS
IN PATH OF FLYING DEBRIS
(TEPHRA)
IN PATH OF VOLCANIC ASH
(AVIATION)
IN PATH OF LAVA FLOWS
IN PATH OF LAHARS
IGNORING WARNING TO
EVACUATE
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

39. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT RESILIENT TO
LANDSLIDE DISASTERS

40. BUILDING ON UNSTABLE
SLOPES
LANDSLIDES
SOIL AND ROCK SUCEPTIBLE
TO FALLS
SOIL AND ROCK SUCEPTIBLE
TO TOPPLES
SOIL AND ROCK SUCEPTIBLE
TO SPREADS
SOIL AND ROCK
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOWS
EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION
OR GROUND SHAKING
BARE, OVERSTEEPENED
SLOPES
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

41. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL LANDSLIDES
PREPAREDNES
FOR THE
EXPECTED AND
UNEXPEDTED IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
DISASTER
RESILIENCE

42. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL LANDSLIDES
TIMELY
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE
(SEARCH AND
RESCUE) IS
ESSENTIAL
FOR DISASTER
RESILIENCE

43. JANUARY 29,
2015
MILLIONS OF COMMUNITIES
ARE NOT RESILIENT TO
WILDFIRE DISASTERS

44. LIGHTNING STRIKES
WILDFIRES
MANMADE FIRES
PROXIMITY OF URBAN-
WILDLANDS INTERFACE
WIND DIRECTION AND SPEED
DEFORESTATION
DENUDED SLOPES
HOT, DRY WEATHER
CAUSES
OF RISK
CASE HISTORIES

45. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL WILDFIRES
PREPAREDNES
FOR THE
EXPECTED AND
UNEXPEDTED IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
DISASTER
RESILIENCE

46. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL WILDFIRES
EARLY WARN-
ING (THE ISS)
AND EVACU-
ATION ARE
ESSENTIAL
FOR DISASTER
RESILIENCE

47. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL WILDFIRES
TIMELY
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL
FOR DISASTER
RESILIENCE

48. LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT
DISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL WILDFIRES
RECOVERY AND
RECON-
STRUCTION
USUALLY MEANS
HAVING THE
CAPACITY TO
START OVER.

49. GLOBAL
COMMUNITIES
DATA BASES
AND INFORMATION
HAZARDS:
GROUND SHAKING
GROUND FAILURE
SURFACE FAULTING
TECTONIC DEFORMATION
TSUNAMI RUN UP
AFTERSHOCKS
• HAZARDS
•PEOPLE & BLDGS.
•VULNERABILITY
•LOCATION
DISASTER ASSESS.
RISK
ACCEPTABLE RISK
UNACCEPTABLE RISK
THE GOAL: DISASTER
RESILIENCE
• PREPAREDNESS
•PROTECTION//PREVENTION
•EARLY WARNING
•EMERGENCY RESPONSE
•RECOVERY and
RECONSTRUCTION
POLICY OPTIONS

50. TECHNOLOGIES FOR
MONITORING, FORECASTING,
AND WARNING ARE VITAL FOR
BECOMING RESILIENT

51. THE KEYS TO RESILIENCE:
1) KNOW THE HISTORY OF YOUR
REGION’S DISASTERS,
2) PROTECT, PREVENT, PREPARE
3) HAVE A WARNING SYSTEM
4) EVACUATE
5) LEARN FROM THE
EXPERIENCE AND START OVER