-- Coastal Community Tsunami Hazards and Risk
By Nathan Wood, Geographer
Tsunami Evacuation Plans
One Size Does Not Fit All: A Case Study in Alameda, California
One Size Does Not Fit All: A Case Study in Alameda, California
Tsunami evacuation
Community exposure to Volcanoes
Our country faces a wide array of natural hazards that threaten its safety, security, economic well-being, and natural resources. To minimize future losses, communities need a clear understanding of how they are vulnerable to natural hazards and of strategies for increasing their resilience. Vulnerability and resilience are influenced by (1) how communities choose to use hazard-prone land, (2) pre-existing socioeconomic conditions, (3) likely future patterns of land change, and (4) current efforts to reduce and manage risks.
The objective of this project is to develop new ways of assessing and communicating community vulnerability and resilience to natural hazards. This work supports core elements of the USGS mission that focus on understanding land change and minimizing life loss and property damage from natural disasters. The project has completed work on all types of natural hazards, from sudden-onset extreme events (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano lahars) to chronic events (sea level rise, coastal erosion).
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Throughout the various research efforts and assessments, we have developed or improved methods for understanding and communicating societal vulnerability to natural hazards. This project has produced techniques-related articles on the following topics:
Geographical analysis
We use geographic information system (GIS) tools to estimate variations in community exposure of populations, land uses, infrastructures, and economic activities to natural hazards in various States. Exposure assessments have been completed based on maximum hazard zones, scenario-based zones, and comparisons of multiple hazard scenarios. GIS-based statistical analysis is also used to identify variations in demographic sensitivity across a community to natural hazards. We have also applied GIS tools to identify areas in a community with high hazards and societal assets, to demonstrate how landcover data can be used to characterize regional exposure to hazards and to improve population maps.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Spatial modeling
We use GIS to model pedestrian evacuation out of hazard zones, based on landcover, elevation, hazard, and population data. Results help local officials understand where successful evacuations are possible and where vertical-evacuation refuges may be warranted to help save lives. We also have developed GIS methods for helping to site vertical-evacuation refuges, as well as look at past disasters to compare fatality patterns and evacuation potential. To help others do their own pedestrian-evacuation modeling, we’ve created a GIS tool.
Stakeholder surveys
Community vulnerability to hazards cannot be completely understood using only GIS tools and socioeconomic data. Public perceptions and priorities related to hazards are also important elements. Therefore, we use community-based assessment workshops, community recovery forums, and surveys to better understand the human element in vulnerability.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Public engagement
An important part of this project has been training others in our methods so that they can carry out their own assessments. There have been several efforts of the years to share results and methods with emergency managers, local officials, the general public and students, such as “train-the-trainer” workshops related to tsunami preparedness, vulnerability assessment workshops for local emergency managers, and graduate short courses.
Below are pages summarizing natural hazards research conducted by the Hazards Vulnerability Team.
Tsunamis
The 2004 Indian Ocean, 2010 Chilean, and 2011 Tohoku disasters have shown how tsunamis are significant threats to coastal communities. To help U.S. coastal communities prepare for future tsunamis, the Hazards Vulnerability Team completed projects related to population exposure and sensitivity, pedestrian evacuation modeling, and vertical-evacuation decision support. A recent article of ours in the...
Coastal Change
The continued devastation from recent hurricanes and tropical storms demonstrates the vulnerability of coastal communities to coastal-change hazards. Changes in sea level and storm-wave intensity are changing the areas that are prone to erosion and storm-related flooding. The Hazards Vulnerability Team has worked with USGS coastal researchers and partners to improve our understanding of community...
Volcanoes
As the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption showed, volcanoes pose significant threats to U.S. communities. Potential hazards posed by U.S. volcanoes include tephra falls, pyroclastic flows and surges, VOG, ballistic projectiles, lahar and lava flows. In collaboration with researchers from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program, the Hazards Vulnerability Team worked on better understanding and communicating...
Earthquakes
The U.S. Pacific Northwest is an active seismic zone, as evidenced by the 2001 Nisqually earthquake near Olympia (WA) and several other earthquakes in the 1990's. The Hazards Vulnerability Team worked with emergency managers and USGS earthquake researchers to better understand how communities are vulnerable to earthquake hazards.
Below are multimedia items produced by the Hazards Vulnerability Team.
PubTalk 2/2013 — Is "THE IMPOSSIBLE" Possible in the Pacific Northwest
-- Coastal Community Tsunami Hazards and Risk
By Nathan Wood, Geographer
Our country faces a wide array of natural hazards that threaten its safety, security, economic well-being, and natural resources. To minimize future losses, communities need a clear understanding of how they are vulnerable to natural hazards and of strategies for increasing their resilience. Vulnerability and resilience are influenced by (1) how communities choose to use hazard-prone land, (2) pre-existing socioeconomic conditions, (3) likely future patterns of land change, and (4) current efforts to reduce and manage risks.
The objective of this project is to develop new ways of assessing and communicating community vulnerability and resilience to natural hazards. This work supports core elements of the USGS mission that focus on understanding land change and minimizing life loss and property damage from natural disasters. The project has completed work on all types of natural hazards, from sudden-onset extreme events (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano lahars) to chronic events (sea level rise, coastal erosion).
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Throughout the various research efforts and assessments, we have developed or improved methods for understanding and communicating societal vulnerability to natural hazards. This project has produced techniques-related articles on the following topics:
Geographical analysis
We use geographic information system (GIS) tools to estimate variations in community exposure of populations, land uses, infrastructures, and economic activities to natural hazards in various States. Exposure assessments have been completed based on maximum hazard zones, scenario-based zones, and comparisons of multiple hazard scenarios. GIS-based statistical analysis is also used to identify variations in demographic sensitivity across a community to natural hazards. We have also applied GIS tools to identify areas in a community with high hazards and societal assets, to demonstrate how landcover data can be used to characterize regional exposure to hazards and to improve population maps.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Spatial modeling
We use GIS to model pedestrian evacuation out of hazard zones, based on landcover, elevation, hazard, and population data. Results help local officials understand where successful evacuations are possible and where vertical-evacuation refuges may be warranted to help save lives. We also have developed GIS methods for helping to site vertical-evacuation refuges, as well as look at past disasters to compare fatality patterns and evacuation potential. To help others do their own pedestrian-evacuation modeling, we’ve created a GIS tool.
Stakeholder surveys
Community vulnerability to hazards cannot be completely understood using only GIS tools and socioeconomic data. Public perceptions and priorities related to hazards are also important elements. Therefore, we use community-based assessment workshops, community recovery forums, and surveys to better understand the human element in vulnerability.
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Public engagement
An important part of this project has been training others in our methods so that they can carry out their own assessments. There have been several efforts of the years to share results and methods with emergency managers, local officials, the general public and students, such as “train-the-trainer” workshops related to tsunami preparedness, vulnerability assessment workshops for local emergency managers, and graduate short courses.
Below are pages summarizing natural hazards research conducted by the Hazards Vulnerability Team.
Tsunamis
The 2004 Indian Ocean, 2010 Chilean, and 2011 Tohoku disasters have shown how tsunamis are significant threats to coastal communities. To help U.S. coastal communities prepare for future tsunamis, the Hazards Vulnerability Team completed projects related to population exposure and sensitivity, pedestrian evacuation modeling, and vertical-evacuation decision support. A recent article of ours in the...
Coastal Change
The continued devastation from recent hurricanes and tropical storms demonstrates the vulnerability of coastal communities to coastal-change hazards. Changes in sea level and storm-wave intensity are changing the areas that are prone to erosion and storm-related flooding. The Hazards Vulnerability Team has worked with USGS coastal researchers and partners to improve our understanding of community...
Volcanoes
As the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption showed, volcanoes pose significant threats to U.S. communities. Potential hazards posed by U.S. volcanoes include tephra falls, pyroclastic flows and surges, VOG, ballistic projectiles, lahar and lava flows. In collaboration with researchers from the USGS Volcano Hazards Program, the Hazards Vulnerability Team worked on better understanding and communicating...
Earthquakes
The U.S. Pacific Northwest is an active seismic zone, as evidenced by the 2001 Nisqually earthquake near Olympia (WA) and several other earthquakes in the 1990's. The Hazards Vulnerability Team worked with emergency managers and USGS earthquake researchers to better understand how communities are vulnerable to earthquake hazards.
Below are multimedia items produced by the Hazards Vulnerability Team.
PubTalk 2/2013 — Is "THE IMPOSSIBLE" Possible in the Pacific Northwest
-- Coastal Community Tsunami Hazards and Risk
By Nathan Wood, Geographer
-- Coastal Community Tsunami Hazards and Risk
By Nathan Wood, Geographer