Design and planning criteria for evacuation systems in the face of the risk of mass wasting in the event of activation of the San Ramón Fault. The case of “La Reina Alta” in Santiago, Chile

Abstract

In Chile, disaster risk management is addressed by Law 21,364, which establishes the National System for Disaster Prevention and Response and implements the creation of committees for disaster risk prevention at the national, provincial, regional and communal levels. In addition, it establishes the creation of Communal Plans for Disaster Risk Reduction and Communal Emergency Plans, which must be developed by the municipalities, to be entered and approved by the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED). However, this process shows little progress, with only 13 of the 52 communes in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago having this type of plan to date. This research provides guidelines for the design and implementation of evacuation systems in the commune of La Reina, which is affected by mass evacuation due to the activation of the San Ramón Fault. Using a mixed exploratory methodology, the case of “La Reina Alta” which is part of Neighborhood Unit 14 is analyzed, including the review of technical documents on disaster risk management, along with eight interviews with professionals, to provide a complementary instrument to the Communal Disaster Risk Reduction Plan. It is concluded these guidelines contribute to urban development, especially at the local level, facilitating the implementation of evacuation systems, through the planning of roads connected to public spaces and meeting points and infrastructure designed as support for prevention and response to disasters.