Assessment of the consequences of a destructive earthquake and the needs for rapid response forces (by the example of Armenia)

Abstract

In case of a seismic disaster occurring in a developing country, it is very important to determine promptly the number of possible victims and need for rescue forces to estimate the scope of required international assistance and to plan operations of rapid response forces. Rates of the seismic vulnerability of buildings, readiness of the rapid response forces, and other factors, differ from country to country and determine each country’s individual capacities and effectiveness in responding to a disaster. Using the example of Armenia, general approaches are proposed for assessing losses and needs for rescue forces.