Building A City That Can Withstand Disasters
To do that we need to anticipate problems that could arise and prepare for it.
So far at Zemora Tourista…
Zemora Tourista is an environment friendly city built by the teens at the Young Executives Club. The city runs completely on renewable sources of energy and has been designed to ensure quality of life which means no more traffic congestion, low travel time, more walking/cycle spaces and so on.
Ensuring that the city is strong
The group met on Sunday to anticipate possible problems and ensure that appropriate solutions are in place. This exercise meant being curious, asking questions to find relevant information and also making relevant connections to the cities we live in.
Potential problems identified and the proposed solutions
Zemora Tourista has a volcano. It could erupt. This volcano had erupted earlier leading to a massive evacuation. Considering that there are 1500 volcanoes across the world and people continue to live near the volcano with proper evacuations systems in place justifies our efforts to anticipate the possibility of evacuation though the chances of eruption are low.
Could volcanoes emit dangerous and harmful substances? It was hard to confirm with concrete evidence that volcanoes that are not erupting may not pose a problem of harmful emissions. Given that the volcano is a dormant one, in other words it has the potential to erupt again, the group decided to have detailed evacuation systems in place. Early detection and warning systems have been put in place and there is reasonable confidence that people can be evacuated easily should the need arise.
Ash and debris on the mountain exterior can cause deadly landslides in the time of rain. The city is reasonable far and shouldn’t get affected.
Flooding problems after heavy rain. The teens were quick to add that just as the city of Chennai has been grappling with excess flooding problems every time we have good rains, Zemora Tourista could also have the same problem. The dam could overflow. The water could stagnate leading to diseases such as dengue. As a prevention measure, they suggested rainwater harvesting, using porous material for roads and walking paths, efficient drains etc.
Sewage water mixing with clean water on account of broken pipes. The question that was raised is “Why do pipes break?” Discussions led the group to arrive at the conclusion that we must use durable pipes that are good in quality and not compromise on quality for the sake of reducing costs.
Wildfires caused by nature. Considering that we have managed to retain a large tree cover, the risk of wildfires exists. The group found out that the common cause of wildfires is lightning, extreme dry weather and volcanic eruption. The first two were dismissed as less likely. To be on the safe side a fire fighting team would be stationed at the edge of the forest to do what is possible. To prevent destruction on account of volcanic eruption, the teens came up with two original solutions:
a) build open tunnels with metals that can withstand high temperatures to enable the law follow a predetermined path to a pit/well in which lava can be left to solidify. Later this could become a designated pit for mining.
b) Why not create a depression around the mountain? This way the lava can get accumulated there without spreading far and wide?
Wildfires caused by human activities. The decision to ban camping in forests was taken. In addition it was proposed to have a double fence around the forest area, one electrical fence on the outside and an ordinary one inside to safeguard animals.
Geothermal plant could cause mild tremors. To safeguard property, earthquake proof buildings will be built and these will not exceed 7-8 floors to ensure stability.
Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth. —Henry David Thoreau