Reconstruction due to a large earthquake in Lima and Callao could cost more than 35 million dollars

With the last earthquake registered this Sunday, November 28 in the Amazon region, the Geophysical Institute of Peru reports, throughout the country, a total of 756 earthquakes so far in 2021. In addition, in statements to the press by the representative of the insurance company Lockton Peru, Adrián Ward, the Lloyd’s report entitled Cities Risk Index 2015-2025 points to Lima as the city with the highest risk of damage worldwide.

That is, in the event of an earthquake between 8.5 and 8.8 magnitude, the authorities would have to disburse more than $ 35.5 million to rebuild the entire capital.

“A large tectonic deformation is accumulating off the coast of Peru that can give rise to a seismic movement greater than magnitude 8.5. If such an earthquake occurred near Metropolitan Lima and Callao, the constructions would have to withstand a telluric movement that could last up to five minutes ”, warned Ward.

Security plans from governments

For Adrián Ward, the level of destruction and the number of fatalities caused by an earthquake not only depend on the characteristics of the telluric movement (magnitude, distance, duration, among others) or on the conditions of the ground, but they also have to do with with the quality of the buildings affected and, mainly, with the existence of disaster response plans that governments should have.

According to the Lockton executive in Peru, although some governments have made public agreements to insure their countries against natural disasters, in most of the world there are still many that have a high rate of insufficient or insufficient insurance. underinsurance of the risk in the face of seismic vulnerability.

In this sense, Ward mentions the importance of a reconstruction having seismic maps that the governments themselves have to identify and specify potentially active faults in cities.

“By actively managing earthquake risk, governments can support insurability and reduce costs for emergency response and recovery, repair of public assets, and any financial assistance or compensation provided to those affected. These costs can have a significant impact on public finances. For this reason, the implementation of a culture of prevention and the insurability of buildings is essential to reduce the risk of disasters, ”said the businessman.

What to do during an earthquake?

In conversation with La República, Victoria Villarrubia, manager of Disaster Risk Management of the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima, recommended taking into account three important actions during a seismic movement:

Get ready

• Keep calm
• Have an emergency backpack and place it on the evacuation route
• Have a family emergency plan
• Communicate the plan in advance to each member of the household, responding to what to do and where to stand in the event of an earthquake
• Order and constantly clear the evacuation route.

Ubícate

• Establish a safe and suitable place inside the house (between nearby beams and columns or walls)
• Stand calmly in the internal security zone.

Evacuate

• Carry the emergency backpack
• Leave the house as soon as the earthquake ends
• Go to an outdoor area such as a nearby park or a large area outside the house
• Have a battery-operated radio to listen to the official recommendations of the authorities.