Disaster management and response: a lifelines study for the Queenstown Lakes District

• Main Author: Keith, Hamish D.
• Language: en
• Published: University of Canterbury. Department of Geological Sciences 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10092/2563

The Queenstown Lakes District is vulnerable to a number of natural hazards. These include earthquakes, mass movements, meteorological hazards and flooding. Many of the hazards that threaten the district have the potential to cause loss of life or injury and all of them have the potential to cause severe damage to homes, businesses and other infrastructure. Infrastructure and services that support life and business in the community, and that are used everyday are known as lifelines. Lifelines are generally taken for granted but are directly associated with the quality of life that we live. Lifelines include electricity, telecommunication, water supply, wastewater removal, transportation and emergency services. Following a major disaster the need for safe, effective and timely restoration of these lifeline systems is critical. This project analyses the vulnerability of lifelines with respect to natural hazards with the aim that it can be used to ensure that when a disaster occurs appropriate and efficient action is taken to minimise the impact. This thesis also attempts to raise awareness and understanding of the hazards that threaten the Queenstown Lakes District as well as emphasise the importance of lifelines and what's involved in their management. This will hopefully help readers understand the likely impacts of a disaster so that when one occurs they will not be completely caught unaware. This thesis will also hopefully entice the reader to better prepare for a disaster. Scenarios of each hazard were created based upon current scientific understanding and are used to illustrate more clearly the priorities that need to be addressed during the response and recovery phases of a disaster.