A Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment Framework for Urban Disaster Prevention Planning: A Case Study of Xiamen, China

Abstract

Understanding and measuring the relative risk level of a city facing multi-hazards is fundamental to improving its disaster prevention planning and schemes. A comprehensive risk evaluation approach stands at the intersection of risk management and disaster system theory. It is also an important interdisciplinary field of catastrophology, economics, and urban infrastructure planning. We believe that current attempts to define and measure comprehensive urban natural disaster risks have certain limitations. Therefore, we propose an Urban Multi-hazards Risk Assessment Framework (UMRAF) which draws on definitions, methods, and experience from risk management, evaluation of property, the value of statistical life, and disaster system theory. It contains local disaster identification, place-based risk assessment (taking into account more than one hazard at a time), urban anti-disaster capability assessment, and relative composite risk index measurement. In our case study of Xiamen, China, to check the feasibility of our UMRAF, we examined local multi-hazards risk distribution and urban anti-disaster capacity layout. We then expanded and visualised the spatial distribution of the relative composite risk index of each evaluation unit across the city via our analyst tool, thereby helping to tailor measures that can reduce risk at a local level.