علی اصغر هدایی

INTRODUCTION: Today, natural crises have become an inseparable reality of human life, and one of the key measures to prevent the destructive consequences of natural disasters in any region is the identification and zoning of natural hazards. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify the factors affecting the occurrence and zoning of natural hazards within Mehdishahr county, Semnan province. METHODS: This research was conducted using a mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) and the status of risk and crisis management in Mehdishahr was examined. Data were collected from existing documents, interviews with key stakeholders (local officials, experts, and representatives of local communities), and analysis of statistical data related to past incidents. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, the factors under study were compared in pairs and the weight of each was calculated. FINDINGS: According to the findings, floods have the greatest impact on the riverbed and distance from it, the river parameter with 0.335 plays more than one-third of the flood risk, and land use with 0.096 has the lowest sensitivity. Also, faults with 0.370 are considered the most important and land type with 0.087 is the least important factor in causing earthquakes. Based on the results obtained from the AHP model, human factors, especially roads and paths, have the greatest impact on the occurrence of landslides, and along rivers they account for one-third of the factors affecting the occurrence of landslides. CONCLUSION: Considering the factors affecting the occurrence of natural disasters in Mehdishahr county, some preventive measures are necessary to preserve natural resources and the environment, ensure sustainable economic and social development, and reduce vulnerability, including: changing land use and respecting the privacy of rivers, preventing construction on the banks of rivers, stabilizing and stabilizing slopes, observing building regulations, and strengthening local capacities through education, empowerment, and promoting public and specialized awareness.

Letter to the Editor

Introduction: According to the flood records in Mazandaran province, this region is regarded as one of the flood-prone regions of the country, and due to the floods, it has suffered many casualties and financial losses. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the settlements at risk of flooding as one of the main goals of this research. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted based on extensive and exploratory research approaches. The required data were collected from monthly discharge and the maximum instantaneous discharge in the stations of Mazandaran province along with the population statistics of the provincial cities, as well as the statistics of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization concerning the floods. Accordingly, the statistics of hydrometric stations from 1971 to 2021 of Iran's water resources management main company, the population statistics of the province based on the census of 2015, and the statistics of floods that occurred from the beginning to 2021 have been used in this study. Flood return periods were obtained in the study stations in different statistical distributions using Hyfa software. Finally, Arc GIS software (version 10.3) was used to zone floods in Mazandaran province. Findings: Based on the results, about 1013 square kilometers of the province's surface accounting for 4.25% of its total area is located in the boundaries of large floods that have a return period of 50 to 100 years. Moreover, due to the high altitude, rainy-snowy events, and the significant amount of precipitation in Sarab (Dali Chai and Lar basins) and Payab, Haraz basin has a significant runoff rate discharge so that about 500 to 600 liters of water flow from this basin annually per square meter. Conclusion: According to the obtained results, strategies have been proposed to increase resilience against flood risk using different methods.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the prevalence of the term “household disaster preparedness”, there is no consensus over a single and clear definition in this regard. The present study aimed to identify the components and explain the concept of household disaster preparedness. METHODS: The present study was conducted based on a qualitative design. After reviewing the concept and components of household disaster preparedness in previous studies, the subjects were selected by purposive sampling from managers and experts active in the field of disaster risk reduction, as well as heads of families. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analyzed by the thematic analysis method, then the main and sub-components of household disaster preparedness were identified. FINDINGS: The classification of the components of household disaster preparedness revealed that this concept encompasses cognitive, physical-operational, financial, social, and psychological dimensions. However, household disaster preparedness was defined based on these dimensions. CONCLUSION: Household disaster preparedness consists of different dimensions. In order to evaluate this preparedness, an appropriate instrument is needed to assess all its dimensions.

INTRODUCTION: Identification of the settlements located in high-risk zones in terms of natural hazards is one of the first steps in risk management and development planning. This study aimed to identify villages exposed to earthquakes and floods in South Khorasan province. METHODS: The present study used the Analytic Hierarchy Process method to evaluate the validity and reliability of measuring instruments through exploratory factor analysis. Since the value of the KMO index was 0.879, the number of samples was sufficient for analysis. Moreover, the significance of the Bartlett test was less than 5% and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was obtained at 0.856; accordingly, the questionnaire was reliable. FINDINGS: Based on the spatial analysis of the seismic vulnerability, 214 and 502 villages were in the zone of very high and high vulnerability, respectively. Moreover, the results of flood vulnerability showed that the southern and northwestern parts of South Khorasan province had the lowest vulnerability. The number of villages located in the very high vulnerable zone was very limited and included only seven villages of Chenesht, Kalateh Abbas, Takti Ti, Tangel Behdan, Ebru, Khankuk, and Ostan Siah, which are located in the east of the province. CONCLUSION: Based on the integrated results of two hazards (i.e., earthquakes and floods), it is observed that 523 rural settlements are in a very high-risk zone, which accounts for 14.7% of the total settlements in the South Khorasan province, compared to the total rural settlements. Furthermore, the highest dispersion frequency of rural settlements is in the zone of moderate vulnerability. This zone with 1,344 settlements includes about 37.7% of the total settlements in the province

INTRODUCTION: The present article aimed to study field observations of the 2017 Sefid Sang earthquake, Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran, measuring 6 on the Richter scale with the approach of assessing the behaviors and performing a short analysis on the rescue and relief operations. METHODS: This qualitative study has followed the conceptual analysis approach to research. The sample population was selected with purposive sampling technique from the affected villages of Brashak, Karghash Olya, Drakht Bid, Kelate Menar, Kelate Hajikar, Kharzar, and Chah Mazar to study the behavior and knowledge of the affected people. A goal-based sampling was also applied among the operational managers who were directly engaged in the relief and rescue operations. This research benefited the focus group’s viewpoints. The necessary data were gathered from the answers given to the open questions. The process of research data analysis was in the light of phases proposed by Granheim and Lanman. FINDINGS: The results of this study showed that the disaster preparedness index coefficient among the residents of affected and surrounding villages was low which seriously required enhancement. It was also found out the affected people lacked necessary awareness about general training on the subject of disaster resiliency. Although Red Crescent’s role of disaster response in the context of implementation had been effective, it was found that its other roles of advocacy and support culd be more effective than its implementation role.