Earthquake Readiness: Sub Standard Housing is Major Risk for Algerian Cities
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In 1980 when the then-town of El Asnam (Chlef today) was devastated by an earthquake, famed geologist Haroun Tazieff warned of the big one that was yet to come. His televised expert opinion scared many and millions of Algerians did not like what they heard.
Decades later and the big one is indeed yet to come. And yet nothing has been done to prepare the capital's housing infrastructure as Algeria was busy dealing with its darkest political era in its modern history. All it takes is to drive in and around the city of Algiers to comprehend the looming catastrophe if a strong earthquake hits. Experts say the whole nation would suffer if the capital is hit by a quake measuring 7 degrees on the Richter scale. A similar event that destroyed the province of Boumerdes to the east of the capital could lead to far greater destruction and losses if it happens in Algiers.The risk is undoubtedly compounded by the existence of an enormous base of homes and construction sites that are far from reaching today's basic anti-seismic rules. An estimated 80% of the housing units and building in the capital are said to be unfit to withstand a high-magnitude tremor. But that's not just Algiers. All other major cities, from Oran in the northwest to Constantine and Annaba in the northeast, face the very same critical risk of utter destruction. The 80% rate mentioned in this analysis comes from the fact that these housing units and buildings are more than 50 years of age, constructed during the colonial era when quakes were a lot less known fact and certainty than today.
The sorry state of Algeria's housing and other infrastructure system may not be on the agenda of decision makers and the political elite, but a group of specialists has been vocal about this issue recently. Its members have been raising red flags to bring the problem front and center in the political debate, but their voices remain to be heard. These analysts have been calling for the formation of a study group to assess the vulnerability of old houses, which are in the millions. They are lobbying for the establishment of a special fund to identify high-risk infrastructure and analyze it, before exploring measures to secure it. The challenges, however, are enormous and financing an upgrade project could be so costly that it is out of Algeria's financial capabilities. Experts argue that in Japan, the cost of anti-seismic buildings often exceeds the $150 million level. For now, Algeria does not even have a national agency that would draft basic urban development rules and monitor them. Such agency is necessary even more today than ever before in an effort to revisit what has been done and how to rectify the trends.
Even in today's large scale projects very little attention is paid to anti-seismic techniques and quake readiness. An agency such as the one proposed by experts would help prevent catastrophes such as the breakage of the dam of Beni Haroun in the province of Mila, which consumed hundreds of millions of dollars over a period of 20 years without being completed. Algeria is currently preparing to spend $3 billion on a controversial construction of a mosque in the capital city and such a massive infrastructure cannot be possibly completed without a thorough seismic diagnosis and investment in readiness. Experts cite the case of the Emir Abdelkader and Milia mosques which sustained substantial damage as a result of landslides. For now, authorities have their thoughts elsewhere. Algeria's priorities today are on creating a basic economy that can sustain itself and grow so as to absorb unemployment. As such the likelihood to modernize the housing sector is limited to none. In contrast, the likelihood of a nature catastrophe with a potential to inflict massive damage is a certainty.
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Comments (1 posted):
Did someone thought of looking back at the persons who have governed Algeria since independence, you will find them the same people, sometimes a minister of water resources will be put as a minister of sport, and vice versa. Can someone with clear mind explain that to us? is there an y logic behind?
Algeria is being ruled by irresponsible, un-educated band of corrupted foreign agents, which in case of a large Earthquake that strikes the capital, will get the army our firing the guns against their people to stop them from voicing there anger, and accuse them of being terrorist, as had happened before.
I been around many worldwide capitals, I studies how they have developed, I have compared resources the country has in hand, and the amount of development they achieved, I found incomparable results.
Examples below can show that: Shenzhen airport have been upgraded in a year to accommodate millions of passenger, Algiers Airport has been opened to the public after 30 years of unprecedented corruption, and guess what, there is no even proper nor sufficient toilets for passengers.
Metro Algeria is another example: I remember when Works onShenzhen started, and it took them 3 years to complete and make it run with a daily capacity up to 300,000 passenger.
In Malaysia, they have 3 different Metros in 5 years, and in the express lane to the airport, you can check in your language and get your boarding pass at the Metro station in Kuala Lumpur rather than at the Airport.
In Dubai, the metro will run for 78KM in 3 years deadline, with state of the Art technology.
Imagine Algeria: 9KM in 29 years, the government was hopping to open it in 2008. now no word?
Can someone imaging how much have cost the airport that has taken 30 years to build, the metro that has taken 29 to build, the new buildings that look like animal cages that are being developed for Algerian people.
Algerian people do not like to think for another Earthquake, if it happens then Algerians will suffer in silence, they will cry and try to help each other as usual, but will never forget the names of the presidents, ministers, army generals, who were responsible for this catastrophic situation.
Algeria deservers better governance than what it had so far.
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