UNDERSTANDING EARTHQUAKES AND DISASTERS: MULTIMEDIA FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION Andres Winston C. Oreta, D.Eng.

Professor, De La Salle University Manila, Philippines Email : andyoreta@yahoo.com An essential part of a disaster preparedness plan is Public Education and Training. The main objective of this phase is the education of those who may be threatened by a natural hazard. UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura in 2005 stated that Anticipating, educating and informing are the keys to reducing the deadly effect of natural disasters. Unfortunately such activities have not been given priority. Increasing the awareness of the public about natural hazards and disasters is a vital element in preparedness for saving lives and property. Public awareness campaigns are essential in creating a culture of prevention in the public. Professionals and educators, especially those involved in studies related to natural hazards and disasters, can play a major role in public awareness campaigns. MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS Computers and multimedia equipment have become popular tools in public presentations. In most conferences or seminars, a multimedia projector has become a common equipment. Recognizing this fact, the use of multimedia may be used for effective public awareness and education. However, there is a lack of multimedia software or

Understanding Earthquakes & Disasters: Photo-Video Presentations

presentations that are readily available for public use. It is for this reason, that the author pursued the creation of photo-video presentations to be used in schools and public lectures. The photo-video presentations consists of photos or images integrated with text and music by a video editing software. The techniques and tools needed in producing personal multimedia presentations are discussed in one paper of the author and can be found in his website: http://mysite.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty/oretaa. Understanding Earthquakes and Disasters: Photo-Video Presentations is a project funded by the DLSU-Manila University Research Coordination Office (URCO). It consists of eight short presentations saved in a DVD (Figure 3) and the DVD can be played using a DVD player or a computer with Windows Media Player or similar software (e.g., Power DVD). The titles and descriptions of the photo-video presentations are shown in the boxes. The main focus of the photo-video presentations is the impact of earthquake hazards ground shaking, surface rupture, liquefaction, tsunami, landslides to the community and infrastructures. The photo-video presentations can be used in the classroom especially in the courses on Earthquake Engineering and Disaster Management. The materials can Buildings: Shake, Rattle & Roll also be used in public awareness campaigns of professional organizations. By presenting the effects of QuakeBasics (4:28 min) earthquakes, the public will understand their ( 4:39 min). to the different vulnerability types of seismic hazards. And by knowing ones vulnerability, many buildings had can be In past earthquakes, mitigation actions done This photo-video presents basic concepts andvideo: go toor were damaged due to ground to avoid a disaster. To view a sample collapsed definitions related to earthquakes such http://digitalstructures.blogspot.com as plate shaking or foundation failures. The presentation
tectonics, types of faults, focus, epicenter, locating an epicenter, magnitude, intensity, various types of seismic waves body and surface waves. The presentations also shows the various hazards related to earthquakes and their effects. t shows the common types of failures of buildings like soft stories, short columns, torsion, poor detailing and ductility in reinforced concrete columns and beams, and irregular structures. The importance of seismic retrofitting and strengthening of existing structures is also highlighted. h

Bridges are Falling Down ( 5:52 min). Understanding

On Shaky Ground (5:55 min). Earthquakes & Disasters This is a presentation of various types of earthquake geotechnical hazards and their effects on structures. These hazards include ground ruptures, soil liquefaction and land slides. Since a geotechnical hazard can cause a serious effect on a community, reducing the impact of these hazards must be addressed. i

Bridge superstructures and substructures have been damaged in recent earthquakes like the 1994 Northridge earthquake and 1995 Hyogeken-Nanbu earthquake in Japan. This presentation shows the different types of damages in bridges and some retrofitting techniques. t

Learning Lessons: 1990 Luzon Earthquake (5:32 min). On July 16, 1990, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 in the Richter scale was generated by the Philippine fault Zone. The areas most affected with intensity VIII were Baguio City, Cabanatuan City and Dagupan City. The total number of casualties was about 1,200 and cost of damage was P18B. The video highlights some of the lessons that can be learned from the damaged buildings and other structures. b

Beware of Tsunami (6:30 min) A tsunami is a chain of fast moving waves that can be triggered by an earthquake. On Dec. 26, 2004, an earthquake generated a large tsunami hitting many countries around the Indian Ocean. Among the countries affected were Indonesia, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Communities near coastal areas are highly vulnerable to tsunami. Hence, public awareness about the impact and mitigation of tsunamis must m be promoted.

Preparing for the Big One (5:14 min) The key to reducing the impact of earthquakes is disaster preparedness and mitigation. Since the Philippines is an earthquake country, it is important to prepare against seismic hazards. The video poses some questions and tips to consider with regards to design and construction of structures, seismic assessment and retrofitting and community disaster preparedness. PHIVOLCS tips before, during and after an earthquake are also presented.

Disasters and Development (5:22 min) Natural disasters occur if these communities are highly vulnerable to the hazards. When a disaster occurs, the development and the economy of the country and local community is affected. As a country develops, the population increases and more infrastructures are constructed, and these may increase vulnerability to the hazards. . Understanding the relationship between disasters and development is important in designing a comprehensive disaster risk mitigation program. d