Chile disaster management reference handbook 2021

This Disaster Management Reference Handbook offers an overview of Chile’s national disaster management plans and structures, including information on key domestic disaster response entities, basic regional background, and local and international humanitarian organizations present in the country. It lays out the areas where Chile contributes to regional and international disaster risk reduction, emergency response, and climate change adaptation, and this information will assist persons preparing to participate alongside Chilean actors in exercises, planning, or disaster response operations.

The paper concludes that Chile is exposed to various hazards, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, floods, landslides, and droughts. Although flooding and fires occur with the greatest frequency, earthquakes, the third most frequent disaster, represent a significant percentage of mortality and economic damages caused by natural disasters. Moreover, the country has formalized the role of the national armed forces in disaster response since the 2010 earthquake, and this has translated into Chilean armed forces participation in major disaster preparedness and response conference and exercises within the Americas and with Pacific partners.