Volcanic hazard

Abstract

▪ In 2000, an estimated 500 million people were living within a distance of 100 km from an active volcano. Twice during the twentieth century two large towns were destroyed by eruptions: St Pierre, Martinique, in 1902 and Armero, Colombia, in 1985. Major population centres lie within ten to twenty kilometers from several large volcanoes with a likelihood of eruption during this century, e.g., Naples near Vesuvius and Arequipa near El Misti (see Fig. 2).

▪ It is therefore needed: 1) to minimize the risk of loss of life from structure collapse or damage in the event of an eruption; 2) to facilitate appropriate warning and evacuation systems; 3) to protect food-producing areas and other areas of significant economic activity; 4) to improve the expected performance of structures and lifelines; 5) to improve the functional capability of structures and lifelines that are essential to post-eruption recovery during and after an eruption, and to minimize the risk of damage to hazardous facilities. [excerpt from the main reason of the study]