Advances in Tsunami Hazard Mitigation in Chile
Abstract
Chile has records of recurring tsunamis. This is confirmed by its geological evidences, long historical records and instrumental data. However, tsunamis were always an underestimated hazard. In 2010 its coasts were affected by a large near-field tsunami and in 2011 for a far-field tsunami generated in Japan, confirming the high vulnerability of coastal communities. Both events had different magnitudes and impacts on coastal areas. The near-field tsunami was generated by an earthquake (Mw 8.8) that occurred on the 27th of February 2010, the waves arrived at the coast in a few minutes and mostly impacted small coastal communities located within the rupture area, there were 156 victims and 25 missing. While the far-field tsunami was generated by a giant earthquake (Mw 9) that occurred on the 11th of March 2011 in Japan, arriving their first waves on the coast of Chile twenty one hours later, displacing thousands of people to high ground. These two recent events have resulted in advances in tsunami hazard mitigation, mainly in the localities that were affected by both events, incorporating the tsunami risk and the emergency management in territorial planning. Example of this is the consideration of risk based on worst case scenarios, design and assessment of mitigation scenarios (e.g. tsunami forest, mitigation parks, dikes and fills) using tsunami modeling and land use policies more rigorous. This research is supported by Fondecyt 11090210.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFMNH33A1664L
- Keywords:
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- 4564 OCEANOGRAPHY: PHYSICAL / Tsunamis and storm surges;
- 7240 SEISMOLOGY / Subduction zones;
- 4328 NATURAL HAZARDS / Risk