Vulnerabilities Magnified: A Closer Look At Disasters And Displacement

Introduction .................................................................................................... 207 Vulnerability and Predisposition to Displacement ................................... 209 Hazard-Prone Urbanized Areas ................................................................... 213 (Re)development Injustices and Historical Context ..................................214 New Realities: Resilience and Adaptive Capacity .................................... 215 Other Challenges .............................................................................................216 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 218 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................... 218 References ....................................................................................................... 219

Rapid urbanization and population growth has increased vulnerability, strain, and overload of infrastructural and ecological systems (NRC, 2006). Continuing population growth and economic and infrastructure development resulted in a concomitant increase in the magnitudes and significances of loss and disruption associated with hazard activity, as well as increased exposure in situations where the probability and intensity of hazard activity remained constant (Paton, 2006). Megacities are particularly susceptible to disasters given their social diversity, disparities in wealth, and large-scale illegal squatter settlements (Wisner, 2003; Trice, 2006). As cities and urban areas (large and small) place intense pressure on environmentally sensitive land, including fragile coastal areas, floodplains, earthquake fault zones, and steep slopes, population displacement and longer recovery time frames are becoming more commonplace as well (NRC, 2006; Paton and Johnston, 2006). Vulnerable persons with the least ability to respond to disaster impacts are also at greatest risk of shortand long-term displacement.