In many developing countries, natural disaster events can take a major toll on economic growth, derailing years of development gains. Earthquakes present an especially counterintuitive problem, as they occur infrequently, reducing the public perception of the risk they pose, and require a number of scientific, engineering, and public policy disciplines to address well.
Situated on the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, Japan is highly exposed to earthquakes and has made earthquake preparedness a national priority, becoming perhaps the most seismically aware and technologically advanced country in the world.
The World Bank Disaster Risk Management Hub’s Seismic Risk Identification and Decision-Making engagement is tapping into this expertise by developing guidance material for developing countries on key technical methodologies for assessing this risk and applying this information for public policy, management decision-making as well as behavior changes of the public through hazard maps.
