EMERGENCY SETTLEMENT EXPERIENCES IN IRAN: LESSONS TOWARD MORE EFFICIENCY IN POST-QUAKE

This paper is based on a study about emergency settlement challenges in devastating earthquakes in Iran during last 20 years. Considering the length of reconstruction programs in Iran and the importance of population settlement in post event, planning for emergency settlement is a priority in risk management. Usually disaster-affected population prefers to stay next to their demolished houses; therefore, decisions and policies in emergency phase could affect further phases in post event. The goal of the study is proposing some guidelines to improve the emergency settlement process in the country. In this paper first, an overview of components and details of emergency settlement phase such as rescue, relief, emergency shelter, community participation, are studied. Then emergency settlement experiences in devastating earthquakes during last twenty years including Manjil earthquake (1990), Avaj earthquake (2002), Bam earthquake (2003), Silakhor earthquake (2006) and Varzaghan earthquake (2012) are studied. Based on emergency settlement experiences in Iran conclusions are made and guidelines and proposals are presented.