Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction in Iran: Lessons and “Lessons Learned” from Three Large Earthquake Disasters—Tabas 1978, Rudbar 1990, and Bam 2003

Michaela Ibrion; Mohammad Mokhtari; Farrokh Nadim

doi:10.1007/s13753-015-0074-1

Article Contents

Article Navigation > International Journal of Disaster Risk Science > 2015 > 6(4): 415-427

Michaela Ibrion, Mohammad Mokhtari, Farrokh Nadim. Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction in Iran: Lessons and “Lessons Learned” from Three Large Earthquake Disasters—Tabas 1978, Rudbar 1990, and Bam 2003[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2015, 6(4): 415-427. doi: 10.1007/s13753-015-0074-1

Citation:

Michaela Ibrion, Mohammad Mokhtari, Farrokh Nadim. Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction in Iran: Lessons and “Lessons Learned” from Three Large Earthquake Disasters—Tabas 1978, Rudbar 1990, and Bam 2003[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2015, 6(4): 415-427. doi: 10.1007/s13753-015-0074-1

Citation:

Michaela Ibrion, Mohammad Mokhtari, Farrokh Nadim. Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction in Iran: Lessons and “Lessons Learned” from Three Large Earthquake Disasters—Tabas 1978, Rudbar 1990, and Bam 2003[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2015, 6(4): 415-427. doi: 10.1007/s13753-015-0074-1

PDF

Earthquake Disaster Risk Reduction in Iran: Lessons and “Lessons Learned” from Three Large Earthquake Disasters—Tabas 1978, Rudbar 1990, and Bam 2003

doi: 10.1007/s13753-015-0074-1

1 Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology(NTNU), 7490 Trondheim, Norway;
2 National Center for Earthquake Prediction and Seismological Research, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology(IIEES), Tehran, Iran;
3 Natural Hazards, Debris Slides and GeoRisk, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute(NGI), 0806 Oslo, Norway

Funds:

The first author greatly acknowledges the financial support from the International Centre for Geohazards (ICG)/Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, Norway for the research and field trips to Iran. The first author would like to thank Mr. Farokh Parsizadeh, Prof. Ghafouri-Ashtiany, Dr. Manoucher Qoreshi, Dr. Morteza Talebian, Dr. Sasan Eshghi, Mr. Hirad Nadim, Dr. Amir Nejad, Mrs. Maryam Pakdaman Naeini, and Prof. Haakon Lein for their kind, generous support, useful comments, and fruitful discussions. The authors would like to thank the editors and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable constructive comments and recommendations.

Available Online: 2021-04-26

Abstract

Abstract

This article addresses three large earthquake disasters in Iran: Tabas in 1978, Rudbar in 1990, and Bam in 2003. Lessons and “Lessons Learned” from these three earthquake disasters were investigated together with their contributions over time towards earthquake disaster risk reduction in Iran. Many lessons from 1978 Tabas, 1990 Rudbar, and 2003 Bam did not become “Lessons Learned” and they were identified again within the dramatic context of other earthquake disasters in various places of Iran. Both lessons and “Lessons Learned” from Tabas, Rudbar, Bam, and other earthquake disasters in Iran require a sustainable long-term framework—an earthquake culture.
- Bam,
- Earthquake disaster risk reduction,
- Lessons,
- Lessons learned,
- Rudbar,
- Tabas

FullText(HTML)

References(70)

References

Abolghasemi, H., M.H. Radfar, M. Tabatabaee, N.S. Hosseini-Divkolayee, and F.M. Burkle. 2008. Revisiting blood transfusion preparedness: Experience from the Bam earthquake response. Prehospital Disaster Medicine 23(5): 391–394.

Alcantara-Ayala, I. 2010. Geomorphology and disaster prevention. In Geomorphological hazards and disaster prevention, ed. I. Alcantara-Ayala, and A. Goudie, 269–278. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Alexander, D. 2012a. Disasters: Lessons learned? Journal of Geography and Natural Disasters 2(1): 1–2.

Alexander, D. 2012b. What can we do about earthquakes? Towards a systematic approach to seismic risk mitigation. Bulletin of the New Zeeland Society for Earthquake Engineering 45: 1–16.

Allen, M.R., P. Gasparini, O. Kamigaichi, and M. Bose. 2009. The status of earthquake early warning around the world: An introductory overview. Seismological Research Letters 80(5): 682–693.

Ambraseys, N.N., and C.P. Melville. 1982. A history of Persian earthquakes. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Astaneh-Asl, A. 1994. Lessons of the 1990 Manjil-Iran earthquake. 10th European Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Vienna, 28 August–2 September 1994, 6997–7000. Rotterdam: Balkema.

Astaneh, A., and M. Ghafory-Ashtiany. 1990. The Manjil, Iran, earthquake of June 21, 1990. Earthquake Engineering Research Institute Newsletter 24(12): 5–12.

Atsumi, T., and K. Okano. 2004. Disaster relief from Kobe and its significance in the Bam, Iran earthquake of December 26, 2003. Bulletin Earthquake Research Institute University of Tokyo 79: 163–169.

Beck, U. 2008. World at risk: The new task of critical theory. Development and Society 37(1): 1–21.

Berberian, M. 1979. Tabas-e-Golshan (Iran) catastrophic earthquake of 16 September 1978; A preliminary field report. Disasters 2(4): 207–219.

Berberian, M. 2005. The 2003 Bam urban earthquake: A predictable seismotectonic pattern along the western margin of the rigid Lut Block, southeast Iran. Earthquake Spectra 1(S1): S35–S99.

Berberian, M. 2014. Earthquakes and coseismic surface faulting on the Iranian Plateau, A historical, social and physical approach. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Berberian, M., and R. Walker. 2010. The Rudbar Mw 7.3 earthquake of 1990 June 20, seismotectonics, coseismic and geomorphic displacements, and historic earthquakes of the western “High-Alborz” Iran. Geophysical Journal International 183(3): 1577–1602.

Berberian, M., M. Qorashi, J.A. Jackson, K. Priestley, and T. Wallace. 1992. The Rudbar-Tarom earthquake of 20 June 1990 in NW Persia: Preliminary field and seismological observations, and its tectonic significance. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 82(4): 1726–1755.

Bilham, R. 2009. The seismic future of cities. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering 7: 839–887.

De Ville de Goyet, C. 2007. Health lessons learned from the recent earthquakes and tsunami in Asia. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 22(1): 15–21.

Eisner, R. 2013. Preparing for the worst case…because it just might happen. Earthquake Spectra 29(S1): S339–S340.

Eshghi, S., and M.N. Ahari. 2005. Performance of transportation systems in the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S455–S468.

Eshghi, S., and K. Naserasadi. 2005. Performance of essential buildings in the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S375–S393.

Ettelaat Archives. 1978. 20 September 1978, No 15716. Published by the Ettelaat Organization, Tehran, Iran. Retrieved from the 1978 Archival Documents at the Library, Museum and Document Center of the Iran Parliament (In Farsi).

Fukagawa, M. 2007. Nephrology in earthquakes: Sharing experiences and information. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2: 803–808.

Garazhian, O., and L. Papoli Yazdi. 2008. Mortuary practices in Bam after the earthquake. An ethnoarchaeological study. Journal of Social Archaeology 8(1): 94–112.

Ghafory-Ashtiany, M., M-H. Jafari, and M. Tehranizadeh. 2000. Earthquake hazard mitigation achievement in Iran. 12th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Auckland, New Zealand, 30 January–4 February 2000, Paper 2380.

Glantz, H.M., and I. Kelman. 2013. Thoughts on dealing with climate change…As if the future matters. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 4(1): 1–8.

Hatamizadeh, P., I. Najafi, R. Vanholder, F. Rashid-Farokhi, H. Sanadgol, S. Seyrafian, A. Mooraki, S. Atabak, et al. 2006. Epidemiologic aspects of the Bam earthquake in Iran: The nephrologic perspective. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 47(3): 428–438.

Hosseinzadeh, N.A. 2004. Lessons learned from steel braced buildings damaged by the Bam earthquake of 26 December 2003. Journal of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering 5(4): 111–121.

Huang, R., and X. Fan. 2013. The landslide story. Nature Geoscience 6: 325–326.

Ibrion, M., H. Lein, M. Mokhtari, and F. Nadim. 2014. At the crossroad of nature and culture in Iran: The landscapes of risk and resilience of seismic space. International Proceedings of Economics Development and Research 71: 38–44.

Ibrion, M., M. Mokhtari, F. Parsizadeh, and F. Nadim. 2015a. Timescape of the earthquake disasters in Iran: The intricacies of earthquake time and earthquake disaster risk reduction. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography 97(1): 197–216.

Ibrion, M., F. Parsizadeh, M. Pakdaman Naeini, M. Mokhtari, and F. Nadim. 2015b. Handling of dead people after two large earthquake disasters in Iran: Tabas 1978 and Bam 2003—Survivors’ perspectives, beliefs, funerary rituals, resilience and risk. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 11: 60–77.

Ibrion, M., M. Mokhtari, F. Parsizadeh, H. Lein, and F. Nadim. 2015c. Towards a culture of resilience and earthquake disaster risk reduction in Iran—“Lessons-Learned” from earthquake disasters. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Seismology and Earthquake Engineering, 18–21 May 2015, Tehran, Iran.

ICG (International Centre for Geohazards/Norwegian Geotechnical Institute). 2004. Bam earthquake of 26 December 2003, ICG Reconnaissance Mission, ICG report 2004-99-1, 16 April 2004 / NGI Report 20041057-1, Revision 1-01 June 2004. Oslo.

ⅡEES (International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology). 1990. The Manjil-Rudbar earthquake of June 20, 1990 Iran. Report No. 70-90-1, May 1990. Tehran (in Farsi).

ⅡEES (International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology). 2013. The Mw 6.4 Shonbeh (Bushehr) earthquake on 9 April 2013 at 16.22 local time, in the Borazjan region. Tehran: ⅡEES (in Farsi).

Irikura, K. 2005. Importance of hazard risk assessment. Presentation at the Thematic Session 3–5, at World Conference on Disaster Reduction, 18–22 January 2005, Kobe. http://www.unisdr.org/2005/wcdr/thematic-sessions/presentations/session3-5/jaee-mr-irikura2.pdf. Accessed 15 Aug 2013.

Izadkhah, Y.O., and K.A. Hosseini. 2010. An evaluation of disaster preparedness in four major earthquakes in Iran. Journal of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering 12(1–2): 61–75.

Jackson, J. 2006. Fatal attraction: Living with earthquakes, the growth of villages into megacities, and earthquake vulnerability in the modern world. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 364(1845): 1911–1925.

Jaeger, C. 2010. Risk, rationality, and resilience. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 1(1): 10–16.

Kasperson, R.E. 2010. Science and disaster reduction. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 1(1): 3–9.

Kelman, I. 2012. Disaster diplomacy: How disasters affect peace and conflict. New York: Routledge.

Krausmann, E., and F. Mushtaq. 2006. A methodology for learning lessons. Experiences at the European level. In Measuring vulnerability to natural hazards, ed. J. Birkmann, 415–431. New Delhi: United Nations University Press.

Kunz, V. 2009. Sport as a post-disaster psychosocial intervention in Bam, Iran. Sport in Society 12(9): 1147–1157.

Lacasse, S., and F. Nadim. 2011. Learning to live with geohazards: From research to practice. In Geo-risk 2011: Risk assessment and management, Proceedings of GeoRisk 2011, 26–28 June, Atlanta, Georgia, ed. C.H. Juang, K.K. Phoon, J.A. Puppala, A.R Green, and A.G. Fenton, 64–116. American Society of Civil Engineers.

Lacasse, S., F. Nadim, and K. Høeg. 2012. Risk assessment and mitigation in geo-practice. In Geotechnical engineering state of the art and practice: Keynote lectures from GeoCongress 2012, March 25–29, Oakland, California, ed. K. Rollins, and D. Zekkos, 729–764. American Society of Civil Engineers.

Lacasse, S., F. Nadim, K. Høeg, and O. Gregersen. 2004. Risk assessment in geotechnical engineering: The importance of engineering judgement. In Advances in geotechnical engineering, the Skempton Conference Proceedings, vol. 2, 856–867. London: Thomas Telford Publishing.

Leroy, S.A.G., S. Warny, H. Lahijani, E.L. Piovano, D. Fanetti, and A.R. Berger. 2010. The role of geosciences in the mitigation of natural disasters: Five case studies. In Geophysical hazards, minimizing risk, maximizing awareness, ed. T. Beer, 115–147. Berlin and Heidelberg: Springer.

Lopez-Carresi, A. 2014. Common myths and misconceptions in disaster management. In Disaster management, international lessons in risk reduction, response and recovery, ed. A. Lopez-Carresi, M. Fordham, B. Wisner, I. Kelman, JC Gaillard, 142–159. New York: Routledge.

Maheri, R.M. 2005. Performance of buildings roofs in the 2003 Bam, Iran, Earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S411–S424.

Maheri, R.M., F. Naeim, and M. Mehrain. 2005. Performance of adobe residential buildings in the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S337–S344.

Mokhtari, M. 2010. Earthquake prediction activities and Damavand earthquake precursor test site in Iran. Natural Hazards 52(2): 351–368.

Movahedi, H. 2005. Search, rescue, and care of the injured following the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S475–S485.

Nadim, F., M. Moghtaderi-Zadeh, C. Lindholm, A. Andresen, S. Remseth, M.J. Bolourchi, M. Mokhtari, and E. Tvedt. 2004. The Bam earthquake of 26 December 2003. Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering 2: 119–153.

Ozerdem, A., and S. Barakat. 2000. After the Marmara earthquake: Lessons for avoiding short cuts to disasters. Third World Quarterly 21(3): 425–439.

Parsizadeh, F. 2011. Survey on dissemination of information on earthquakes, a case study on December 26 of 2003, Bam earthquake. Tehran: International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (in Farsi).

Parsizadeh, F., and O.Y. Izadkhah. 2005. Impact of the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake on the personnel and functioning of local government organizations. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S29–S34.

Parsizadeh, F., and M. Eskandari. 2013. Capabilities and needs of women in disaster—Case study of Bam earthquake, 26 December 2003. Research Bulletin of ⅡEES 16(1): 59–72.

Parsizadeh, F., M. Ghafory-Ashtiany, V. Heshmati, and A-E. Seif. 2007. Iran’s school earthquake safety initiative. Regional Development Dialogue—Earthquake safety of schoolchildren 28(2): 33–46. Nagoya: United Nations Centre for Regional Development.

Pinera, J-F., A.R. Reed, and C. Njiru. 2005. Restoring sanitation services after an earthquake: Field experience in Bam, Iran. Disasters 29(3): 222–236.

Ranghieri, F., and M. Ishiwatari. 2014. Learning from megadisasters, lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Washington, DC: The World Bank.

Rodriguez, C.E., J.J. Bommer, and R.J. Chandler. 1999. Earthquake-induced landslides: 1980–1997. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering 18: 325–346.

Sabri, C.R., P. Miller, and R. Dierkx. 2006. Rebuilding a sustainable image in a cultural landscape. Environmental Sciences 12: 49–58.

Shahrivar, H., and H. Nadim. 2005. The morphology, setting and processes of Rudbar and Fatalak landslides triggered by 1990 Manjil-Rudbar earthquake in Iran. Master thesis in geosciences, University of Oslo, Norway.

Sharifi, I., N. Nakhaei, M.R. Aflatoonian, M. Hakimi Parizi, A.R. Fekri, H. Safizadeh, M.R. Shirzadi, M.M. Gooya, et al. 2011. Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Bam: A comparative evaluation of pre- and post-earthquake years (1999–2008). Iranian Journal of Public Health 40(2): 49–56.

Simpson, E., and S. Corbridge. 2006. The geography of things that may become memories: The 2001 earthquake in Kachchh-Gujarat and the politics of rehabilitation in the prememorial era. Annals of the Association of American Geographers 96(3): 566–585.

Tatar, T., D. Hatzfeld, A.S. Moradi, A. Paul, A.M. Farahbod, and M. Mokhtari. 2004. Aftershocks study of the 26 December 2003 Bam earthquake. Journal of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering 5(4): 23–31.

Thywissen, K. 2006. Core terminology of disaster reduction: A comparative glossary. In Measuring vulnerability to natural hazards, ed. J. Birkmann, 448–496. New Delhi: United Nations University Press.

Tierney, K., B. Khazai, T.Tobin, and F. Krimgold. 2005. Social and public policy issues following the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake. Earthquake Spectra 21(S1): S513–534.

Yasamy, M.T., M. Farajpour, S.S. Gudarzi, S.A. Bagheri Yazdi, A. Bahramnezhad, Y. Mottaghipor, A. Zamyad, M. Aminesmaeeli, et al. 2006. Disaster mental health care in Iran-responses based on needs. In Advances in disaster mental health and psychological support, ed. O.J. Prewitt Diaz, S.R. Murthy, and R. Lakshminarayana, 61–68. New Delhi: Voluntary Health Association of India Press.

Zhang, L., X. Liu, Y. Li, Y. Liu, Z. Liu, J. Lin, J. Shen, X. Tang, Y. Zhang, and W. Liang. 2012. Emergency medical rescue efforts after a major earthquake: Lessons from the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Lancet 379(9818): 853–861.

Relative Articles

Supplements(0)

Cited By

Proportional views