NATURAL RISKS IN URUGUAY

Transcription

1 NATURAL RISKS IN URUGUAY Acad. Edi Juri, Eng. Member of the Uruguayan Academy of Engineering CAETS 2011 MÉXICO June, 2011

2 URUGUAY in Southamerica (*) UN Millenium Target 10

3 REPUBLICA ORIENTAL DEL URUGUAY A R G E N T I N A BRAZIL

4 DEMOGRAPHIC MAP AVERAGE DENSITY OF INHABITANTS 17,8/km 2

5 More frequent natural hazards in Uruguay Deviations in rainfall Floods Droughts Deviations in temperature regime Frosts Heat Cold waves Atmospheric phenomena Hail Frosts Tornadoes Squalls Lighting

6 DISASTER DATE POPULATION INVOLVED FLOODS MAY AUGUST AUGUST APRIL APRIL NOVEMBER MAY JUNE JUNE APRIL STORM SEPTEMBER JULY

7 DISASTER DEATHS FLOOD NOVEMBER 2009 NINE 1967 EIGHT MAY 2007 TWO APRIL 1998 ONE EXTREME LOW TEMPERATURES JULY 2000 SEVEN STORM WITH STRONG WINDS 23 AUGUST 2005 SEVEN 15 MARCH 2002 TWO 29 JUNE 1999 ONE 21 DECEMBER 1997 ONE

8 ECONOMIC IMPACT Drought Summer of 2000 and 2009 Floods April 1959, 1967, May 2007 Windstorm March 2002

9 FLOODS It is estimated that approximately 15% of our land area is susceptible to floodings The social consequences of these floods are made worse when they affect the urban areas of coastal populations Socio-economic impacts affect mainly housing, agricultural production, services, transportation and communications infrastructure Since the last decade of the 20th century, an increase has been found in Uruguay in the frequency of extreme rainfall events

10 April 1959 FLOODS evacuated April 1959 Average rainfalls in the North in more than 600 mm. Maximum intacuarembó Chico mm. Annual average in this area1.100 mm. Rincón del Bonete

11 FLOODS MAY 2007 RAINFALL MAY 2007 The worst flood event since 1959: 350/400 mm in 72 hours Population involved inhabitants ANOMALIES MAY 2007 Population evacuated inhabitants RAINFALL JAN-MARCH 2007 ANOMALIES JAN-MARCH 2007

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13 NOVEMBER Evacuees

14 DROUGHTS Uruguay, an essentially agricultural country, suffers drastically the consequences of the drought phenomena. The loss of natural pastures and crops, and the reduction of cattle stock go beyond the duration of the event and compromise production in subsequent years

15 INCREASE OF THE FREQUENCY OF LONG DROUGHTS The year 2009 was a dramatic example, similar to 1989 The increase in the frequency of long droughts from periods of 20 years to 10 years has strong economical consequences. Economical losses of the agro during the dry period in were U$S 250 million U$S 400 million (1,3% GDP) Government U$S 869 million Enterprises information

16 FEBRUARY 1989 IMPACT ON AGRICULTURAL SECTOR GREEN INDEX JANUARY 2009

17 DAMS IN RIO NEGRO AND The country has an energy matrix supported mainly by hydroelectric generation, droughts often cause lack of energy Droughts also lead to critical situations in the supply of drinking water to certain populations URUGUAY BASINS HIGH BASIN MEDIUM BASIN LOCAL BASIN KM FROM SALTO GRANDE

18 OTHER NATURAL RISKS Frosts Hail Tornadoes Strong winds and squalls. Risks increase when these phenomena are accompanied by major lightning and sometimes hail.

19 FROSTS Radiation Frost White Frost Black Frost White frost Aversion Frost Late Frost INIA Information for agriculture

20 HAIL

21 August STRONG WINDS

22 Natural risks related to CC Weather trends have been affecting in increased frequency and intensity the associated natural risks, such as floods, droughts, storms and their negative implications for society and ecosystems in the country.

23 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT The conclusions of the PNUD document for Uruguay are the following : Temperature increase ,3-0,5ºC ,0-2,5ºC Sea level increase cm cm Rainfall The actual average is mm/year The increase during the last 100 years was 20% The trend : increases with very low rate 0,1-0,2 mm Increase of frequency of extreme events as floods and long droughts with very strong negative economical impact in agro activities and hydroelectric generation

24 Perception and management of natural risks in Uruguay Social issue : settlement and development of urban areas in floodable areas of cities. National or local authorities historical attitude before year 1995: Their efforts were concentrated on preparing responses to emergencies and on the restoration and reconstruction after disasters, rather than on comprehensive risk management and implementation of policies on education, prevention and mitigation based on environmental and land use planning and the development of contingency plans based on warning and management models.

25 The National Emergency System, SNE and institutional developments Under the "International Decade for Disaster Reduction" ( ) convened by the UN and the subsequent "International Strategy for Disaster Reduction", the "National Emergency System" (SNE) was created in Uruguay by Executive Order No. 103/995 of February 24, 1995, later modified by Executive Order No. 371/995 of October 2, 1995.

26 Management perspective Since 2005, the Government of Uruguay has been working under a multi-institutional approach, addressing the natural hazards issue from a risk management perspective and emphazising the concept of prevention. The National Emergency System is created as "a permanent public system Law No. 18,621 on October 25, 2009

27 The National System of Response to Climate Change and Variability Executive Order No. 238/009 of May 20, 2009 To coordinate and plan the public and private actions required for risk prevention and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Other important legal instruments concerning risk reduction and integral risk management in planning are : The Law of Land Use Planning and Sustainable Development, Law No. 18,308 of June 18, 2008 The National Water Policy Law, Law No of October 2, 2009

28 Recent actions at the institutional level in the field of natural risks Facing the phenomena of urban flooding in Uruguay In 2002, the DNH carried out the Itacuruzú Project to address a problem of flooding and water quality in the city of Melo, comprising the water regulation of Arroyo Conventos and its tributary, Arroyo Sauce, and integrated actions with the Master Urban Plan for the city. In , the DNH, together with the Hydraulic Research Institute of UFRGS (Brazil) and with the support of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP), carried out the Pilot Project for Integrated Management of Floods in the Basin of Río Cuareim.

29 Durazno city In the period, the National Hydrography Office (DNH) developed an Emergency Plan against Floods for the City of Durazno with the participation of the SNE and the Municipality of Durazno and the support of the IDB, the OAS and the White Helmets Commission. In 2005, the DNH submitted a proposal to PROHIMET (Latin American Network for Monitoring and Forecasting of Hydro meteorological Phenomena) for a Pilot Project for Early Warning about Río Yí Flooding for the City of Durazno, which was selected at the continental level in 2006 and implemented with the participation of several national institutions

30 The National Water and Sanitation Directorate (DINASA) was created within the MVOTMA in 2006, and changed its name to the National Water Directorate (DINAGUA) in Its specific responsibility is to address the issue of urban flooding and drainage from a comprehensive risk management approach and with inter institutional and social participation, acting as the link among departmental governments and local actors. An interdisciplinary working group was created with this purpose, and training courses were organized throughout the country on topics such as Urban Flooding Management, Rainwater Plans, Social Participation in Water Management in the City, etc. DINAGUA is currently at a very advanced stage in the development of a standardon Flood Bank Guidelines

31 Artigas, Treinta y Tres, Rivera y Durazno cities Flood risk maps are being developed for cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants along the banks or shores of water bodies. Those corresponding to the cities of Artigas and Treinta y Tres are ready, and those for the cities of Rivera and Durazno are in progress.

32 PHYSICAL MAP

33 Academic actions In 2004, the Advisory Committee of the University of the Republic (UDELAR) developed a proposal "Towards Integrated Water Resources Management in Uruguay", which in the analysis of emerging issues included a chapter on Urban Floods. In 2007, the University of the Republic created the Integrated Risk Management Group (GGIR In 2008, two events were held: the First University Conference on Integrated Risk Management under the name "Challenges for the University of the Republic," and the First International Course "Basis for Integrated Risk Management" In 2010, postgraduate courses of continuing education on this topic were included in different departments.

34 Some significant contributions of National Engineering to the protection and prevention of natural risks The Boardwalk of Rambla Sur in Montevideo (Rio de la Plata) The Selected Inverted Sink (Frost protection)

35 Breakwater of Rambla Sur Montevideo

36 FROST PROTECTION FOR AGRICULTURE Radiation Frost Stratified atmosphere Temperature Density Temperature WM Wind Machine SOIL EXPENSIVE NOISY

37 EXPENSIVE NOISY SOIL IT IS IMPERATIVE TO SELECT AND REMOVE COLD AIR AND SEND IT UP STRATIFIED ATMOSPHERE NO DAMAGE HILLSIDE WIND HILLSIDE DAMAGE

38 SIS TECHNOLOGY Selected Inverted Sink MIXED AIR FLOWS TO ISOTHERMAL STRATUM THE JET MIXES COLD AIR WITH WARMER AIR STRATIFIED ATMOSPHERE COLD AIR REMOVAL SIS DOWNLOAD LOWER T HIGHER D STRATUMS

39 PATENT GUARGA FERRO, RAFAEL Concesion: 16/05/1996 Clasification: A01G13/08 USA PATENT Nº

40 ADVANTAGES OF SIS EQUIPMENT Low cost of investment and efficient operation in plane and ondulated fields compared with other available systems (WM, burners, irrigation) Taylor made design Easy operation and reduced quantity of operators Non environmental damage

41 SIS TECHNOLOGY

42 MANAGEMENT FOR EXTREME EVENTS CATTLE and AGRICULTURE The ADAPTATION STRATEGY FOR AGROACTIVITIES, maintaining the R&I leadership of the INIA has the following directions : Improve seed stocks adapted to extreme scenarios Promote sustainable soil management Insurance forage stocks Increase availability of water for the cattle and the crops Improve distribution of protection and shadow for the cattle

43 INIA and ENTREPRENEURS March 2009 Continuous concern on improving 1.- Information system for decisions to take 2.- Water management 3.- Insurances 4.- National support for technological transference 5.- Incentive or encouragement to better agriculture techniques 6.- Improvement of meteorological predictions 7.- Agriculture design of production systems with the best endurance or resilience to climate risks 8.- Genetic improvement

44 FINAL REMARKS

45 Uruguay is not particularly affected by natural or antropogenic risks due there is no seismic activity, no nuclear plants (forbidden by law), no oil production and limited oil handling facilities and controlled eventual oil spillage. There is an increased probability for natural disasters related to increased rainfall, uneven distribution of rainfalls and drought periods, increased storms occurrence and increase in coastal water level in the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean. Institutional development of risk prevention and emergency response, has been a Government target for the last 20 years. Engineering has twinned institutional efforts developing flood models to predict risk probability and land use regulations to prevent risks. Increased price of agricultural commodities have enabled better agricultural and cattle feeding practices to prevent negative consequence of droughts. Some innovative engineering efforts have been developed to protect intensive and high value added agriculture from frost action. Engineering education should enhance engineering support for land planning development.

46 THANK YOU

47 The National Emergency System (SNE) "Plan, coordinate, implement, conduct, evaluate and take action regarding the prevention and the measures required in all exceptional emergencies, crises and disasters or similar situations that may occur or are imminent, within the national territory, its air space or its jurisdictional waters, that affect the State, its inhabitants or their property, either directly or indirectly, in a significant and serious manner, if the capabilities of the originally competent bodies or agencies are exceeded. Exceptional emergencies, crises or disasters are, among others, the following situations: extremely serious accidents, storms causing massive damage, droughts, floods, plagues, epidemics, fires, environmental pollution, terrorist acts and other exceptional situations causing social unrest, which are caused by adverse natural or human action. "

48 SNE Institutional structure National Emergency Committee in charge of coordinating actions and assistance during disasters The President The Minister of Defense The Minister of the Interior Permanent Operational Technical Directorate (DTOP) in charge of the whole SNE A delegate of the National Army National Emergency Council composed of The commanders of the Armed Forces The Council of Ministers The DTOP Director The Secretary of the Presidency Departmental Emergency Committees composed of A Director Representatives of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense Departmental authorities convened by the Director.

49 The National Emergency System Law No. 18,621 on October 25, 2009 Is created as "a permanent public system, whose purpose is the protection of individuals, property of significance and the environment in the event of the potential or actual occurrence of a disaster, through the joint use of public and private resources duly coordinated by the State, so as to create conditions for sustainable national development. Its operation "takes the form of a set of actions carried out by the pertinent State agencies with the purpose of: preventing risks related to disasters of natural or human origin, either predictable or unpredictable, periodic or sporadic, mitigating and addressing any phenomena that may occur, and taking actions for rehabilitation and recovery as necessary. "

50 SINAE a) Executive Branch, is in charge of the direction of the SINAE. b) National Emergency Office, is created under the responsibility of a civilian and within the orbit of the Presidency of the Republic. It acts as a liaison between the Executive Branch and the other SINAE agents, and directs and coordinates the operation of the system. c) National Advisory Committee for Risk Reduction and Disaster Management, is a technical committee that provides advice within the framework of the DNE. It is composed of high-level technical representatives of the Executive Branch, Autonomous State Agencies, Decentralized Services, the Council of Mayors and public and private research and educational institutions. d) Ministries, Autonomous State Agencies and Decentralized Services e) Departmental Emergency Committees become bodies with unified integration and operating rules in the System. Risk reduction is incorporated into planning.

51 HAIL NON DEDUCTIBLE More than 6% damaged Basis damaged surface LATE FROSTS 10 % DEDUCTIBLE 60 days post sowing Basis damaged surface WIND 10 % DEDUCTIBLE Basis damaged surface Excluded sick stems crops

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53 MAIN BASINS MAP MAIN BASINS MAIN BASINS MAIN BASINS