DISASTER RISK REDUCTION IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LEZHË. SEISMIC RISK AS PART OF A MULTI-RISK ANALYSIS

Abstract

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and community resilience is considered as a global priority. For several decades the focus has been on changing the approach from emergency response towards prevention strategies. Within this approach local authorities have a fundamental role in reducing such disasters as they represent the link between the community and other stakeholders; from central authorities to engineers, planners and disaster specialists. As such the quality, efficiency and the way the risk information is provided to such authorities is of the utmost importance. Albania is located in one of the most active areas from the seismic point of view and therefore is an earthquake-prone country. The latest seismic event was the 6.4 Magnitude earthquake of November 2019 in Durrës which caused several fatalities and a considerable amount of economic damage, whose impact is still evident nowadays, three years after the event, with the recovery phase still ongoing. Such consequences clearly reflect the low levels of resilience and preparedness urban and non-urban systems in Albania unfortunately have. The aim of this paper, is the evaluation of seismic risk in semi-quantitative terms based on indices, within a wider multi-risk analysis including also flooding, fire, wind, snow etc. for one of the most strategic municipalities of Albania, Lezhë. The analysis is done by taking into consideration several aspects of vulnerability; physical, social, economic, environmental and cultural. The results of such analysis are aimed to be used for several decision-making processes by the local authorities as part of improving the strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM).