Example of Guadeloupe island a French overseas department 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1755 LISBON EARTHQUAKE Related keys in disaster management and diminution in social-economic impact on communities vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunami Example of Guadeloupe island a French overseas department By Dr. M. LUBINO-BISSAINTE MIRAI Sustainable Development Consultancy (MSDC) NGO, Guadeloupe (F.W.I) Copyright MIRAI-SDC

Contents of the presentation A/ Introduction: what is the link between Guadeloupe island and the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake? B/ Case studies in Guadeloupe before and after the earthquake M6.3 of the 21st of November 2004. C/ Conclusion: promising roles of the Governance concept and the systemic approach in disaster management. Copyright MIRAI-SDC

INTRODUCTION Since approximately 55 millions of years, the Eastern Caribbean Area is concerned by an important volcanic and seismic activity. The Guadeloupe archipelago (a French overseas department) is the main island of this geodynamical subduction zone located between the North American Plate and the South American Plate. Global Tectonic map (the location of the Guadeloupe archipelago is in red). The length of the spreading rate vector arrow is proportional to the spreading rate. (Wilson, 1993). Copyright MIRAI-SDC

On the 1st November 1755, approximately 10 hours after the Lisbon earthquake, on several points of the Guadeloupe island but also on several points of the other Caribbean islands as well (Poey, 1857), like Martinique (the other overseas French department in this geodynamic zone) there was a considerable withdrawal of the sea followed by devastating waves (Ballet, 1890). Copyright MIRAI-SDC

It is reported that there were no victims but material damages (Ballet, 1890). Ballet in 1890 had noticed that since the eighteenth century, the exponential growth of human losses in our island was link to the increase in the high-risk situations of anthropic origin such as demographic growth, uncontrolled urban development in the vulnerable areas. In 1755 only 56 195 people were living in Guadeloupe (Ballet, 1896). Nowadays, 422 496 people are living there and of course several studies have already pointed out that the death toll in case of a big earthquake could be very important (Kert, 1998). Copyright MIRAI-SDC

CASE STUDIES showing the governance concept and the systemic approach CASE STUDIES showing the governance concept and the systemic approach. On the 21st November 2004, an earthquake M6.3 hit Guadeloupe island, with a focus located near the “Les Saintes Islands”. MSDC Copyright MIRAI-SDC

SEVERAL MATERIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SOCIAL DAMAGES MSDC MSDC MSDC SDIS Copyright MIRAI-SDC SEVERAL MATERIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SOCIAL DAMAGES

Before that day, many preventive actions have been acheived such as this travelling exhibition with an historical point on the earthquake M8 in 1843 (>1500 death toll), a scientific explanation and an emergency plan point with the preventive actions made by the Prefecture. 1843 To remember. EARTHQUAKE IN GUADELOUPE Let’s prepare Be aware, don't wait any longer in making prevention Here is the travelling exhibition which I achieved as a member of the JCI organization. This first panel is showing a big fault, the destroyed city, the different logos of our partners such as the Prefecture of Guadeloupe, the Departmental Service of Fire, some Municipalities, some public and private companies. Copyright MIRAI-SDC

And since that day, more actions started such as… A SEMINAR OF REFLECTION AND ACTION FOR SEISMIC PREVENTION by the Departmental Direction of Equipment (DDE) which is a French state administrative service, (July 1st, 2005) to improve knowledge and the possibilities of reduction of the impacts, and to federate preventive actions included/understood well, better shared by the various components of the society: Local Politicians, Government administrative services, Socio-economic partners: CCI (Trade centres), SIAEG (Water services), Telecommunications, EDF (National Electrical Services), Professionals of construction, Association of the Insurers, Banks, and Media. Copyright MIRAI-SDC

…and some TV Spots presented, twice a day, by the regional television called RFO Guadeloupe. With the broached topics: The phenomenon: knowledge and monitoring To inform itself on the phenomenon Installation, construction and regulation  To prepare, prepare its “environment”  How to react during the earthquake After the earthquake and the management of the crisis. Copyright MIRAI-SDC

Conclusion To decrease the impact of disaster it is necessary to implicate the entire communities in disaster management policy according to the “governance” concept. This concept can be considered as one of the ways to link empowerment of the populations (or communities) and responsibility of the local governments. With this concept vulnerable people will be able to manage the crisis first on their owns. Copyright MIRAI-SDC

The systemic approach means that we are creating some partnerships between the government and the communities with legal support and legislation (as we have in France). These partnerships can be economical and social ones and based upon special approaches such as: cindynic, (which is the science of how to be aware of danger and the best way to mitigate it), sociological - management (how to work with people according to the several grass-roots of a plural ethnic population as we have in Guadeloupe and in many other countries ), environmental-management and economic activities (how to have economic and industrial activities and improve the quality and protection of the natural environment of a vulnerable country). Copyright MIRAI-SDC I thank you for your attention.