Why do people die in earthquakes? The costs, benefits and institutions of disaster risk reduction in developing countries
Policy research working paper 4823
This document addresses the cost effectivity of the public disaster risk-reduction interventions (including construction activities) and the benefit-cost ratio of engineering solutions that could almost completely eliminate the risk of deaths in natural hazards.
It suggests approaches that emphasize simple and limited disaster risk regulation, covering only the most at-risk structures and that can be monitored by non-experts. It also suggests a range of transparency and oversight mechanisms for public construction projects.