Chile disaster management reference book 2017

This handbook provides decision makers, planners, responders and disaster management practitioners with an overview of the disaster management structure, policies, laws, and plans in Chile.

Chile is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, mainly due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of intense volcanic activity and earthquakes.5  Chile is affected by drought, floods, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, and earthquakes. Chile experienced the most devastating wildfire emergency in its history in January 2017. Wildfires spread affecting an estimated 1 million acres of vegetation. Rising sea temperatures and sea levels have affected those residing in Chile’s coastal areas and river basins. Chile has made progress in the investment of resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, and urban planning which has prevented casualties in recent earthquakes despite being hit by high magnitude earthquakes.

At present, Chile does not have legislation that regulates the basic criteria for how post-disaster reconstruction process should be carried out. There is a need to generate disaster risk action guidelines to be incorporated into the management of public policies at all levels and in all areas of action. However, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has incorporated criteria for disaster management risk reduction with its Reconstruction Program, with the aim of having communities that are more resilient.