HR: 16:50h
AN: S24A-03    [Abstracts]
TI: SEISMIC HAZARD MANAGEMENT IN MEXICO CITY
AU: * WINTERGERST, L
EM: lwinterst@df.gob.mx
AF: DEFENSE CIVIL OF MEXICO CITY, PERIFERICO SUR No. 2769 COL. SAN JERONIMO LIDICE DEL. MAGDALENA CONTRERAS, MEXICO, DF 10200, Mexico
AB: Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. More than 8.5 million residents and 4.5 million floating population are in the city itself, but with the surrounding suburbs the number of people that could be affected by natural and man-made hazards rises to approximately 20 million. The main risk to the city as a whole is a large magnitude earthquake. Since there is reason to prepare for a credible seismic scenario of Mw = 8.2, which would exceed the damages caused during the 1985 earthquake (Mw = 8.1), we founded the Metropolitan Geologic Service (MGS) in 1998. The MGS has developed geologic and seismic hazard maps for the city (http:www.proteccioncivil.df.gob.mx). The maps include three separate risk maps for low height (3 stories), medium height (10 stories) and tall buildings (10 stories). The maps were prepared by using the maximum horizontal accelerations documented during the 1985 earthquake, and wave propagation modeling for buildings of different resonant periods (T = 0.0, 1.0 and 2.0 sec). In all cases, the risk zones were adjusted to include documented damage during the 1957, 1979 and 1985 earthquakes. All three maps show a high risk zone in the north-central portion of the city, elongated in a N-S direction, which corresponds with a narrow graben where the thickness of alluvial sediments is particularly large, and where wave amplification is accentuated. Preparation of these maps, and others used for planning, has been facilitated by the ongoing elaboration of a Dynamic Geographical Information System, which is based on geo-scientific information, includes all types of risks, and incorporates vulnerability models. From the risk management standpoint, we have elaborated the Permanent Contingency Plan for Mexico City, which in its Earthquakes chapter includes plans for coordination and for organizing attention to the population in the event of a seismic disaster. This Permanent Plan follows the philosophy of Descartes' Method, has 11 processes (6 main and 5 support processes), and is coordinated by Center of Control of Operations under the overall direction of the Head of Government of the Federal District. We are also working on the definition of the Basic Elements for a New Paradigm in the Prevention of Disasters, to investigate the origins, causes and effects of disaster phenomena, and to plan and implement a suitable response from the Government to better protect the population.
DE: 7200 SEISMOLOGY
DE: 7212 Earthquake ground motions and engineering seismology
DE: 7223 Earthquake interaction, forecasting, and prediction (1217, 1242)
SC: Seismology [S]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly