Preventing Secondary Disasters through Providing Emergency Water Supply

摘要

Critical infrastructures (e.g., water supply) are by definition essential for society and their damage, destruction or disruption may have significant negative impact on public health and the security of the citizens. Primary disasters such as natural hazards or man-made hazards can influence critical infrastructures and can lead to secondary disasters. Secondary disasters are caused by the consequences of primary disasters, which means for example the unavailability or pollution of drinking water resulting from disastrous events like a hurricane. To provide drinking water in any phase of a disaster, municipalities need to provide an emergency water-supply strategy. This study shows the needs of hospitals and health care facilities and the need of water for sewage systems to avoid a risk for public health. However, the main vulnerability is the distribution of emergency water supply.