Megacities: reducing vulnerability to natural disasters

This book is concerned with the effects of natural hazards on the urban environment and the steps which can be taken by governments, other organizations and individuals, particularly of the world's great conurbations, or megacities, to mitigate those effects. Although concerned primarily with natural hazards of sudden onset (such as earthquakes, severe winds, floods, volcanic eruptions and landslides) some aspects of this book are also relevant to concerns arising from other natural processes such as drought and desertification, and hazards of a biological or technological origin.

This book identifies ways in which urban developments are vulnerable to the effects of natural hazards and illustrates the strategies by which these effects can be mitigated. The aim is to provide an overview, practical guidance and an aid memoire for public administrators, staff of agencies involved in development programmes, managers of public utilities and of commercial and industrial enterprises, educators, community and voluntary workers in non-governmental organizations, members of professional groups, poverty developers, owners and occupiers.