Flood Risk Assessment in the Lower Valley of Ouémé, Benin

In response to the increased frequency of flood events in recent years, it has become crucial to enhance preparedness and anticipation through precise flood risk assessments. To this end, this study aims to produce updated and precise flood risk maps for the Lower Valley of Ouémé River Basin, located in the South of Benin. The methodology used consisted of a combination of geographical information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria analysis, including Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods to define and quantify criteria for flood risk assessment. Seven hydro-geomorphological indicators (elevation, rainfall, slope, distance from rivers, flow accumulation, soil type, and drainage density), four socio-economic vulnerability indicators (female population density, literacy rate, poverty index, and road network density), and two exposure indicators (population density and land use) were integrated to generate risk maps. The results indicate that approximately 21.5% of the Lower Valley is under high and very high flood risk, mainly in the south between Dangbo, So-Ava, and Aguégués. The study findings align with the historical flood pattern in the region, which confirms the suitability of the used method. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive approach, the incorporation of AHP for weighting factors, and the use of remote sensing data, GIS technology, and spatial analysis techniques which adds precision to the mapping process. This work advances the scientific understanding of flood risk assessment and offers practical insights and solutions for flood-prone regions. The detailed flood risk indicator maps obtained stand out from previous studies and provide valuable information for effective flood risk management and mitigation efforts in the Lower Valley of Ouémé.

Application of Hazard Vulnerability Analysis Based on Kaiser Model in Neonatal Breast Milk Management

Objective:To analyze the existing risks in breast milk management at the neonatal department and provide corresponding countermeasures.Methods:22 risk events were identified in 7 risk links in the process of bottle-feeding of breast milk.Hazard Vulnerability Analysis based on the Kaiser model was applied to investigate and evaluate the risk events.Results:High-risk events include breast milk quality inspection,hand hygiene during collection,disinfection of collectors,cold chain management,hand hygiene during the reception,breast milk closed-loop management,and post-collection disposal.Root cause analysis of high-risk events was conducted and breast milk management strategies outside the hospital and within the neonatal department were proposed.Conclusion:Hazard Vulnerability Analysis based on the Kaiser model can identify and assess neonatal breast milk management risks effectively,which helps improve the management of neonatal breast milk.It is conducive to the safe development and promotion of bottle feeding of breast milk for neonates,ensuring the quality of medical services and the safety of children.

Spatial Analysis of Risks and Vulnerabilities to Major Hazards in Madagascar Using the Multi-Criteria Method Based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Natural disasters are not negligible factors that have significant impacts on a country’s development. Madagascar cannot escape cyclones, floods and drought due to its geographical situation. The objective in this work is to assess the risks and vulnerability to these hazards in order to strengthen the resilience of the Malagasy population. Our approach is based on multi-criteria spatial analysis using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results form decision spatial information that can be used at the strategic level of natural risk and disaster management. This work focuses on the degree of vulnerability and it was found in this study that the Androy and Atsimo-Atsinanana regions are the most vulnerable to major hazards in Madagascar not only because of their exposure to risk but also because of their very low socio-economic status.

Risk Analysis of Chemical Hazards Based on the Case of EU Children’s Products Recalled and Study on the Reasonable Limitation of Harmful Element in Toys

The trade situation about China’s export of toy products to the EU was introduced. The recall characteristics of China’s toy products by the EU “Safety Gate” in terms of recall frequency, notified countries, taken measures, and reasons for recall were analyzed in this paper, and the risk factors of human health of unqualified products in terms of chemical hazards were studied in this paper. It is found that phthalate, boron, plumbum and cadmium were the main factors. Assessment of risk for boron in toys was conducted. It is suggested to limit the boron element in Slime: the limit of migration of boron in Slime toys for 3- to 6-year-old children shall be less than 704 mg/kg, and the limitation of migration of boron in Slime toys for 7- to 12-year-old children shall be less than 1268 mg/kg.

Risk analysis system of geo-hazard based on GIS technique

The socio-economic attribute of geo-hazard made us distinguish it fiom the traditional engineering geology study. It will get more social benefit from the analysis of the geo-hazard in the socio-economic attribute. The hazard and the vulnerability of the element controls the risk level of the regional geo-hazard. The risk analysis supported by GIS in geo-hazard study is one of the most important directions. Based on the author′s studies in recent years, a risk analysis system of regional geo-hazard (RiskAnly) has been developed on the basis of software MAPGIS. The paper introduces the train of system design, the structure and the workflow of RiskAnly. As a case study, the paper also deals with the risk zonation of the regional landslide hazard of China.

Integration of Probabilistic and Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment Within Urban Development Planning and Emergency Preparedness and Response: Application to Manizales,Colombia

The details of a multi-hazard and probabilistic risk assessment, developed for urban planning and emergency response activities in Manizales, Colombia, are presented in this article. This risk assessment effort was developed under the framework of an integral disaster risk management project whose goal was to connect risk reduction activities by using open access and state-of-theart risk models. A probabilistic approach was used for the analysis of seismic, landslide, and volcanic hazards to obtain stochastic event sets suitable for probabilistic loss estimation and to generate risk results in different metrics after aggregating in a rigorous way the losses associated to the different hazards. Detailed and high resolution exposure databases were used for the building stock and infrastructure of the city together with a set of vulnerability functions for each of the perils considered. The urban and territorial ordering plan of the city was updated for socioeconomic development and land use using the hazard and risk inputs and determinants, which cover not only the current urban area but also those adjacent areas where the expansion of Manizales is expected to occur. The emergency response capabilities of the city were improved by taking into account risk scenarios and after updating anautomatic and real-time post-earthquake damage assessment.

Integrated rockfall hazard and risk assessment along highways: An example for Jiuzhaigou area after the 2017 Ms 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake, China

This work addresses the integrated assessment of rockfall(including landslides) hazards and risk for S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, which are important transportation corridors to the world heritage site Jiuzhai Valley National Park in Sichuan, China. The highways are severely threatened by rockfalls or landslide events after the 2017 Ms 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake. Field survey(September 14-18 th, 2017, May 15-20 th, 2018, and September 9-17 th, 2018), unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV), and satellite image identified high-relief rockfalls and road construction rockfalls or landslides along the highway. Rockfall hazard is qualitatively evaluated using block count, velocity, and flying height through a 3D rockfall simulation at local and regional scales. Rockfall risk is quantitatively assessed with rockfall event probability, propagation probability, spatial probability, and vulnerability for different block volume classes. Approximately 21.5%, 20.5%, and 5.3% of the road mileage was found to be subject to an unacceptable(UA) risk class for vehicles along S301, Z120, and Z128 highways, respectively. Approximately 20.1% and 3.3% of the road mileage belong to the UA risk class for tourists along Z120 and Z128 highways, respectively. Results highlighted that high-relief rockfall events were intensively located at K50 to K55(Guanmenzi to Ganheba) and K70 to K72(Jiudaoguai to Shangsizhai Village) road mileages along S301 highway and KZ18 to KZ22(Five Flower Lake to Arrow Bamboo Lake) road mileages, KZ30(Swan Lake to Virgin Forests), and KY10.5 kilometers in Jiuzhai Valley. Rockfalls in these locations were classified under the UA risk class and medium to very high hazard index. Road construction rockfalls were located at K67(Jiuzhai Paradise) and K75–K76 kilometers along S301 highway and KZ12 to KZ14(Rhino Lake to Nuorilang Waterfall), KZ16.5 to KZ17.5(Golden Bell Lake), KY5(Lower Seasonal Lake), and KY14(Upper Seasonal Lake) kilometers along Z120 and Z128 highway in Jiuzhai Valley. Rockfalls in these areas were within a reasonable practicable risk to UA risk class and very low to medium hazard index. Finally, defensive measures, including flexible nets, concrete walls, and artificial tunnels, could be selected appropriately on the basis of the rockfall hazard index and risk class. This study revealed the integration between qualitative rockfall hazard assessment and quantitative rockfall risk assessment, which is crucial in studying rockfall prevention and mitigation.

Risk assessment: an approach to control hazards in mines

Accidents and injuries related to work are major occupational health problems in most of the industrialized countries.Traditional approaches to manage workplace safety in mines have mainly focused on job redesign and technical aspects of engineering systems.It is being realized that compliance to rules and regulations of mines is a prerequisite;however,it is not sufficient to achieve further reduction in accident and injury rates in mines.Proactive approaches are necessary to further improve the safety standards in mines.Unsafe conditions and practices in mines lead to a number of accidents,which in turn may cause loss and injury to human lives,damages to property,and loss of production.Hazard identification and risk assessment is an important task for the mining industry which needs to consider all the risk factors at workplaces.Applications of risk management approaches in mines are necessary to identify and quantify potential hazards and to suggest effective solutions.In this paper,the following risk estimation techniques were discussed:(i)DGMS(Directorate General of Mines Safety,India)risk rating criterion,and(ii)a matrix based approach.The proposed tools were demonstrated through an application in an opencast coal mine in India.It was inferred that the risk assessment approach can be used as an effective tool to indentify and control hazards in mines.

GIS-Based Risk Assessment and Regionalization of Drought Hazards in China

Based on the monthly precipitation (1960-2009) of China and associated regional socio-economic data, the spatial and temporal pattern of drought in China was assessed by applying a conceptual framework of disaster system theory, which used the hazard and vulnerability as two variables to define the risk of drought. Sichuan province suffered from the severe risk of drought, while Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou provinces, and Chongqing city could be classified as the moderate drought risk area of China. Additionally, Tibet plateau in the Northwest of China had the lowest risk of drought. The integrated data from this result provided the valuable information to cope with the drought in respect of optimization utilization of land resources at the regional scale.

Analysis of Risks in Hainan Island Typhoon Hazard Factor Based on GIS

[Objective] The aim of this paper was to analyze the risks in the typhoon hazard factors in Hainan Island. [Method] Taking the theory and method of natural disasters evaluation as starting point and supporting point, and selecting Hainan province as the research target, where the typhoon disaster occurred relatively serious, based on the typhoon data during 1958-2008, with happening frequency of typhoon hazard-formative factors, maximum rainfall, potentially devastating effects of typhoon winds as evaluation indexes, the typhoon disaster risk evaluation index system and evaluation model were established. And by dint of GIS technique, Hainan island typhoon disaster risk zoning of hazard-formative factors and grading were prepared. [Result] Typhoon occurred frequently in Hainan and there were no certain rules of its annual changes. The monthly changes mainly happed during July to October. The highly dangerous area of typhoon mainly distributed in east coast area. The annual daily precipitation decreased from central mountainous area to the surroundings; typhoon hided in the destructive highly risked area in east, south and west area; low disastrous area occurred in the middle area; the risks of disastrous factors weakened from east area to west area. The distribution area of each level was that low dangerous area>mild dangerous area>highly dangerous area>secondary low dangerous area>highly dangerous area. [Conclusion] The study supplied scientific reference for the government in the united organization and direction of disaster relief work.

Comparing rockfall hazard and risk assessment procedures along roads for different planning purposes

Hazard and risk assessment procedures of different types of rockfall were analyzed to compare their outcomes when they are applied to the same case study.Although numerous methodologies are available in literature,rockfall hazard and risk analyses are often limited to standard estimations,affected by a margin of uncertainty,especially when relevant engineering projects are about to be realized.Based on the design purpose,different types of approaches can be chosen among the qualitative and quantitative ones available in literature,which allow different levels of analysis.One of the main criticisms related to rockfall events is the risk affecting linear structures,such as road or railways,due both to their strategic relevance for trade and communications and to the great entity of the exposed value(traffic units)traveling along them.In this perspective,a comparison between the qualitative method known as Evolving Rockfall Hazard Assessment(EHRA),the semi-quantitative modified Rockfall Hazard Rating System(RHRS)and the quantitative Rockfall Risk Management(RoMa)approach is herein commented according to a practical application to a case study.It is the case of the rockfall threat along slopes crossed by a strategic road connecting two of the most known spots of eastern Sicily(Italy),at the Taormina tourist complex.Data were retrieved from both recent literature and technical surveys on field.Achieved results highlight how the approaches are affected by a different level of detail and uncertainty,arising also by some necessary assumption that must be taken into account,especially when mitigation measures or territory planning have to be designed.Achieved results can be also taken into account for similar studies worldwide,in order to choose the most suitable procedure based on the design purpose.This is indeed crucial in the perspective of the optimization of time and economic resources in the territorial planning practice.

Risk Analysis of Big Data Based on Cloud Computing for the Inspection and Testing of Toxic and Hazardous Substances in Meat Products

Large-scale data emerge in food safety inspection and testing industry with the development of Internet technology in China.This paper was aimed at designing toxic and hazardous substance big data risk analysis algorithm in food safety inspection and testing based on cloud computing^([1]).Cloud computing platform was set up to store the massive extensive data with geographical distribution,dynamic and high complexity from the Internet,and MapReduce^([2]) computational framework in cloud computing was applied to process and compute parallel data.The risk analysis results were obtained by analyzing 1000000 meat products testing data collected from the laboratory management information system based on web.The results show that food safety index IFS < 1,which proves that the food safety state is in good condition.

Typology of Natural Hazards and Assessment of Associated Risks in the Mount Bambouto Caldera(Cameroon Line,West-Cameroun)

Mount Bambouto is a polygenic stratovolcano of the Cameroon Volcanic Line,built between 21 Ma and 4.5 Ma(Nkouathio et al.,2008).It is situated at about 200 km NE of mount Cameroon,at 09°55′and 10°15′East and,05°25′and 05°50′North.This volcano covers an area of 500 Km^2 and culminates at 2740 m at Meletan hill and bears a collapsed elliptical caldera at the summit(13×8 km).Mount

Hazards:Maximizing Awareness,Minimizing Risks

Hazards refer to situations with harmful effects on people’s lives,property,health and the environment. Examples include:fire outbreaks,hailstorms,smoke and haze,volcanic eruptions,earthquakes,landslides, drought,floods,dust storm,global warming.Their remedies are:(1)sensitization of masses to take precaution;(2)resettlement of people based around hazardous areas;(3)instructing workers about the

Typology of Natural Hazards and Assessment of Associated Risks in the Mount Bambouto Caldera(Cameroon Line,West Cameroon)

Mount Bambouto is a polygenic stratovolcano of the Cameroon Volcanic Line,built between 21 Ma and 4.5 Ma.It is situated approximately 200 km NE of Mount Cameroon,between 09°55′and 10°15′longitude east and,05°25′and 05°50′latitude north.The volcano covers an area of 500 km^2 and culminates at 2740 m at Meletan dome and bears a collapsed caldera at the summit (13×8 km).Mount Bambouto is characterized by several natural hazards of different origins: meteorological,such as landslides and rock falls;anthropogenic,such as bushfires,tribal wars and deforestation;and volcanological,such as volcanic eruption.The thematic map shows that 55-60%of the caldera has high probability of occurrence of mass movement.The caldera has a high population density(3000 inhabitants),which increases the level of risk,evaluated at approximately $US3.8 million for patrimony,3000 civilian deaths and destruction of biodiversity.

Review of Geocryological Hazards and Risks Assessment

Hazards and risks assessment of dangerous geocryological processes is an actual problem in connection with climate change.Permafrost is widespread in Russia,Canada,the USA(Alaska),China,Mongolia and in mountain regions.Currently there are many papers concerning permafrost-related hazards,but the conceptual and basic techniques are not available. Different approaches for solving this problem are considered in the paper.The generally accessible techniques of geocryological processes quantitative risk assessment are not available.The problem lies

Russian and Foreign Experience Review of Territorial Geocryological Hazards Assessment and Risks of Geocryological Processes' Impact

Hazards and risks assessment of dangerous geocryological processes is actual problem in connection with climate change.Permafrost is widespread in Russia,Canada,the USA(Alaska), China,Mongolia and in mountain regions.Currently there are many papers concerning permafrost-related hazards,but the conceptual and based techniques are not available.Different approaches for solving this problem are considered in the paper.The generally accessible techniques of geocryological processes quantitative risk assessment are not available.The problem lies in uncertainty appearing from

Study of Multi-Origin Hazards and Assessment of Associated Risks in the Lefo Caldera (Bamenda Volcano, Cameroon Line)

The Bamenda Volcano (BV) (2621 m) is a stratovolcano situated in the Cameroon Line (CL). BV includes Mount Lefo (2534 m) which is situated on its southern slopes and contains one elliptical caldera (3 × 4 km). This caldera is propitious to farming and breeding activity. Despite these profitable assets, Lefo caldera (LC) is an amphitheater of the occurrence of multi-origin hazards that have direct or indirect impacts on the biodiversity and human patrimony. The most present hazards are those of meteorological origin. Numerous combined factors (steepest slopes, heavy rainfalls, weathered state of volcanic products…) rule these hazards. These factors gave rise to the occurrence of landslides, gullies erosion and rock falls which occur precisely on caldera northern and eastern rims. Hazards of anthropogenic origin are based on the destruction of the vegetation cover by the population for dealing, firewood and building issues. Moreover, during the breeding activity, the cattle covers the caldera throughout the day;this unevens the topography and destroys the meadow. Hazards of volcanological origin are not yet occurring in LC;but the recent Lake Monoun (1984) and Nyos (1986) CO2 eruptions, mount Cameroon eruptions (1999 and 2000) and mount Oku Lake event (2011) which are close to the BV and, the age of 0 Myr of basalt, constitutes a subject of controversy toward the reactivation of the Cameroonian hotspot faults. The assessment of risks in LC was based on the average income of breeding activity and house investment. The economy of LC is valued at about US$527472.527. The level of such risk will be important in case of loss of human beings and the destruction of geomorphosites’ values. In order to reduce the level of looses in this zone, hazard and risks maps are provided in this paper as well as some recommendations.

Relationships between Potential Risk of Hazardous Material Releases and Socio-Economic Demographic Characteristics Using Geospatial Analysis

The problem investigated in this research is about the potential risk of technological hazards, which poses a perilous threat to humankind and the environment. Rapid urbanization has been increasing the population density in an area, elevating the risk of exposure to technological disasters. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the areas with higher chemical risk to spread awareness about the potential risk zones and reduce actual damage and casualties resulting from the hazardous substance events. The basic design of the study utilizes geospatial analysis to map the TRI (Toxics Release Inventory) facilities in the communities of Texas to establish a relationship between potential hazardous material release zones and the human population at risk. The study identified the vulnerable counties as well as investigated how those risk areas are related to race/ethnicity, income and education. The research would contribute to the policymakers acting on the hazard situation and keep them better prepared for chemical hazards. In addition, it would help the residents and emergency managers to better understand the circumstance to mitigate the consequences as well as increase their awareness to be ready for the uncertainties in the hotspots involved in high risk of the hazards.