project on disaster management of avalanche
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Preventive and protective measures
Areas at risk from avalanches can generally be identified by observation of the mountain slopes and by the study of the local records of past disasters.
Preventive measures will consist in identifying these likely zones and in the ad hoc layout, planning and implanting of buildings to prevent the triggering of serious avalanches. Anchoring and retaining devices will be positioned not only on the mountain slopes but also integrated in the infrastructure (walls, retaining or diverting channels, tunnels, galleries, etc.) built to protect threatened property. Planting trees is also an effective preventive measure.
At the community level, the consequences of avalanches will be avoided or at least limited by the following protective and preventive measures:
1. Selective monitoring of the snow and the danger of avalanches through the establishment for this purpose of a national institute of studies.
2. Land surveys and mapping likely avalanche zones.
3. Land development and planning regulations forbidding building or residing in threatened zones.
4. Constructing building which will prevent the triggering of massive avalanches on the uphill slopes and infrastructures such as walls, barriers, tunnels and galleries which will protect threatened property.
5. Depending on the seriousness of the danger from avalanches, forbidding circulation or the use of certain communication routes (roads, railways, etc.).
6. Artificially triggering locally restricted avalanches to prevent the accumulation of, and danger from, more massive falls.
7. Planning the evacuation of the population and livestock at risk (if need be, preventive occupation of civil protection shelters).
8. Setting up well trained intervention groups specialised in forecasting avalanches and rescuing persons buried by the snow, and making available the necessary means of intervention (rescue dogs). Informing the population.
9 As for blizzards and coId spells, they are inescapable but it is possible to identify the regions naturally at risk from them and the seasons when they occur. Preventive and protective measures will consist mainly in laying down adequate construction norms (insulation), advising people and the community on how to behave and what action to take (stocking food, fuel and heating material, and forming teams of technicians specially trained and equipped to undertake repairs). Familiarising the population with the principles of precaution and behaviour is also an important aspect of prevention and intervention.
Intervention and rescue measures
As soon as the risk of an avalanche becomes apparent, especially in view of the thickness and structure of the snow and the evolution of the weather conditions, local, regional or national authorities should take the specific protection measures required by the situation (observation and alarm service; closing off the area under threat; banning road and rail traffic; informing the population and giving advice on how to react; and if need be, evacuating all or some of the population, as well as their property and livestock. Consultation with experts is absolutely necessary, as is knowing about the damage which had been caused on previous occasions.
The management of protection, search, rescue and assistance (rehabilitation) falls to the local or regional authorities which ensure the coordinated engagement of the civil and military means and more particularly of the search and rescue parties with detection equipment and dogs specially trained to search for persons buried by the snow. Requisitioning and using machinery (diggers and snowploughs in particular) should be the object beforehand of a precise and detailed plan of intervention, as should also assistance measures for the homeless and the priority repairs to the infrastructure.
The above measures are valid in case of blizzards or snowstorms and cold spells whether or not electricity supplies are interrupted.
Should any buildings or the entire locality be destroyed and vital components of the infrastructure put out of action, it is important to ensure that specialised personnel (civil engineers) carry out a technical check of the stricken area to identify dangerous buildings and areas. The area where the avalanche started must be monitored continuously while emergency rescue and protection operations are taking place so as to protect the population and intervention and assistance personnel from further danger.