October 5, 2020
Earthquakes in Santiago
This trend report investigates the resilience of the city of Santiago de Chile against the shock of earthquakes. Chile is situated on the Ring of Fire and has experienced frequent earthquakes for centuries. Moreover, the recently recognised active fault, the San Ramón Fault which runs along the eastern limits of Santiago will test the city’s resilience against frequent and often powerful earthquakes. Since Santiago has experienced a rapid urbanisation there are several critical infrastructures that could be severely damaged in the event of an earthquake such as residential areas, hospitals or transport networks. Furthermore, should a fatal earthquake occur it could also cause a major economic stress on the government and the inhabitants of the city. To increase the city’s resilience in order to adapt to the shock there are solution strategies that could be implemented, such as more efficient emergency management, stricter construction regulations and reinforcement of weak buildings. Further reduction of inequality gap would have a positive feedback as well as implementing the risk of earthquakes in the earliest stages of urban planning. The first part of this trend report will explain the mechanisms behind earthquakes and why Santiago is exposed to frequent seismic activity. Further, the effects of the earthquakes on the city will be described where the focus is on the vulnerable parts of the urban network and other critical infrastructure. Then, several solutions strategies will be identified, as well as recommendations for further reading.