case study of mount pinatubo
Abstract
Mount Pinatubo volcano erupted in June 1991 in the main island of Luzon belonging to the Philippines archipelago. Huge economic losses and population exodus have followed. This major crisis has been relayed with other crisis due to lahars which have been supplied with eruption deposits. These lahars have occurred every year since 1991 during the rainy season. They will probably last until 2005. After a brief presentation of the Philippine official response system to disasters, this paper draws up a critical analysis of the different kinds of institutional and social responses deployed to manage the different crisis and post-crisis phases of this event. Based on three viewpoints: from population, media and other actors, this analysis attempts to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the official management system, especially by studying the efficiency and the range of the taken solutions. So, it appears that the management of the June 1991 main crisis (eruption) was a success. On the other hand, difficulties have occurred with lahars risk management. Indeed, these lahars have obliged the authorities to protect and reaccommodate thousands of people. In spite of persistent problems, the management system (monitoring/warning/evacuation) of lahar crises improves year after year. Failures appear especially about rehabilitation program (protection/rehousing). Many of direct (lack of means, of preparedness, of coordination, of dialog, etc.) and indirect (politico-administrative, socio-economic, cultural contexts) factors come to lock the wheels of the institutional response system. They defer the socio-economic start of this north Philippines vital area.
1. Introduction: a persistent threat
After almost US$ one billion in economic losses and 2.1 million persons affected, the eruption of Mt Pinatubo volcano in June 1991 in the Philippines was seen as an event of exceptional intensity
Because of the huge quantity of pyroclastic material deposited
Mount Pinatubo volcano erupted in June 1991 in the main island of Luzon belonging to the Philippines archipelago. Huge economic losses and population exodus have followed. This major crisis has been relayed with other crisis due to lahars which have been supplied with eruption deposits. These lahars have occurred every year since 1991 during the rainy season. They will probably last until 2005. After a brief presentation of the Philippine official response system to disasters, this paper draws up a critical analysis of the different kinds of institutional and social responses deployed to manage the different crisis and post-crisis phases of this event. Based on three viewpoints: from population, media and other actors, this analysis attempts to point out the strengths and weaknesses of the official management system, especially by studying the efficiency and the range of the taken solutions. So, it appears that the management of the June 1991 main crisis (eruption) was a success. On the other hand, difficulties have occurred with lahars risk management. Indeed, these lahars have obliged the authorities to protect and reaccommodate thousands of people. In spite of persistent problems, the management system (monitoring/warning/evacuation) of lahar crises improves year after year. Failures appear especially about rehabilitation program (protection/rehousing). Many of direct (lack of means, of preparedness, of coordination, of dialog, etc.) and indirect (politico-administrative, socio-economic, cultural contexts) factors come to lock the wheels of the institutional response system. They defer the socio-economic start of this north Philippines vital area.
1. Introduction: a persistent threat
After almost US$ one billion in economic losses and 2.1 million persons affected, the eruption of Mt Pinatubo volcano in June 1991 in the Philippines was seen as an event of exceptional intensity
Because of the huge quantity of pyroclastic material deposited