Post-earthquake cordons and their implications

Abstract

Cordons provide a useful, but challenging risk-management tool for protecting public safety in a post-earthquake environment. There is limited literature on the purpose, complexities, and societal implications of post-earthquake cordons. Using evidence primarily from the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and observations from the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake, this exploratory study identifies and highlights the various avenues of consideration involved in cordon establishment. This study shows that a cordon brings about complex challenges, pertaining to housing, law, economy, social welfare, governance, civil liberties, and health. We find that cordons can support both short-term and long-term recovery processes. Three themes emerge: (1) the tensions between minimizing risk for public health and safety and constraining the rights of the public and private parties; (2) the roles, rights, and relationships between government and private sectors; and (3) the balancing of short-term benefits of cordons against longer term impacts to the wider post-earthquake community. This exploratory study of the challenges, complexities and consequences associated with cordons over short, medium, and long terms may inform cordon-related decisions and improve outcomes for communities following an earthquake.

Understanding the wider social and economic context of post-earthquake cordons: A comparative case study between Christchurch, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and L’Aquila, Italy

“…The Christchurch CBD, however, was a business area which meant that fewer people needed to be evacuated after establishing the cordons. Underwood et al (2020) suggest there are specific considerations in the PEC evacuation context, even though the fundamental legal and moral issues are similar. One key aspect in relation to PECs is the potential for lengthy timeframes for cordons to remain in place, that is, from a few days to several years which will further escalate the challenges related to housing of evacuees.…”

“…However, it is difficult to ascertain to what degree PECs were influential in supporting recovery and even more difficult to conclude if PECs were appropriate (for such a long time) given their overarching imposition over various aspects of people's lives and livelihoods. Undoubtedly, PECs are useful, but by virtue of their restrictiveness, they can be detrimental to civil liberties (Underwood et al, 2020). It is understandably controversial to exclude people from their own homes, own streets, and own city for an extended timeframe (years) when that geographic area is not perceived to have risks.…”

Thanatology Tourism in Nepal Himalayan Region: A Case of Langtang

“…In the immediate aft ermath, the government imposed a cordon for three months, cordon is a barrier established by an authority to temporarily exclude the public from a defi ned area. It is a tool that allows authorities to manage access to and from the restricted area (Underwood,Orchiston, EERI, & Shrestha, 2020). But, later Langtang was claimed inhabitable, the authority proposed the translocation of the entire Langtang community.Th is decision was highly opposed by the people of Langtang because of the issue of identity crisis, topographical variances, and attachment to the place and so on.…”

Context, culture, and cordons: The feasibility of post-earthquake cordons learned through a case study in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

“…According to Underwood et al (2020: 2), cordons are “a barrier established by an authority to temporarily exclude the public from a defined area.” Cordons are a practical tool to ensure the safety of the public. When establishing PECs around buildings, the rule of thumb to determine the spatial extent when using soft barriers is 1.5 times the height of the building (California Building Officials (CALBO), 2013).…”