The Arabica Way.

As the unfortunate event had happened, we will think of its prevention.

I tried not to use the Japanese cases as they are very complex and

[attachimg]65075[/attachimg]

I have recieved some information from my friends. How they response to a small one year ago. Hopefully the government, whether provincial or national in China can learn from that. I may probably become CDers' task to change certain culture and make things work better.

UAE plans earthquake monitoring centre
posted on 12/03/2007

The UAE plans to set up an earthquake monitoring centre as experts warned that repeated seismic activity near Qeshm island off Iran indicates the possibility of a bigger quake striking the region. Residents of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah spent an uneasy Saturday night following tremors after 10pm.

WAM reported that the Ministerial Service Council has approved the setting up of a meteorology and seismic monitoring centre during a meeting presided over by Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

The new centre will be affiliated to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and will be established in coordination with the concerned authorities. A professor at the American
    University of Sharjah (AUS) said the epicentre of the earthquake, which struck on Saturday night at 10.18pm, was located in the Arabian Sea, 74 km south west of Qeshm and about 160km from Sharjah and Dubai.

Dr Jamal A. Abdullah, Associate Professor at the Civil Engineering Department of the AUS and in charge of the university's Earthquake Observatory Centre, said the quake measured 4 on the Richter scale and it was 18 km below sea level. "It was very close to the place where an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck on November 27, 2005. This is not a good sign. Repeated seismic activity in the same spot indicates a bigger earthquake in the waiting," he said. But he said no one knows when it will happen. "There is a probability that it may happen during the next 50 years," he said. (Gulf News)

Seismic seminar set to move the earth for Dubai’s architects
posted on 09/04/2007

A new seismic centre hazard assessment method for the Gulf will be presented in a special seminar to be organised by Dubai
                        Municipality. This exercise is part of the municipality's initiative to offer a continuous learning environment for the local architects and consultant engineers.

The seminar – titled Seismic Hazards in the Gulf – will be held tomorrow at the City Hall and is organised in association with Hyder Consulting.

Osama Ali Safi, Head of Qualification and Building Studies Section at the Building Department of the municipality, said the seminar would be addressed by Angus McFarlane and Grahame Bunce of Hyder Consulting Middle East Ltd.

He said several seismic hazard studies for the Arabian Gulf, that were reviewed and discussed in the past, have been found to be contradictory, with seismic hazard in the Gulf states ranging from almost a seismic to high seismic risk. Therefore, a new seismic hazard assessment is to be presented at the seminar.

The new assessment uses a simple and transparent procedure, in combination with conservative assumptions. The assessment was checked against three independent site-specific seismic studies and an excellent correlation was achieved. This suggests the estimate of seismic hazard presented in the seminar is expected to be reliable and accurate. (Emirates Today)

Seismic centre to be equipped with modern technology and expertise
posted on 13/05/2007

The National Centre for seismic monitoring and meteorology comes in answer to the call of nation and to safeguard our march to development and prosperity, said Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs.

He said that UAE's the process of civilization under the prudent leadership of its leader, President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has made this first institution of its kind a national necessity. "We will equip this centre with all the modern technology and expertise, and will integrate it with the other seismic and metrological stations across the country providing for their management, maintenance and development," Sheikh Mansour said.

The National centre will create an integrated system for early warning at times of natural disasters. Sheikh Mansour also called for networking with similar centres in the region for sharing of information and intervention at times of need. The national centre will be the authority to represent the country on seismic information on the regional and world levels. It was in March this year the Ministerial Service Council approved the setting up of the Centre. (Emirates News Agency, WAM)

Ministry of Energy, BGS ink deal for magnetic, gravity surveys
posted on 14/04/2008
HE Mohammed bin Dha'en Al Hameli, Minister of Energy and Professor John Ludden Executive Director of the British Geological Survey have signed a contract under which the BGS will conduct airborne magnetic and gravity surveys of the UAE as well as produce world class geological maps of different scales. These studies are a continuation of the studies conducted by the Ministry in collaboration with the British Geological Survey over the mountainous and adjacent areas from Ras Al Khaimah to Al Ain between 2002 and 2006. The total value of the contract is around Dh50 million (7.6 million sterling pounds) and the work will be completed in 54 months from the date of signature. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

UAE signs the statute for Arab Centre for earthquake disaster prevention
posted on 13/05/2008
Cairo - United Arab Emirates yesterday signed the statute of the Arab Centre for prevention of earthquake calamities and other natural disasters. On behalf of Foreign Minister HH Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's ambassador to Egypt and the Permanent representative to Arab League Ahmed Ali Nasser Al Za'abi put the final signature on the statute at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo in the presence of senior officials.
Adviser to Arab League's Secretary General Mohammed Ridhwan bin Khadhra hailed the support given by UAE to the joint Arab work in various avenues. Al Za'abi reiterated UAE's commitment to the Arab cause and its keenness in supporting Arab relations. The Arab Centre will give scientific and technical support to member countries in forecasting earthquakes and other natural disasters and preventing the calamities caused by them. The Centre will also develop map of faultlines and carry out researches for preventing the dangers caused by natural disasters. – Emirates News Agency, WAM

I found one more article in Chinese for most people here:

日本的地震灾后重建经验
    

[attachimg]65119[/attachimg]

Scene of Tokyo after the Kanto Earthquake 1923.

日本的地震灾后重建经验
    

2008年05月25日10:51　
   来源：
   华夏时报
           作者：朱凤岚

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　　1995年1月17日凌晨5时46分，以日本神户为中心的阪神地区发生里氏7.3级强烈地震。许多人尚在睡梦中就被倒塌的房屋压住或被大火吞噬。地震造成6000多人死亡，3万多人受伤，数十万人无家可归。地震带来的直接经济损失高达10万亿日元（当时约相当于1000亿美元），总损失达国民生产总值的1%-1.5%，是日本战后遭遇的最大一场自然灾害。阪神地震后的重建工作艰辛漫长，耗费了近10年之久，但在此过程中，日本的相关法律体系和地震经验教训总结机制都得到了完善。

　　完善的灾害救助体系

　　日本的地震救助体系分自救、政府救助和社会救助三大部分，其中，以自救和政府救助为主，社会救助为辅。

　　在自救方面，日本自1966年起就建立了完善的地震保险制度，人们只要参加了地震保险，就能获得保险公司的赔付金，这将大大减轻灾民在重建过程中的经济负担。现阶段日本的地震保险为非强制性购买，民众可以根据自己对灾害保险的认识和对本地区的地震危险性等进行综合判断后，考虑是否购买地震保险。总体而言，日本民众的地震保险意识较高，全国的地震保险平均参保率约达20%。地震保险制度的建立和实施，为日本地震灾后重建、帮助灾民尽快恢复生活和生产活动发挥了积极作用。

　　政府救助是灾民在重建过程中最重要的救助来源，主要有两种形式：一种是通过地震保险再保险的方式，帮助和促使保险公司积极开展地震保险业务并按标准进行赔付；另一种是中央和地方政府根据受灾的严重程度和自救能力，直接向灾民提供资金救助。为减轻灾民重建时的负担，政府还根据《灾害减免法》不同程度地减免对灾民的所得税和固定资产税等其他赋税。

　　在社会救助方面，除社会各界捐款救助外，日本的金融机构也会出台一些救济措施，如临时缓缴按揭贷款、减少贷款利息等来减轻灾民负担。另外，一些地方团体也会向政府呼吁要求延长受灾者按揭贷款的偿还期限，并免除因此而增加的利息负担等。

　　法律保障灾后重建工作

　　日本非常重视依据法律对灾害危机进行管理以及实施灾后重建工作。日本有完善的防灾减灾法律法规体系，按照法律内容和性质分为基本法、灾害预防和防灾规划相关法、灾害应急相关法、灾后重建和恢复法以及灾害管理组织法等五大类，共由52部法律构成。其中，与地震灾害有关的基本法就有《大规模地震对策特别措施法》、《有关东南海、南海地震防灾对策特别措施法》和《有关日本海沟、千岛海沟周边海沟型地震防灾对策特别措施法》等3部。与地震灾后恢复重建及财政金融措施有直接关系的有《耐震改修促进法》、《严重灾害特别财政援助法》、《受灾市街区复兴特别法》、《地震保险法》、《公共设施灾害重建工程费国库负担法》、《有关灾害抚恤金支付的法律》等24部。

　　根据这些相关法律，破坏性严重的地震灾害发生后，日本政府向灾民紧急提供饮水、食品、衣物等救济物品，而且免费提供一日三餐。对于房屋全部倒塌或已无法居住，而又无法获得资金重建家园的灾民，政府还须提供临时住宅。阪神大地震时，日本政府紧急建造了近4万户临时住宅。此外，法律还对违规使用赈灾款项等投机倒把行为作出了具体惩罚规定，以防止灾害救助资金损失、浪费及挥霍等现象发生。

　　分阶段实施灾后重建工程

　　阪神大地震发生后，日本政府内部成立了首相咨询机构“阪神·淡路复兴委员会”，派遣市街重建调查团奔赴地震现场，调查灾区的交通设施、生活基础设施等的受损情况，汇总成《阪神·淡路大震灾调查报告》，对住宅、城市规划、产业复兴等提出对策建议，在广泛征集社会各界意见的基础上，首先制定了灾民住房、公路、铁路和港湾等基础设施建设的重建计划，即紧急复兴三年计划。从结果上看，阪神大地震的灾后重建经历了三个不同的阶段：第一阶段是从地震发生后一年左右的时间，为灾害救援和灾后重建的准备阶段；第二阶段从1995年底开始到1998年初，为全面灾后重建和对灾区进行全面援助时期；第三阶段是从1998年初到2000年前后，为灾区全面恢复和自立支援时期。在每一个阶段中，都根据受灾的实际情况，进行不同内容、不同形式的大规模援助。

　　建立地震灾害重建基金

　　在阪神大地震后，在重建过程中，日本神户市建立了一个重建基金。重建基金分为两类，第一类是基本基金，主要是政府的投入；第二类是投资基金。基本基金主要是建设基础设施和基本的公共设施项目，而投资基金则是商业性项目，在重建过程中两种基金相互结合发挥作用。重建基金实质上是集国家财力、社会捐助及商业投资，举全国之力来重建新家园。

　　重视灾民的精神救助

　　研究表明，重大灾难会给现场人员带来巨大心理创伤，特别是老人和儿童，他们更需要精神上的安慰和关切。为此，在日本遇到突发性的灾害危机事件，一般最先赶到现场的是消防人员、新闻记者和心理咨询人员。此外，在灾害发生后，日本还展开多项针对灾民的精神救助活动，比如派专家定期为幸存者免费进行心理咨询和心理学知识讲座，安排生活援助员和老龄户生活援助员，定期走访老龄人住宅等。应该说，灾后心理重建是一个长期的系统工程，它的恢复远比房屋、道路等硬件设施的重建工作艰巨得多。数据显示，阪神大地震后的十年内，因孤独而死在临时住宅的老人达560人。

　　提高地震灾害应对能力

　　日本政府从阪神大地震后的1996年开始，连续3次修改《建筑基准法》，大大提高各类建筑的抗震基准，除木结构住宅外，要求商务楼的抗震能力都要达到8级以上，使用期限能够超过100年。

　　同时，政府加大对国民防灾意识和生存能力的宣传教育力度。日本吸取阪神地震的经验教训，开始重视提高全民的防灾意识，内阁将每年的1月17日定为“防灾和志愿者日”，1月15日至21日被定为“防灾和志愿者周”，全国各地都要进行市民和消防队参加的地震演习，电视台也要播放防灾类节目，目的是让广大市民认识到灾害发生时志愿者活动和自主防灾的重要性。

　　作者：中国社会科学院亚洲太平洋(601099行情,股吧)研究所副研究员