Comments on: Excellent South Asia Earthquake Resource http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3628 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:36:51 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Clyde Soles http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3628&cpage=1#comment-1963 Clyde Soles Sat, 15 Oct 2005 21:18:12 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3628#comment-1963 Judging from the web site and historical article, it looks like the Kathmandu Valley is a major disaster zone waiting to happen. Seems to be the largest population (2 million +) directly in an area overdue for a great one. Nothing is built to survive, the government is already essentially non-functional, and there is no money to spare. This recent quake killed around 40K and it's a relatively unpopulated region with functional governments. Has there been an analysis of Nepal's vulnerability? Judging from the web site and historical article, it looks like the Kathmandu Valley is a major disaster zone waiting to happen. Seems to be the largest population (2 million +) directly in an area overdue for a great one. Nothing is built to survive, the government is already essentially non-functional, and there is no money to spare. This recent quake killed around 40K and it’s a relatively unpopulated region with functional governments. Has there been an analysis of Nepal’s vulnerability?

]]> By: Roger Pielke Jr. http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3628&cpage=1#comment-1962 Roger Pielke Jr. Fri, 14 Oct 2005 16:08:21 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3628#comment-1962 Thanks to Roger Billham for this speedy reply from the Adaman Islands: "The collapse of buildings in Kashmir is widespread, and it looks to me as many of them collapsed because of poor construction The population is quite sparse, spread over numerous valleys- no high rise buildings etc The time of day matters in that if farmers are in fields they are usually immune to shaking. In this case the schools collapsed - this is indefensible! Pakistan spends 60% of her budget on defense. Yet 6% on strengthening housing would have save most of the lives in this earthtquake" Thanks to Roger Billham for this speedy reply from the Adaman Islands:

“The collapse of buildings in Kashmir is widespread, and it looks to me as many of them collapsed because of poor construction

The population is quite sparse, spread over numerous valleys- no high rise buildings etc

The time of day matters in that if farmers are in fields they are usually immune to shaking. In this case the schools collapsed – this is indefensible! Pakistan spends 60% of her budget on defense. Yet 6% on strengthening housing would have save most of the lives in this earthtquake”

]]> By: Roger Pielke, Jr. http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3628&cpage=1#comment-1961 Roger Pielke, Jr. Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:23:57 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3628#comment-1961 Daniel- Good question. I'll ask Roger, though he is out of the country for a month, so it will be a while before we hear back. Daniel- Good question. I’ll ask Roger, though he is out of the country for a month, so it will be a while before we hear back.

]]> By: Daniel Collins http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3628&cpage=1#comment-1960 Daniel Collins Fri, 14 Oct 2005 13:18:13 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3628#comment-1960 Regarding the figure of fatalites vs. magnitude, I'd be keen to know what proportion of the variability in fatalities can be explained by the different factors - "proximity to urban populations, the vulnerability of dwellings, and the time of day" - as well as magnitude. Regarding the figure of fatalites vs. magnitude, I’d be keen to know what proportion of the variability in fatalities can be explained by the different factors – “proximity to urban populations, the vulnerability of dwellings, and the time of day” – as well as magnitude.

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