Application Case Study: ROMANIA

This case study focuses on Bucharest metropolitan city located in southern Romania, having a seismic high-risk profile. The Bucharest case study will focus on systemic vulnerability and risk assessments considering major earthquakes and their cascading effects, re-evaluated from the point of view of impact chains, having the Emergency Situations Department (ESD/DSU) as partner.

Case study coordinator: 

University of Bucharest

Hazards: earthquakes and their cascading effects, like floods and fire outbreaks.

Systemic vulnerability will be identified by indicators of social and economic metrics using the additive approach of the multi-criteria and decision-making analysis in GIS, highlighting complex vulnerability hotspots related to different hazard scenarios. Building vulnerability (expressed in different damage levels) will be quantified based on analytical methods. The consequences of a major earthquake projected in the response intervention travel times will be integrated into a systemic vulnerability evaluation as part of the risk assessment. Risk mitigation will be enhanced by developing a framework of systemic vulnerability understanding based on earthquake risk perception and disaster preparedness behaviour. The multi-hazard vulnerability and coping capacities will be tested with locals and authorities by participatory tools (PGIS, psychometric research, and focus groups). Results aim to improve emergency response planning.