Stories Behind the 2017 Earthquakes in Mexico: Response-Recovery-Reconstruction

K Y

M C Fte HistoriasSismos 30235 ING Marco

Libro Terremoto PORT ENG FINAL.indd 1-5 05/11/20 17:16 K Y

M C Fte HistoriasSismos 30235 ING Marco

Libro Terremoto PORT ENG FINAL.indd 1-5 05/11/20 17:16 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 1 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 2 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 3 05/11/20 17:19 Technical document

Stories behind the 2017 earthquakes in Mexico: Response-Recovery-Reconstruction

Published in 2020 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific Organization y la Cultura, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France.

This publication is available in open access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO license (CCBY-SA3.0 IGO) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/). When using the content of this publication, users accept the conditions of use of the Repository UNESCO Open Access (http://www.unesco.org/open-access/terms-use-ccbysa-sp).

The designations used and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or referent to the delimitation of its borders or circumscriptions.

The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication correspond to the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not bind the Organization.

This publication was conceived, developed, coordinated and edited in its entirety by UNESCO’s Section for Earth Sciences and Geohazard Risk Reduction:

Coordination and general editing of the project: Soichiro Yasukawa, Program Specialist in Disaster Risk Reduction, UNESCO

Editorial development: Dorian Rommens, UNESCO Office in Mexico Aracely Torres Morales, UNESCO Office in Mexico Masaia Sasaki, UNESCO

Graphic and cover design: Rodrigo Morlesin, UNESCO Office in Mexico

We deeply appreciate all the support provided by Mexican Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID), the National Coordination Civil Protection Agency (CNPC), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and all the people involved in the project “Preparation for a better response, recovery and reconstruction; Learning from disaster ethnography “(PRERADE).

This material was planned to be used in the last workshop of PRERADE project in May 2020 in Mexico.

We thank the Government of Japan for its generous financial support in the project. PRERADE to assist the Government of the United Mexican States in the evaluation from “Build Back Better” as a result of the devastating earthquakes in Mexico in 2017.

Printed in Mexico.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 4 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 5 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 6 05/11/20 17:19 PRESENTATION

Around midnight on September 7, 2017, an earthquake measuring 8.2 on the Richter scale shook the States of Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico, causing gigantic human and material losses. The damage from that earthquake had not been counted yet, when on September 19 around 13.00 hours, a new earthquake hit central Mexico specifically the cities of Morelos, Puebla and Mexico City, in that moment it was 7.1 degrees of Richter, which generated large losses that exacerbated the damage already caused by the September 7th earthquake.

The earthquakes left 480 casualties, as well as damage to around 150,000 homes, 12,000 schools and 1,500 historical monuments. According to World Bank estimates, reconstruction costs are expected to reach $ 2 billion.

UNESCO in collaboration with the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID), the National Coordination for Civil Protection (CNPC) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have implemented PRERADE project [“Preparation for a better Response, Recovery and Reconstruction - Learning from the Ethnography of Disasters”] through which testimonies of the protagonists during the earthquakes have been compiled and which can be disseminated as lessons learned for future disaster scenarios. This publication contains 13 testimonies of those who were in Mexico in the front lines responding to the disaster from the health, education, culture, first response, international cooperation and reconstruction sectors. These testimonies are an important reference for Mexicans and for all those who live in earthquake-prone regions in the world.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 7 05/11/20 17:19 PROLOGUES 12 The governments of Mexico and Japan, 30 years collaborating in disaster risk reduction Yasushi Takase Japanese Ambassador to Mexico

14 PRERADE allows us to describe METHODOLOGY the facts truthfully Gustavo Cabrera 23 Preparedness for better General Director of Technical response, recovery and and Scientific Cooperation reconstruction; learning of AMEXCID from disaster ethnography (PRERADE) 16 Towards a more prepared societya 24 Presentation of PRERADE Oscar Zepeda General Director of National 30 Preparation of PRERADE Coordination of Civil Protection 36 Utilization of PRERADE 18 Disaster risk preparedness saves lives Frederic Vacheron Representative of UNESCO FIRST in Mexico RESPONSE 45 “Highways and roads were blocked by debris from collapsed houses” 53 “Collapsed buildings, gas leaks, fires, explosions in different areas of Mexico City”

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 8 05/11/20 17:19 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 63 “You had to take advantage of this solidarity, first of the EDUCATION civil society of our country, AND CULTURE but also of the international community” 101 “Several schools were damaged (...), most 71 “I acknowledge the Mexican were built without following people’s vocation to help the building codes and but, sometimes, they stand regulations” in the way” 109 “Several activities conducted during the drill were not followed at the time of the real emergency” HEALTH 117 “Keep the integrity and 83 “Mexico´s strength authenticity of the property” is its people” 125 “Nothing is demolished, 91 “Shelter, shelter!” everything is restored” “the shake was very strong and didn’t allow us to move anywhere” RECONSTRUCTION 137 “Journalists asked me how many buildings are going to be demolished?” 145 “We rescued adobe houses” 153 “Haste is not a good advisor for the reconstruction process”

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 9 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 10 05/11/20 17:19 11

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 11 05/11/20 17:19 THE GOVERNMENTS OF MEXICO AND JAPAN, 30 YEARS COLLABORATING IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

This report is the summary of the earthquake and tsunami” that describes Preparedness for better Response, Recovery the actions by timeline for both public and Reconstruction; Learning from Disaster and private stakeholders in case of large Ethnography (PRERADE) project, which scale earthquake and tsunami in 2017. has been implemented by UNESCO in the This PRERADE report has been developed collaboration of the Government of Mexico, utilizing the experience of this Guide and the Government of Japan, and many adapting to the context of Mexico. stakeholders in both countries. Mexico and Japan have enjoyed 400 years of Following the earthquakes that occurred friendship and collaborated in many sectors. in Mexico in 2017, PRERADE project was In the field of disaster risk reduction, the planned and implemented to provide a National Center for Disaster Prevention framework to develop the mechanisms on (CENAPRED), which was established by the response, recovery, and reconstruction the collaboration of Mexican and Japanese by the Government of Mexico, health Governments, celebrates his 30 years organizations, and related public and private anniversary this year. stakeholders. In the aftermath of the earthquakes that Japan suffered great damage from the occurred in Mexico in 2017, the Japanese Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Government supported the Government Tsunami in 2011. Responding to this disaster, and the people of Mexico through the Japanese Government developed dispatching Japan’s Disaster Relief Team, the “Guide for responding to large scale reconstructing the collapsed schools with

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 12 05/11/20 17:19 the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Programme.

Mr. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the President of Mexico, pledged to strengthen the disaster risk reduction following the earthquakes in 2017. This project is to support this direction of the government of Mexico and to contribute to the development of policies on disaster risk reduction in Mexico.

Finally, I would like to finish by expressing my wish to further strengthen the relationship between Mexico and Japan, and the continuous success of the project partners, such as UNESCO, Mexican Government and all actors involved.

Yasushi Takase Japanese Ambassador to Mexico

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 13 05/11/20 17:19 PRERADE ALLOWS US TO DESCRIBE THE FACTS TRUTHFULLY

In the last three decades, the concepts of of the Letters of Relations of Hernan Cortes in disaster and vulnerability have been used the conquest of the Aztec Empire. very commonly and became part of the discourses and public policies. We cannot Description is an explanation of vision. An master the risks, without considering the ordered description or a methodology alteration of the natural space by the hand allows us to understand and interpret things of man, under the argument of adapting the as if we were in the same place, despite to habitat to human conditions. be many kilometers away. Ethnography is this ordered technique with the method of Accordingly, it has been a concern of being able to describe with such veracity, to human knowledge, to find an answer to such a degree that one can imagine, just by the many questions that are asked after an closing one’s eyes, being in that place. For event occurred that caused a calamity. The further reference, it is enough to read Claude description and analysis were a process of Lévi-Strauss’s text called “Sad Tropics”, the casuistic explanation of catastrophic which can be considered one of the greatest events. The answer was always found in a works of description and ethnographic work. justification of why things happened and the levels of interpretation ranged from the Currently, the use of technology has been of divine-religious to the scientific logic. greater relevance in the world, since there are documented and processed lines of In this way, It has always worried society’s action, strategies, plans and intervention human being to document the events programs that have emerged from the that have occurred to learn from the accumulated experience of the peoples past. Throughout history, great travelers and countries that have faced catastrophic documented their learning and experiences in changes. discoveries and knowledge. We can highlight the contributions of Marco Polo about his These calamities that have occurred and discoveries during his travels in the Silk Road, that have violated public infrastructure, the wonderful descriptions of the travels of the have reduced their capital and economic- Nao from China to America or the accounts productive capacity, as well as violated the

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 14 05/11/20 17:19 human security of groups ranging from and their institutions; the performance families, towns and regions, make it necessary of the Mexican population; international to rethink ways of prevention and action. solidarity; the consonance of the private sector; the ethics of the media were severely The existence of the Sendai Framework for tested to demonstrate the effectiveness and Disaster Risk Reduction is without a doubt, efficiency of their respective interventions, a patent of the experience accumulated as well as to consider a favorable impact of in various countries that have managed to their respective actions. have the will and capacity to share their experiences to promote an approach, When we turned the page in the emergency management or treatment that is resilient to stage, with the reconstruction phase well the effects generated by natural phenomena advanced although not yet concluded, for a global understanding of disasters, UNESCO has been undertaking a great reduction of the risks that these cause, as collaboration exercise with the National well as to enable a platform for continuous Civil Protection Coordination and AMEXCID dialogue for the exchange of experiences to identify, interview and promote a generated in different parts of the planet. constructive narrative with various relevant Mexican actors who were: decision makers; In the general framework of action, key actors and actors of change during the the Mexican Agency for International seismic days of the catastrophic September Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) of 2017 in Mexico. expressed recognition to UNESCO, and to the people and government of Mexico and Japan have been and are two Japan, by decisively promoting a task of great cultures, characterized by knowledge, identification, description, compilation and experiences and respect for nature. It is time systematization of experiences developed to pay tribute to wisdom and experience, in Mexico during the journey, in time and because the courage and tenacity of the in space that occurred in September 2017 actors are a strong interaction between the with the occurrence of telluric movements past, the present and the future. For this of significant magnitude and occurrence reason, this contribution and all that it allows in unthinkable epicenters. There have us to offer in this publication, is a series been three earthquakes that happened of memorable testimonies for a resilient back then: September 7, 19 and 23, which postscript, our great generational legacy. dramatically affected and changed the lives of countless Mexicans. Gustavo Cabrera The tasks, the knowledge, the wills, the faith General Director of Technical and Scientific of the population, of the government, as Cooperation of the Mexican Agency well as of the various actors were put to the for International Development Cooperation test; the performance of the government (AMEXCID)

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 15 05/11/20 17:19 TOWARDS A MORE PREPARED SOCIETY

Earthquakes, one of the most interesting It is for this reason that it is essential to phenomena of land dynamics with which generate awareness processes about the humanity has coexisted since its origins, high level of seismic risk that exists, and to constitute a challenge in scientific, social, consolidate opportunities to prepare society and political terms for Mexico. Historically, with the necessary knowledge to prevent an they have marked the country, during earthquake from becoming a disaster. the year 1913 with the entry of Madero to Mexico City, in 1932 in Western Mexico and The earthquakes of September 7 and even the 1985 earthquakes we may consider 19, 2017 had an impact of around 80,000 as the cause of the democratic opening million pesos and 480 deaths, these losses and the beginning of the transformation of are inacceptable, especially because they Mexican society. are avoidable. It is for this reason that we cannot neglect to remember the causes The earthquakes are unpredictable that provoked these harmful effects, and the phenomena, and their effects could lessons they taught us: lack of a prevention remain as scars in the history of countries culture, negligence in the design process, as well as in the soul of peoples. However, construction and supervision process it is this society that can reduce and of buildings, difficulties in handling the control its impact, through prevention emergency, and lack of a protocol and and preparedness, through actions led transparent processes in reconstruction. by the authorities. Society has advanced in mechanisms such as early warning, the For the aforementioned reasons, among consolidation of new and better seismic others, we strive to ensure that Mexico will resistant practices, and its participation in never have to go through an experience reducing vulnerability. It has also increased where its inhabitants suffer the consequences its exposure in a substantive way. of a lack of planning, making comprehensive

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 16 05/11/20 17:19 risk management the cross-cutting axis of This piece is the combined effort of many development, allowing to influence the institutions and people, and represents of underlying causes of seismic risk. the National Civil Protection System, as well as the greatness and solidarity of its people In this context, the present reports are in times of crisis. Memories of disasters and developed with the objective of identifying the suffering they cause must go hand in risk factors that are related to processes, hand with memories about solidarity, joint decisions and actions whose implication work, the commitment of society in the directly affects the models of urban colony, and in the neighborhoods to get development and territorial ordering, ahead. economic growth, structure of societies and their cultural aspects. I thank all the participants in this book, who I am sure will represent a memory about the It is essential to find those causes that allow hope and work that many Mexicans deliver the growth of vulnerability in all its aspects, day by day to build a safer and more resilient as determinants of the level of impact on country for the generations to come. the population, either in the resistance of a building to the seismic phenomenon, as in terms of poverty, marginalization, human development or education.

The voices reflected in this publication represent the experiences of scientists, rescuers, decision makers, planners, etc., Oscar Zepeda with a very particular vision and unconditional Director General of the National love for Mexico. Coordination of Civil Protection

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 17 05/11/20 17:19 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SAVES LIVES

The risk of natural disasters is rising. Climate preventing disasters and managing climate change, urban pressure and lack of disaster risk, and their ability to cope with natural preparedness are increasingly transforming hazards. natural hazards more disastrous causing loss of life and economic loss. Over the last 20 Following the two devastating earthquakes in years, disasters have claimed more than 1.35 September 2017 in Mexico with epicenters in million lives and displaced around 4 billion the States of Puebla and Chiapas, UNESCO people from their homes. has collaborated with Mexican Government in the project, which is called Preparedness Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is increasingly for the better response, recovery and on the agenda of the UN System Agencies. reconstruction; learning from disaster While the Sendai Framework for Disaster ethnography (PRERADE) to learn lessons Risk Reduction 2015-2030 is the roadmap from the two devastating earthquakes in for DRR, other global agendas including the Mexico. This project relates to the Priority of Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Action 4 of the Sendai Framework for DRR, Climate Agreement and the New Urban which is ‘Build Back Better’. Agenda have targets, which cannot be attained without DRR. There are clear links It is my great pleasure to publish the outcome between those international instruments. of PRERADE project that includes the explanation of PRERADE methodology, stories UNESCO operates at the interface between of various themes and lessons learned from natural and social sciences, education, the experience of the two natural hazards. culture and communication playing a vital role in constructing a global culture of UNESCO appreciates the generous support resilient communities. UNESCO assists from the government of Japan and the close Member States to build their capacities for collaboration of the Mexican stakeholders,

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 18 05/11/20 17:19 especially the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and the National Coordination of Civil Protection (CNPC) for its substantial and coordinating support. UNESCO also thanks Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the technical support during the project.

UNESCO wishes that PRERADE will be used as a common practice to learn lessons from the disaster and lessons will be used for building back better.

Frederic Vacheron Representative of UNESCO in Mexico

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 19 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 20 05/11/20 17:19 21

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 21 05/11/20 17:19 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 22 05/11/20 17:19 PREPAREDNESS FOR BETTER RESPONSE, RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION; LEARNING FROM DISASTER ETHNOGRAPHY (PRERADE)

The UNESCO PRERADE Project Team appreciate the supervision, valuable inputs on actual implementation experience and lessons learned provided by Prof. Kishie Shigekawa and Prof. Satoshi Tanaka, Graduate School of Disaster Research, Tokoha University, Japan and Ms. Risa Yanagiya, Disaster-Resilient and Environmentally-Friend- ly City Promotion Office, Sendai City. The background work and documentation was done by a team of Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd. Led by Mr. Katsu Kato. The document was edited by the UNESCO Mexico Office.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 23 05/11/20 17:19 1. PRESENTATION

1.1 Background invaluable to be utilized for future disasters, however these experiences have not been isaster is an extraordinary situation. usually recorded and forgotten. Contents DEvery disaster takes on a different of official disaster report published by aspect and each affected people have governments and research papers are different experiences even within the same mainly summarized the only results with disaster. When a disaster occurs, both the quantitative data, and information by media, affected people and the disaster response which might be biased based on the limited officials such as administrative officers of information and don’t include the detail government, fire fighters, etc. face with processes of disaster response. Therefore unprecedented situations that they have same or similar problems will be happened never experienced before. In particular, again in the next disaster. In order to respond problems and difficult situations arise effectively for future disasters, it is important moment by moment without knowing what to record all the fact, process and experience would happen next and how the disaster that happened in the disaster affected area and damage would be caused. Those who as the precious information and knowledge respond to the disaster face many difficulties which can be shared to many. The affected that those who were not in the disaster people and the disaster response officials affected area could not even imagine. fully understand their experiences and are The persons who respond to the disaster able to share their knowledge of the various struggle each time to overcome the difficult situations that have been caused since the situations, and have to choose the measures disaster has occurred. of coping with the disaster. It is important to understand and choose the measures for In this circumstance, the research of lessons possible subsequent situations. learned based on the detail interviews with those who responded the disaster and The experiences and lessons learned from analyses from their point of view, was started the actual situation of the past disasters are as “Disaster Ethnography” from the Great

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 24 05/11/20 17:19 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Japan, 1995 Figure 1.1 Position of the Disaster in order to develop the Explicit Knowledge Ethnography based on the identification of the Tacit Knowledge in disaster response for future disasters. Ethnology (Cultural As an example, Japanese researchers have Anthropology) conducted PRERADE for the following disasters: Scientific description of different culture - 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, of a society Japan. by participant observation - 2001 September 11 Attacks, USA.

- 2004 Niigata-Chuetsu Earthquake, Japan. Disaster Ethnography

- 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami. Scientific description ofspecial culture - 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Japan. on disaster response by interviews - 2017 Earthquake of September 7 and 19 in Mexico (UNESCO PRERADE Project). Disaster Research

1.2 What is PRERADE?

Source: K. Shigekawa and S. Tanaka, Tokoha The definitions of PRERADE are summarized University, Japan as follows. The Disaster Ethnography is harmonized with the Ethnology and Disaster Research as shown in figure 1.1 to study the essential data to establish a general pattern of social behaviors. The Ethnology is scientific description of different culture of a society by participant observation and the Disaster Research is scientific description of special culture on disaster response by interviews.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 25 05/11/20 17:19 • The Disaster Ethnography is one of 2. To identify those who were at a disas- the research method for analyzing the ter site to share their experiences in overall picture of emergency response their own words. and recovery/rehabilitation processes for disaster. 3. To organize experiences systematically how disasters have an impact on the • The Disaster Ethnography is collected affected people and disaster response personal original experiences by officials. interviews in order to accumulate and systematize scientific descriptions of the 4. To develop more effective disaster re- disaster processes in a form that can be sponse in the future by identifying the utilized for future disaster response. Tacit Knowledge that existed at the disaster site. • The Disaster Ethnography is utilized for preparedness for better response, 5. To clarify the knowledge systematically recovery and reconstruction in future of social actions that persons present disasters by understanding the good at a disaster site use. practices and lessons learned from past disasters. 6. To convert the experiences of disaster affected people and/or disaster • The procedure of PRERADE consists response officials into knowledge so mainly two steps, which are preparation that those who have not experienced of PRERADE including interview and its a disaster directly can understand and utilization. have simulated experiences.

7. To encourage people who have not directly experienced a disaster to 1.3 Objectives of PRERADE shed their bystander’s perspective by recognizing the actual situation of the The objectives of PRERADE are summarized disaster. as follows. Main objective of PRERADE is to identify the Tacit Knowledge in disaster The figure 1.3 shows the utilization flow of response and to convert it to the Explicit PRERADE. Specifically PRERADE aims to Knowledge to realize more effective be utilized for integration of the disaster disaster response for future (see figure response activities based on the personal 1.2). experiences by the detail interview surveys into the report documenting and 1. To understand disasters deeply from visualizing including missing information. the perspective of disaster affected PRERADE also aims to systematize the people and disaster response officials. disaster response activities as a manual

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 26 05/11/20 17:19 Figure 1.2 Objective of PRERADE

Tacit Knowledge Explicit Knowledge Knowledge gained Knowledge that can through personal be easily identified, experience of disaster articulated, shared and response, but that transmitted is not written down and is difficult to share Identification • Easy to express and in words • Hard to express Conversion in words • Objective • Subjective • Logical • Intuitive • Digital • Analogue

Source: K. Shigekawa and S. Tanaka, Tokoha University, Japan

for preparing for better response, recovery and reconstruction in the future disaster. In addition, the activities of PRERADE consistently contribute directly and indirectly to the achievement of the priorities for action of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which is an international framework in DRR. In particular, PRERADE will contribute significantly to the priorities for action 4 “Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to Build Back Better in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction”.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 27 05/11/20 17:19 Figure 1.3 Utilization flow of PRERADE

Fieldworks Selection of Information Person A Integration Systematization

Person B Report Manual

Person C

Personal Experiences Missing Information

*Facts: What he/she did *Lessons learned What he/she thought Feedback

Source: K. Shigekawa and S. Tanaka, Tokoha University, Japan

recording video of interview, PRERADE 1.4 Procedure of PRERADE is utilized in various ways: a) developing The procedure of PRERADE is shown as materials for public awareness and training, figure 1.4. PRERADE consists mainly two b) public awareness programs, c) training components, which are preparation of programs/workshops for administrative PRERADE and utilization of PRERADE. officials, d) utilization for actual disaster PRERADE is prepared in the following steps: response, etc. for enhancing disaster 1) interview, 2) transcription, 3) compilation, preparedness for effective response. The 4) creation of base document. Then, based detail methodologies of each procedure on the compiled base document and are shown in next pages.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 28 05/11/20 17:19 Figure 1.4 Procedure of PRERADE

Preparation Utilization

1. Interview a.Developing materials for Public Awareness and Training Utilization

2. Transcription b. Public Awareness Programs

3. Compilation c. Training Programs/ Workshops for Confirm Administrative Officials Background 4. Creation of Base Document d. Utilization for Actual (Source Book) Disaster Response

Source: Sendai City, K. Shigekawa and S. Tanaka, Tokoha University, Japan, edited by UNESCO PRERADE Project

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 29 05/11/20 17:19 2. PREPARATION OF PRERADE

2.1 Interview [Individual] affected people. Selection of target interviewees • Disaster • Decision-maker. efore conducting the interview survey, Btarget interviewees are to be selected. [Organization] The procedure for selection of interviewees • Persons who performed different response is summarized as: activities in the same organization. • Persons who performed same response a. Determination of the survey area. activities but different positions in the b. Understanding the regional characteris- organization. tics of the survey area. • Person who is in a position to manage c. Collection of the damage situation in the the whole response activities. survey area. • Person who is in a position to make de- d. Selection of target affected communi- cisions. ties/groups. e. Collection of the detail damage situation In case of the Great Hanshin-Awaji of the target communities/groups. Earthquake in 1995, one city, Nishinomiya f. Selection of interviewees who were affec- City in Hyogo Prefecture was selected as the ted in various situations. target area for the survey. Since Nishinomiya City have a population of 400,000 and it is The interviews of PRERADE can be utilized an average city of Japan, it was selected so for all natural and manmade disasters. The that the results of survey can be utilized for interviewees are mainly divided into two other cities in Japan. In addition, the serious groups: individual and organization, in damage was also one of the factors for accordance with the purpose of PRERADE. selection as the target area. In Nishinomiya The examples of selection criteria for each city, three target districts with different local group are shown as follows. characteristics and damage status, hill area, city center and seaside, were selected based

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 30 05/11/20 17:19 Table 2.1 Selected target disaster response activities of interviews conducted by Sendai City in case of the Great East Japan Earthquake 2011

Date Selected Target Disaster Response Activities Number of Interview of Interviewees FY 2017 1. Evacuation shelter-1 1 2. Municipal emergency operation headquarter 1 3. Support for livelihoods of disaster affected people-1 1 4. Support for livelihoods of disaster affected people-2 1 5. Temporary housing 1 6. Support for livelihoods of disaster affected people-3 1 7. Debris disposal-1 1 8. Gas supply 5 FY 2018 1. Works of administrative chiefs of ward-1 1 2. Works of head of environment department 1 3. Works of administrative chiefs of ward-2 1 4. Evacuation shlter-2 2 5. Temporary morgue 4 6. Certificate of disaster victim 1 7. Evacuation shelter-3 6 8. City hospital 3 FY 2019 1. Agriculture 4 2. Recovery of land for housing 6 3. Rescue activities 4 4. Resuming schools 5 5. Works of head of firefighting department 1 6. Debris disposal-2 5 7. Debris disposal-3 5 8. Promotion of relocation for disaster prevention 4

Source: Sendai City, edited by UNESCO PRERADE Project

on the local characteristics with damage affected area of the Earthquake, were status. Then a total of 32 households chosen selected. approx. 10 households from each community were selected as the interviewees with In case of the Great East Japan Earthquake different situation such as human damage, in 2011, Sendai City selected the target di- housing damage and evacuation site, etc. saster response activities based on the re- Meanwhile, the detail interviews for disaster covery report and conducted a total of 24 response officials were also conducted. 162 interviews as of January 2020 among 65 di- disaster response officials from 42 types of saster response officials or administrative service group in Kobe City, which is most chiefs of ward, as shown in Table 2.1.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 31 05/11/20 17:19 The Interview this reason, in PRERADE, the unstructured interviews unstructured or semi-structured The detail interviews are conducted to the such as free taking and conversation are selected target interviewees. An interview adopted. style for PRERADE is generally summarized as shown in Table 2.2.

The primary method of researching the Transcription behavior of disaster affected people has been “Questionnaire Surveys” to identify Transcription is done word by word based problems and challenges. Questionnaire on the data of voice recorder and recording surveys are an effective way to grasp the video. Every word is to be included such as problem quantitatively at a certain stage. nodding and chatting not related to the sur- However, since the answers that are not vey topics for disaster response in this step. covered by those questionnaires sometimes contain important facts and lessons. For

Table 2.2 General Category Contents interview style Number of One or Severa interviewees per interview for PRERADE Interviewees Length Approx. 2-3 hours per interview of Time Structure • Unstructured Interview (Main style of Interview unstructured or semi-structured) • Ask free talking of stories what you have done in chronological order • Informal and free conversation • If necessary, general questions • After completion of what the interviewee wanted to talk • Recording video and voice Required • Video camera Equipment • Voice recorder for Recoding • Wireless microphone • Tripod Notes •Importance of Active Listening • Use gestures and nodding to show that you are listening with interest. • Accept the talking of interviewees without sharing your own opinions, evaluations, and advice.

Source: Shigekawa and Tanaka, Tokoha University, Japan, edited by UNESCO PRERADE Project

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 32 05/11/20 17:19 Figure 2.1 Sample photos of interview survey. Source: UNESCO PRERADE Project

Compilation • Step 3 [Grouping and put key titles] The stories are divided into several groups Based on the transcription of interview, based on the contents of stories. Then the document of stories is compiled in in each group, a key title is put to be the following steps to make them more understood easily. readable while leaving as it is much possible • Step 4 [Sort of stories by each key title] for people without special background The stories with each key title are sorted knowledge. These compilation steps by basically chronological order and work follow the experiences of PRERADE by flow. As described above, interviewers Sendai City in case of the Great East Japan ask interviewees to talk in chronological Earthquake 2011. order, but sometimes interviewees do not because of the free talking spending • Step 1 [Classification of un-necessary 2-3 hours. Therefore, it is important to parts] sort the stories in chronological order to Un-necessary parts of the transcription are understand the actual situation of disaster roughly classified such as nodding and response processes. The facts and hearsay chatting not related to the concerned topics. in the stories are sorted to first half and • Step 2 [Delete of un-necessary parts] thought of interviewees are sorted to Un-necessary parts are deleted. second half.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 33 05/11/20 17:19 • Step 5 [Rearrange stories sorted by title to make them more readable] The sorted stories are rearranged to make them more readable. However it is left as it is much as possible and it is not to be summarized to remain it as the personal experiences and stories. And the supplementary notes of technical terms are added for people without special background knowledge and replace difficult-to-understand words with easy-to- understand words.

2.4 Creation of the Base Document (Source Book)

After the compilation of the stories, the approval from interviewees for the rearranged document of stories should be obtained. It is necessary to ask them to confirm that the contents of stories have not been changed. Then it is better to create the Base Document as the Source Book based on the compilation of stories so that Figure 2.2 Example of Base Document those who have not experienced a disaster [Contents of each books] directly can understand and have simulated experiences. 1. Long-term life reconstruction 2. Temporary housing Example of the Base Document in case of 3. Debris disposal Sendai City for the Great East Japan Earth- 4. Evacuation shelter management quake 2011 is shown in Figure 2.2. The books 5. City hospital have been created for each story in 50 – 100 6. Etc. pages. Source: Sendai City

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 34 05/11/20 17:19 35

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 35 05/11/20 17:19 3. UTILIZATION OF PRERADE

3.1 Developing materials for Public Awareness and Training

ased on the interview survey and Bcomplied base document of PRERADE, various effective materials are able to be developed for public awareness and training. Examples of developing materials are as follows.

Base Document Figure 3.1 Example of Summary Booklet. Source: Sendai City Base document itself is to be an invaluable material to stories for those who have not experienced a disaster directly to under- Videoclips stand and have simulated experiences of the disaster. Videoclips are to be visualized material with easy to understand the stories along with Summary of Key messages the expression and motion of interviewees. Creation of Videoclips from the interviews Summarized booklet of the key stories and and past storytelling events as shown in messages from the base document is also Figure 3.2 as materials enable to summarize material to disseminate the actual disaster the points for each topic. Videoclips can be situations easily. In case of Sendai City, the developed by editing the 3 hours recording summarized booklets in several pages have video of interviews in 10 – 15 minutes and been preparing (See Figure 31). also can be prepared multiple videos depending on the purpose of the events. And if there is a playback environment, the video clip can be easily viewed anywhere.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 36 05/11/20 17:19 Figure 3.2 Example of videoclip. Source: Sendai City (Left) and K. Shigekawa and S. Tanaka, Tokoha University (Right), Japan

3.2 Public Awareness Programs

In addition to the various materials, the public awareness programs are able to be held by utilizing these materials and the base document of PRERADE as shown in the following examples.

Storytelling event for dissemination

Based on the base document, storytelling events can be held for sharing the actual disaster situation and lessons. The storytelling is useful so that those who have not experienced a disaster directly can have simulated experiences without any tools and equipment.

Workshop/Lecture Figure 3.3 Sample photos of Workshops and lectures for sharing the sto- Storytelling ries and lessons based on PRERADE can event. be held. Participants can share their expe- Source: Sendai City

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 37 05/11/20 17:19 Figure 3.4 Sample photos of the training program for administrative officials of the Sendai City Government. Source: Sendai City

riences each other through workshops. For 3.3 Training Programs/ example, in case of Sendai City, the City Workshops for Disaster has been holding the sharing program of Response Officials the stories based on PRERADE in the training programs for administrative officials of The documents and materials of PRERADE the Sendai City Government on a trial basis can be utilized for the training programs and as shown in Figure 3.4. workshops for disaster response officials. In Japan, a variety of training programs have been implementing for the officials of national government, local government and Utilization for lifeline companies, etc. In this section, the the Disaster contents and procedure of workshop for na- Simulation Game tional government officials held by cabinet office (organization responsible for central The stories and lessons learned from the disaster risk reduction and management in disaster can be utilized for the disaster Japan) in Japan is shown as one example. simulation games. The one of the game developed in Japan is “Crossroads” that is designed to have players to make decisions when faced with difficult choices under a Preparation of workshop variety of situations such as responding to a disaster. These situations are based on the The tasks for preparation of workshop are results of PRERADE. summarized as shown in Table 3.1.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 38 05/11/20 17:19 Table 3.1 Example tasks for Preparation Detail Contents and Remarks preparation of workshop tasks Preparation Edit the contents while keeping the key of PRERADE points of disaster response so that the participants can read in about 15-20 minutes within the workshop

Preparation Divide participants: 5-7 persons per a Source: H. Hayashi, K. Shigekawa, and of venue, group are suitable for discussion S. Tanaka, Decision Making and an layout and equipment Venue layout: Prepare a large room and lay Ethnography of Disasters: Testimonies out tables for each group from the Great Hanshin Earthquake, Required equipment: Table 32 NHK Publishing 2009 (in Japanese), Arrangement of facilitators for group discussion edited by UNESCO PRERADE Project

Table 3.2 Example required equipment of workshop

Equipment Purpose 1 Projector 2 Laptop/Desktop computer 3 Microphone For explanation of workshop 4 Pointer/Pointing Stick and presentation of results 5 Loudspeaker 6 Connecting cables 7 Extension code 8 Table and Chair For explanation session and group discussion 9 White board/Flip chart

10 Magnet/ Scotch tape For group discussion 11 Marker (Black and Red) and presentation of results 12 Sticky notes (Post-it) (large, several colors) 13 Voice recorder 14 Video camera For recording 15 Digital camera

Source: H. Hayashi, K. Shigekawa, and S. Tanaka, Decision Making and an Ethnography of Disasters: Testimonies from the Great Hanshin Earthquake, NHK Publishing 2009 (in Japanese), edited by UNESCO PRERADE Project

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 39 05/11/20 17:19 Table 3.3 Example agenda of workshop

Agenda Remarks 1 Explanation of PRERADE

2 Self-introduction Read with underline the key 3 Read PRERADE 20 min. points such as lessons learned, issues and questions, etc. Group Write the underlined key items Find the key items and Discussion and lessons learned on the post- 4 lessons learned and share 20 min. it. among group Share the points with its reasons Categorization Grouping post-it and put 5 20 min. of lessons learned the title of group 6 Presentation of the results Each 5 min.

7 Review and comments

Questionnaire For improvement of workshop

Feedback meeting

Holding workshop 3.4 Utilization for Actual Disaster Response The example agenda of workshop is shown in Table 3.3. Before the group discussion, in PRERADE can be utilized for improvement order for a common understanding among of actual disaster response. The examples of participants, it is necessary to secure the utilization for the actual disaster response in time for explanation of the outline and ob- Japan are shown as follows. jectives of PRERADE. [Examples of Utilization] Figure 3.5 shows the photos of workshop • Establishment of a wide-support sys- by utilization of draft version of summarized tem for the disaster affected area document for PRERADE, held by the UNES- • Sharing the experiences and lessons CO PRERADE Project in Mexico City. learned from the past disaster

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 40 05/11/20 17:19 Read the Summary Find the key items of PRERADE and lessons learned

Figure 3.5 Photos of the workshop held by the UNESCO PRERADE Project

Presentation

Source: UNESCO PRERADE Project

stricken area to the current disaster affected area • Dispatch the staffs who experienced disaster response to disaster affected area • Development of support system for disaster response • Revision of the Disaster Response Plan, the Emergency Operation Manual and the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) based on PRERADE exercise.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 41 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 42 05/11/20 17:20 FIRST RESPONSE

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 43 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 44 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Regional Delegation of Civil Protection Isthmus of the State Coordination of Civil Protection of Oaxaca (CEPCO) SMS, Dead, Injured, “Highways Matra Radio, Wind farms, DICONSA, and roads were Water, Mats, blocked by Shelter. debris from collapsed houses”

e started the tour at Reforma de from breaks, from adobe. It looked like a WPineda. We had been notified town devastated by a war situation. The about the serious impacts caused by the townspeople told us there was one casualty earthquake in San Francisco Ixhuatan. At that and it was then that we started to count the time, personnel from the Comprehensive number of dead people. We informed of Family Development Office of the State of our presence and requested the presence Oaxaca (DIF in Spanish) took responsability of the municipal authority. As he assumes of the two municipalities, Ixhuatan and the attention of his town, he first had to Niltepec. We left the staff of DIF in control notify the Civil Protection team of the State so they could attend the imergencies in the of Oaxaca and had to check if there were municipalities and we started our tour at other people deceased. The municipal Ixuatan, which is 6 km away from Reforma authority of Santa Maria Xadani notified us de Pineda, and traversed the whole East by SMS that there were two casualties in area of the Isthmus through Highway 190, his municipality, and so we started with the the Pan-American road. official account. Along with this, a tsunami alert was issued by the Alerts Centre. The second municipality we visited was With the limited connectivity we had, we Santiago Niltepec. When we arrived, informed through the WhatsApp group, everything was dark, and all we could see what the situation was like, according to with the headlights of our van was the dust what we had noticed in our tour.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 45 05/11/20 17:20 “The refinery was a red light” managed to communicate with the head of the irrigation district, personnel from the National Upon arrival at “La Ventosa”, a municipal agency Water Commission (CONAGUA). He told us of Juchitan de Zaragoza, we found many persons that they had no reports so far of any failures or who came from San Dionisio del Mar. Fishermen cracks in the dam. Likewise, our interest was to noted that the sea receded. As fishermen, they verify the situation with the roads and bridges. know this is an alarm signal and ran to higher We checked the bridge connecting highway 185 ground for protection. At the gas station in La D with highway 185 leading to Matias Romero. Ventosa, several vehicles converged and we We noticed a concrete segment joining the asked each other “who are you?” We took a bridge, which had come apart from its base. quick count of the vehicles and where they came from. We noticed they were people from SMS messages were our communication different communities, San Dionisio del Mar, lifeline. We had no Matra Radios, although Chicapa de Castro and Union Hidalgo. They we had them requested in many occasions. were leaving with the intent to get up to Matias Matra radios allow us to communicate with Romero, other municipality at higher altitude. other offices, emergency and response We warned them that there was a Tsunami alert bodies, both military and police. Not having but that if their intention was to leave, it was all this device, we relied on SMS messaging. We right, that we were going to inform the municipal notified the highway management office that authorities through the coordinators. we had this incident at the bridge. There is now a network of all persons and institutions Our priority in the tour were the deceased and involved for events like these. Most persons the injured people. On the other hand, we in the network are friends now, after having also had to set up municipal command posts met at many events, and we know that the and verify the road conditions. At the Salina network does work. Therefore, the Federal Cruz Harbour, the refinery was a red light. We Roads and Bridges of Access and Related communicated with civil protection in the State Services (CAPUFE) was notified as they are in of Oaxaca through SMS to inform the situation charge of the Federal Roads and Bridges, this of the personnel of Petroleos Mexicanos being the office responsible for the highway (PEMEX), which is the national oil and natural maintenance, and we continued on our tour. gas producer, transporter, refining and marketing company. We wanted information as soon as possible but they also had to follow their protocols. However, they quickly told us “There was no impact that they had no injured or dead people. on the wind power sector and the substations” Another concern was the “Benito Juarez” dam, located in the municipality of Santa There are many wind farms in the Maria Jalapa de Marques, we needed to know Tehuantepec Isthmus. Each windfarm has an what happened at the dam. Through SMS, we electric substation that converts the energy,

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 46 05/11/20 17:20 Bridge connecting Highway 185 D with Highway 185 on the way to Matias Romero. Concrete segment separated from its base. ©Sandra Hernandez Dehesa

holds it and sends it out. That was another Oaxaca had the duality: being civil servants, one of our pending tasks. As we were making but also being victims of disaster. Given the our way, we noticed there was no impact on magnitude of the event, we had already the wind power sector and the substations. asked the “Diconsa” rural warehouse When we arrived at Juchitan, around one in Santiago Niltepec, to send us all the thirty or two in the morning, we installed personnel they had that could support us to the Regional Civil Protection Board in set up the wheelbarrows, the supply of picks permanent session. We organized ourselves and shovels, mats, bottled water, etc. Three and began assigning tasks. Juchitan is 20-Ton trucks arrived. It was then, for the divided in sections and in neighbourhoods. first time, that we started to feel the issue There are neighbourhoods and sections of insecurity, pillage, because there were a with high population density. Many of the lot of people looking for food to take home government civil servants in the State of and be able to provide for their families.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 47 05/11/20 17:20 “We had notification “When we got to the hospital, of more deceased” we saw that it was totally destroyed” Our next move was to look for the Army and the Navy groups already in Juchi- Our concern were the hospitals. In Juchi- tan, working in several rescue actions. tan, the Macedonio Benitez Hospital, was Around the Juchitan Hotel, we found the the most affected one. When we got to Vice admiral and the commander of the the hospital, we saw that it was totally de- Army Base in the Municipality of Salina stroyed. Therefore, at the Tehuantepec Cruz. He was already there with his offi- Isthmus Institute of Higher Studies (IESIT), a cers. We talked to him, coordinated ac- private university with very large facilities, a tions and got notice of more dead people. provisional medical post and hospital were set up jointly with the Municipal Civil Pro- tection Coordination.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 48 05/11/20 17:20 “The roads were blocked by debris from collapsed houses” The roads were blocked by the rubble The Head of the Health Office from the of the Tehuantepec Health Department of the State of Oaxaca, Istmo highway. ©Sandra made all preparations so that hospital beds Hernandez Dehesa could be taken over there. It took us a long time to look for alternate roads because most streets and other roads were blocked by debris from collapsed houses. In order to distribute and get the stretchers and hospital beds to the temporary hospital, it was taking a very long time. We were able to see the magnitude of the emergency.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 49 05/11/20 17:20 We were aware of the protocol, wherein the informed the Coordinator that the situation in goal was to look for someone who could the Tehuantepec Isthmus is severe, informing coordinate the actions and start doing what him that an earthquake had struck”. We we know how to do. DIF agreed to find and didn’t know the scale at that time. connect the injured persons and take them to the hospital, with the assistance of the At Niltepec, Reforma de Pineda, I informed state and traffic police forces. the Coordinator that we had one person injured and the municipal authority of Xiadani We decided to stay at Ground Zero in Asuncion reported two other injured persons. At 1:15 Ixtaltepec and Juchitan de Zaragoza. Our AM, we arrived at Niltepec and waited for the first intention was to tour around the whole emergency groups we have in the Isthmus: of our region, but we concentrated there. the Red Cross and Ambulances from the With the messages we could contact the Isthmus Medical Emergency Service (SUMI) people who came from other municipalities in Tehuantepec, Both groups concentrated and they told us that in Salina Cruz and in Juchitan. Other emergency units were Tehuantepec, the damage was minimal. sent to Asuncion Ixcaltepec, the other town that had suffered vast destruction. It is based on mutual support, we participated and they “When the electric power was helped us a lot with the headlights from their restored, we could see the vehicle. We looked for lamps so the person magnitude of the emergency” in charge of rescue will have light and may take better decisions, assuring first the secu- The other point of attention were the rity of his staff. When we got to the Hotel prisons, the “Ceresos”. We had contact del Rio, which was not open, but was being with the directors. In Juchitan there was used as a family home, a person died and a Social Rehabilitation Center in the city; two children were rescued, a senior citizen there was also one in Tehuantepec and with disabilities and the grandmother died. another one in Matias Romero. They told us there was no impact at any of the centers. All injured people were taken to the nearby When the electric power was restored, we hospitals in Ciudad Ixtepec, Tehuantepec could see the magnitude of the emergency. and Salina Cruz. Then, three vehicles arrived from the Diconsa warehouse, a We knew that apart from the personal social food supply network that distributes character, we have a duty as civil servants food with high nutritious content at and the civil servant’s obligation comes first affordable prices. They arrived at Niltepec because people will identify you and ask for and we started to distribute water, mats, your support. In this sense, I had to decide etc., along with the Secretariat of the Navy between: talking to my family who live here and the Army. As time went by, civil servants in Oaxaca de Juarez and tell them: “mother, from the State Government, first brought I’m okay”, or talk to my State coordinator. So I their families to safety and, later they put

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 50 05/11/20 17:20 Vehicles from the Diconsa warehouse, a social supply network that distributes food with high nutritional content and is economically accessible. ©Sandra Hernandez Dehesa

on the State government shirts on as civil servants to provide all their attention to the townspeople. In the beginning there were very few of us, 6-7 persons, who were at the Regional Emergency Council, wherein decisions were being taken. As the day advanced, the amount of people increased, and faster and reliable official information also increased.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 51 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 52 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Secretariat of Civil Protection of Mexico City Collapses, Temporary shelter, Search, “Collapsed Extraction, Evacuation, buildings, gas Wounded, Cracks. leaks, fires, explosions in different areas of Mexico City”

was on Jose Maria Izazaga avenue, close to “Walls collapsed hurting Ithe corner with 20 de noviembre in downtown and even killing some people” Mexico City, when the earthquake started. I saw a person jumping from a building, All emergency corps rushed to the different fortunately he survived, with only a few places that had reported emergencies. injuries. Immediately, I called the Mexico City Emergency Corps like the Rescue and Emergency Committee. The call was made to Medical Emergencies Squadron (ERUM), gather all members at Mexico City’s C5. the Fire Department and all Civil Protection units, both from the precincts and from It was impossible to drive there. I got off the central government, went out to the the car and ran to the C5. It took me 15 to disaster territories. There was participation 20 minutes to cover the distance. Along the from the Secretariat of the Navy way, I saw everything happening in that area (SEMAR), the Secretariat of National Defense within the downtown perimeter. Upon arriving (SEDENA), the Federal Police and the to the C5, I started to see all the information National Coordination of Civil Protection. from the security cameras. There were various The plan was executed as well in areas where points where we had collapsed buildings, gas not necessarily any collapses occurred, for leaks, fires and explosions in different areas of example, the case of Tlatelolco. Mexico City. The Police Department cordoned off and attended the priority emergency The protocol also indicates that I had to talk places. The Permanent Plan of contingencies to the City Mayor to decide who would be for Mexico City was initiated. the spokesperson to inform about every-

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 53 05/11/20 17:20 thing that was going on in Mexico City. The “The Mexico City Government Mayor instructed me that he would be the adopted the 72 hour period only informer of all that had happened in to search for all people Mexico City. This was how there was a sin- reported missing” gle spokesperson for Mexico City and, at certain times, we jointly went out to make The priority were the first 72 hours and while some statements depending on the area of there is no exisitng norm that search and action of each of the officers. rescue activities should be called off at this time, the World Health Organization states It was necessary to give priority to those that after 72 hours, the possibility of finding points where we had had collapsed survivors is less probable. The Mexico City buildings or structures (38 points). Walls Government adopted the 72-hour period collapsed, hurting and even killing some to search for all people reported missing people, that is what happened in the within any building and that was the proto- first hours and one of the instructions col we followed. In addition, it was decided we received from the Mayor was that all not to use heavy machinery until the last first-level officers had to go to the most person was rescued, until the search for all sensitive points we had in the city. So, people reported inside the buildings was all City Officers got out to the reported concluded. These were the first days and areas in order to set up a leadership in the the first instructions in the activation of the zone and to coordinate the actions of the Emergency Committee. Mexico City government.

We had the assistance from the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA), from “We Evacuated Whole the Navy (SEMAR) and, obviously, from Neighbourhoods” authorities in the Mexico City Police Department, of the Fire Department and In the first hours, evacuation procedures our colleagues from Civil Protection. On were conducted in an enormous amount of the other hand, there was a very active buildings. We evacuated full neighbourhoods. participation from the population, and Some people were out on the street, others as part of a recovery mechanism, storage went to their neighbours and others sought centers were set up, this being a citizen’s refuge in temporary shelters set up by the City initiative. The recovery phase is considered Government. There were so many people in within emergency attention plans, this is these shelters that it was more comfortable an international protocol of attention to to be with the neighbour or go with a family major emergencies. member.

The most important thing we had to check, were the people who could still be alive

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 54 05/11/20 17:20 Meeting of all members at C5 in Mexico City. within a collapsed building. We had to ©Lorena Garcia rescue them; we didn’t want anyone to be found dead. Even if they are trapped, we always did everything possible to find people alive in all collapsed structures.

The first thing we used were the security cameras, through which we could see the incidents and, based on that, direct all emergency brigades. Other reports came through 911 and, in contrast with the 1985 earthquake, this time, communications did not collapse although they were compro-

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 55 05/11/20 17:20 mised at some point but we always had but that fractured an important amount of functionality of the social media platforms homes. We had to adequate attention to the and the functionality of Internet. We had emergency according to the events in the days communication mechanisms to continue after the September 19, 2017 earthquake. interacting and continue receiving citizens’ information informing where priorities were.

We made a very quick “post-seismic “The most complicated points evaluation”, that did not come from a were located at 286 Alvaro structural safety engineer, but this was the Obregon Avenue and at the first thing we had to do as Civil Protection. Enrique Rebsamen School” However, civil protection officers are not experts in building structures so people The most complicated points were located at protested against us saying: “Hey, you 286 Alvaro Obregon Avenue and at the Enrique got me out of here, at least check the Rebsamen School. These were the two most structure of my home”, but it is there where conflictive points with the highest number of I had complications following our response deaths in Mexico City. At 286 Alvaro Obregon protocol without having sufficient building and at the school, incident command posts supervisors or specialists in structural were set up. Through the incident commander, safety that the City required to give citizens we learned about the situation of the structure certainty about the condition of their homes. of buildings and the conditions of the rescue of people and what type of support was getting there. At 286 Alvaro Obregon there were at least 12 specialists in structural safety, but only “We had a major problem one of them could stabilize the structure that with water supply” was still moving. It was very complicated to enter and attempt any rescue with a structure There was very active participation from in the verge of collapse. SEDENA, SEMAR and the Federal Police. They were there to support us when the City needed them most, but the Emergency Response Plan was designed years before, when they were “The first hours, for still not present. Then, how were they going to the people buried alive” participate and how were they going to provide support? The plan obviously was adapted. The The Emergency Committee inspected a Plan had not considered the consequences for little over 1,100 buildings that had been water supply either. In Iztapalapa and Tlahuac, affected. Each building is an experience and cracks appeared that broke water pipes. We each building is a community that suffers had a major problem with water supply as we or suffered, if it could be recovered. For had cracks that initially had not been visible example, we had a building that collapsed

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 56 05/11/20 17:20 In Alvaro Obregon 286 an estimated 12 specialists in structures, structural security, circulated. ©Lorena Garcia

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 57 05/11/20 17:20 where 80% of its occupants were senior citizens. It is complex, because in addition to the evacuation process, recovery is also complex. They are not credit subjects anymore, I mean, they cannot receive loans. Possibly, for an active working person, his level of recovery is different. The resolution used was the one issued by the Institute for Construction Safety in Mexico City, as the structural safety assessment of the buildings.

Another case was at 37 Versalles Street, where we had a building that technically leaned against another one. The only thing that happened here is that, with the Sep- tember 19, 2017 earthquake, the situation got worse because it had this inclination before. Mexico City is in motion all the time and buildings move constantly. Due to the 2017 earthquakes, the building ended up resting against another building which was in litigation by its owners.

As civil servants, we suffered in the emergency attention, but the population suffered it most. The main challenge was to rescue people alive. For me, the first hours were to focus in rescuing people alive, that was the most important, obviously the second priority was wounded people. We paralyzed the City, decided to cancel all massive events and started to look in the first hours, for the people buried alive, and later to tend to the wounded and in the end, to bring the city back to its normal condition.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 58 05/11/20 17:20 There was the participation of the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR), the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), the Federal Police and the National Coordination of Civil Protection in Mexico City. ©Lorena Garcia

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 59 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 60 05/11/20 17:20 61

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 61 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 62 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Mexican Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID) Rescue brigades, International aid, International “You had to take cooperation, United Nations, Brigade, advantage of this Japan. solidarity, first of the civil society of our country, but also of the international community”

t was exactly when we were with the The first thing that the Chancellor, IChancellor and his team in the United Mr. Luis Videgaray did, was to instruct Nations Organization’s (UN) General the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Assembly when, suddenly, we got awaere of Ambassador, Mr. Carlos de Icaza, to return the news reports of a catastrophe in Mexico. to Mexico. It was decided that the chancellor Little by little, we learned that an earthquake should stay in New York to communicate with had happened. In addition, at very dramatic the international community gathered there at and emotional times, because it was on the UN General Assembly. On the other hand, September 19, exactly on the anniversary of I and the Foreign Affairs Undersecretary, were the earthquake of 1985. We went from the asked to travel immediately to Mexico City main United Nations building to Mexico’s because the President of the Republic had mission, where the Chancellor was with decided that we would accept international Mexico´s ambassador to the United aid. This was a milestone regarding the Nations. We received the news about the policy of receiving cooperation in Mexico magnitude of the earthquake, what the because, in 1985, the decision was made not consequences had been, which cities had to accept international assistance but, given been affected and gradually, we realized its the magnitude of this last emergency, there magnitude and that it had to be attended was a huge solidarity and it was decided that immediately. Mexico would accept the aid.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 63 05/11/20 17:20 Given the instruction and acceptance by the We only accepted those UN-certified President, it was decided that I, as Head of brigades. Japanese brigades had certificates Cooperation, returned to Mexico so that, with and experience in these emergencies. Japan, the team at the Chancery, we could tend to all the same as Mexico, is a highly seismic country cooperation needs existing at that time. Most surrounded by the sea and, in that sense, urgent was to rescue the victims trapped in not only does it have earthquake problems the buildings. We needed to be effective, very but seaquakes too. On the other hand, efficient, the effort being done at national level the Japanese have a very clear awareness since 1985 having already shown that it was about how to deal with earthquakes and are not only from the government, but that society perfectly trained in these tasks, in addition threw itself in with solidarity to help the fellow to having great professionalism and an Mexican citizens. In this sense, it was very clear impressive solidarity spirit. Groups came that this solidarity had to be taken advantage also from many other countries, obviously, of, first, from our country´s civil society but also our neighbours from the United States, also from the international community. from Latin America, although some of them did not have high qualifications as those from the brigades from Spain, from Japan or from the United States, but were countries that “A very difficult decision we have collaborated with like, Honduras we took, was not to accept and Colombia, for example. What we did the aid of all who offered was, firstly, to accept the aid from those to come and assist in the countries that had these high capabilities so search and rescue tasks” their physical integrity was not threatened. These brigades knew how to do this kind of Something highly facilitating the process searching and rescue in highly dangerous is that the chancellor himself could meet situations, such as earthquackes where with the leaders, either the chiefs of state aftershocks might jeopardize the operations. or the ministers of foreign affairs in bilateral Thus, the first task, was to accommodate the meetings and, with the United Nations brigades that were coming. agencie. First, we had to see what we needed and, in that sense, the first thing At all times, we had the assistance from was to accept search-and-rescue brigades. the pertinent United Nations agencies, to We collaborated with the United Nations do things as orderly as possible with the agencies for emergency response and protocols. We did so with great clarity to be followed the UN’s protocols. A very difficult transparent and efficient. Within the Mexican decision we took, was not to accept the aid Agency of International Cooperation for of all who offered to come and assist in the Development (AMEXCID) we set up a brigade search and rescue tasks, this could generate to obtain in a matrix way, a clarity of which additional problems and tragedies that were the offers, what were the requirements would obviously worsen the situation. to accept these support offers and which

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 64 05/11/20 17:20 At all times we had advice were the stages. Obviously, the first stage from the relevant was search and rescue, the second stage United Nations was to shelter all those who had lost their agencies. housing due to the earthquake. There were ©Lorena Garcia many offers of clothing, but what was mostly needed was finding places to shelter the victims, in this case, tents. Also important was to have drinking water supplies, conditions to provide the required meals to victims and also to set up portable toilets. disasters and very important institutions that obviously provide support with very The most interesting of it all was that, we clear emergency plans, like the Secretariat did not do this identification directly or by of National Defence, the Secretariat of the ourselves, but quite the contrary, everything Navy and the same Federal Police, the was done in collegiate bodies. There is a very- Secretariat of the Interior that coordinated well developed National Civil Protection these efforts through the National System in Mexico, precisely due to the 1985 Coordination of Civil Protection. However, in earthquake. So there was a Civil Protection this type of emergency, the direct authority Commission made up by the Secretariats is the President of the Republic himself and more directly involved in attention to the National Emergency Committee. This

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 65 05/11/20 17:20 collegiate body communicated directly with the directors or, sometimes, with the chancellor to respond quickly to the needs, how and when we required so.

“Each brigade knew exactly which were the affected buildings”

What we did was to try to have a very clear order about how we would receive this aid. The first thing we did was to have our brigades, from AMEXCID, reinforced with personnel and officers from the rest of the Chancery. We first had to receive the search-and-rescue brigades, pick them up at the airport and instruct them on the methodology that we were following. Some had already arranged where to stay, but it was decided to lodge them at the National High-Performance Centre, which is the centre where Mexican athletes train. The idea of having them there was to have them concentrated in such a way that we had meetings every morning, afternoon and at night, to coordinate what was bein decided within the National Emergency Committee about the locations where the brigades were required, considering their capabilities, their added-values and where they could be most helpful to collaborate with the national brigades. Within this tremendous chaos, we had to get the most from the aid. Each brigade knew exactly which were the affected buildings and we did not concentrate their efforts only in Mexico City, but tried to bring support to the other states that were affected, such as the case of Oaxaca, the State of Mexico, Puebla and Morelos. Therefore, it was

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 66 05/11/20 17:20 Training at the Velodrome of the National Center for the Development of Sports Talents and High Performance. ©Lorena Garcia

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 67 05/11/20 17:20 a very important to distribute the tasks very “No other brigade had these well, to see what the results had been from the characteristics, having this morning operations and see how tasks were so explicit respect towards assigned for the afternoon and so forth. These those who lost their lives actions were conducted also in a consensus in this tragedy” manner so that the other brigade members could also express their opinions about how And it is something that really called our to undertake the tasks and their job. attention because no other brigade had these characteristics, this respect towards those who lost their lives in this tragedy, and also to the people close to them; this innermost respect for “Japanese brigades have the dead and for those who lived was something a very clear methodology and very thrilling to see. Likewise, they had great it is plain to see the training ethics and discipline to deal with issues. I of these brigades” remember one time when they were working in one of the most complicated sites because However, it is interesting to see, for of the way the structure had collapsed and example, the case of the Japanese brigades the difficulty to access the victims. When there who have a very clear methodology. I still was an important aftershock, Civil Protection remember the name of the Head of the decided to call back all brigades and that was Japanese brigades, Mr. Kawasaki San, a the case with the Japanese who, immediately really extraordinary character. His team complied with the instruction. The brigades had a great discipline, had the highest returned to the National High-Performance professionalism and solidarity. When they Centre to analyze the damage of this aftershock arrived at a site, they immediately checked and see if they could go back or not. However, the places where injured people and the other brigades that did not have the ethics and victims might still lie and assessed how best discipline that Japan had displayed, only pulled to get to these places without affecting back momentarily but did not participate in the surrounding structures and be able the coordination and decided on their own to to rescue them in the best manner. Once continue with the tasks at the site that had been they started to work on these tasks, injured designated for Japan. people were sent directly to hospitals to be assisted immediately. Another thing that called our attention considerably, is the huge respect for the victims. When a “There was confusion among victim was found they first asked if there the Japanese” were other relatives of the victim at such site, neighbours that the victim was with, it When Japan was returning again to their was like a certain rite of homage in honour activities, they found that there was another of that victim. brigade doing the tasks that had been

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 68 05/11/20 17:20 Japanese brigades have a very clear conscience on how to face an earthquake and are perfectly trained in these tasks, they also have great professionalism and an impressive spirit of solidarity. ©Lorena Garcia

assigned. In that sense, there was confusion the situation to what it was. The Japanese among the Japanese. They were angry made an extraordinary job of saving many because another brigade had invaded their lives, honouring those who could not be work area. This could have turned into a crisis saved. There are also beautiful stories, even in the sense that the Japanese themselves some involving pets that were also saved could have decided to file a claim or stop by the Japanese and obviously with the joy contributing with the effort, given that of the children that had lost their pets and circumstances had changed and inadequate who, thanks to the Japanese experts, were events had happened. In this sense, I asked now rescued. The nice thing of the Japanese the Civil Protection staff to immediately brigade is that they did their work with great prepare a fast vehicle to get quickly to the precision, full of professionalism, but also site and relocate those who had taken the with a solidarity and a human sense that was place of Japan to other tasks, allowing really outstanding and which gained them Japan to continue with its tasks and return the hearts of all Mexicans.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 69 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 70 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Mexican Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AMEXCID) Protocols, Coordinate, International “I acknowledge Cooperation, Security, the Mexican International Aid. people’s vocation to help but, sometimes, they stand in the way”

We have nothing to eat! Damage is extremely serious!

amilies said, “we have nothing to The media reported “Damage is Feat!”. The country was left in a extremely serious! From the first condition of inoperability. Through minutes, we understood the scale of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the emergency and started looking we conveyed to the international for people trapped in the buildings. community, the President´s instruction Through technical cooperation, that we required a medium-level we trained the personnel from the search-and-rescue team. We requested Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat the assistance of certain countries we of National Defence, the Federal Police, knew had high-technology teams and the Secretariat of Health, the Mexican had the experience, mainly the United Social Security Institute (IMSS), the State States, Spain, Israel, Great Britain and Workers´ Security and Social Services Japan. However, we also received other Institute (ISSSTE) and from different countries with top-level teams that do departments capable of dealing with not have so much technology but which the emergency. We had the support have trained staff. Then, through our from the States, like the Zapopan Fire embassies and consulates, we informed Department in Jalisco, that had already other governments and all international worked with us in international missions organizations, the true condition that in Haiti and Ecuador. The Secretariat of the country was in. Foreign Affairs was responsible to inform

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 71 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 72 05/11/20 17:20 Providing information on what was happening at the National High Performance Center and at the Office Headquarters. ©Lorena Garcia

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 73 05/11/20 17:20 opportunely what was going on and also (CENAPRED), participating in the National what was happening with the diplomatic Emergency Committee. We would only corps and the international organisations be able to communicate by telephone for in Mexico. We started to get information coordination with the AMEXCID Executive about damaged embassy buildings. Director and with the Head Office of SRE. For security reasons, we also needed We were not face-to-face, we knew what to give certainty to foreigners, visitors we were doing and what the other one was or residents of Mexico, if they wanted reporting, we had permanent contact via to leave the country and had lost their email, by telephone, twenty-four hours a documents, making sure they would day, during a month and a half after the have an embassy that could provide the earthquake. service. Then, AMEXCID Executive Director knew very well what I was reporting and he, in turn, gave me information of what was happening “A little-known but very at the National High-Performance Center important activity, was that and at the Head Office. This information we received condolences from was shared among AMEXCID´s Advisors foreign persons” Coordinator, the Executive Director and myself. My colleagues from AMEXCID who The main job was to collect information participated at this stage, kept us informed about what was happening and inform the through two active chats we had. National Emergency Committee about what we were being offered. We coordinated the acceptance or decline of those offers with Immigration, Customs and with the “We consulted everything, Secretariat of the Interior through the we informed everything, National Coordination of Civil Protection, as we all provided responses” we also declined many offers that were not really going to help, but which were being We, at the National Emergency Committee proposed in good will. represent the authorities, we are actually their eyes and ears. We consulted The most important was that, within everything, we informed everything, we all the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), provided responses. It was an extremely we were prepared with procedures and fast consultation and it didn’t matter if the Executive Director of the Mexican we had to wake up the Undersecretary International Cooperation Agency for or the Secretary. Everything is consulted Development AMEXCID knew that, in immediately, if it is important it is case of emergency, I would be at the consulted, otherwise it is reported and National Disaster and Prevention Center an answer is provided immediately. The

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 74 05/11/20 17:20 committee had sessions every 3 hours, There were people in the Metrobus lanes where progress was reported on the issues which were alternate accesses for us in case that had been consulted. That allowed us of traffic jams. My vehicle was parked during to have permanent coordination with our a month and a half outside the building of the Executive Director, once he returned from Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and sometimes New York. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs I leftt at two or three in the morning from had requested him to return immediately CENAPRED, and the next day I was back at to Mexico City. Another important seven in the morning. I had to find my own element in the Committee is that in this way to get there. coordination structure, all departments start activating their teams. I was also in charge of receiving international aid. We had to coordinate security because we received a lot at the airports. I made contact with Customs so they had their staff ready “I acknowledge the Mexican and could facilitate access to our teams. They people’s vocation to help sent me the information by email, I verified it, but, sometimes, they stand confirmed and made sure that the personnel in the way” were ready along with Immigration, because, even in case of emergency, we could not just Every three hours, a progress or solution skip regulations. The advantage is that our report is requested. A report is made of country has regulations that allow tending to what each area is doing without going into emergencies. detail, because it is an issue that is handled with certain reserve. The representative The other part was to coordinate with my from the Secretariat of National Defence colleagues when all the cargo had been (SEDENA) said that they were deploying unloaded and inform the Mexico City both, personnel and vehicles, but the troops Police and the Federal Police to escort from Military Base number 1 had not been the vehicles, with the help of the airport able to reach the collapsed buildings and staff. After the plane arrived, at six in the this was being reported. It took us a lot of afternoon, it was unloaded and while the effort to reach Alvaro Obregon, a Street in trucks were being prepared, we left at two the Roma Norte neighbourhood, because in the morning. They called me at 1 AM all emergency teams were going to Alvaro and told me “we need a squad car”, and Obregon Street and access entries were this was coordinated by telephone. They blocked. I acknowledge the Mexican had a police squad car ready to escort people’s vocation to help but, sometimes, them. Within the city there were also they stand in the way and that causes monitoring cameras. Along the highways, problems. We must continue with that they were escorted by one or two Federal vocation, but in an orderly manner and try to Police squad cars. This is another aspect listen closer to what our authorities say. of our job.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 75 05/11/20 17:20 As to medical support or medicines, the It took us a lot of time corresponding offices were informed in order to get to Alvaro Obregon, to have their response regarding whether one of the streets of the Roma to receive them or not, because it is not the Norte neighborhood. SRE that determines the capabilities and ©Lorena Garcia requirements but rather each different office. The Head Office (of SRE) received the offer from the United States and we made the request. We contacted both the Mexican Embassy in the United States, and the corresponding United States Embassy in Mexico. We received the official notice mentioning the amount of equipment and personnel they were sending us. We informed both Customs and Immigration, as well as Civil Protection and the Federal Police to help us and at the same time we informed our Head of Office to have the vehicles ready in order to move the equipment. The United States came up with a load of over 50 tons of equipment to tend the emergency. We leased a trailer truck and the contract was resolved immediately. When they informed me about the time of arrival, I shared that information with the National Emergency Committee and with Civil Protection. 87 people came from California, with five dogs, medical staff for the brigade and their own search equipment in order to be autonomous.

When they got to the Mexico City Airport, an official petition was sent to SEDENA so they would allow the arrival of a military aircraft to the airport, the authorities of the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) and the airport was then accessible. The control tower was alerted about the arrival of that plane and they gave it the landing permission. Everybody was ready to receive them. The Embassy staff informed us who would go to the airport. Federal Police was informed

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 76 05/11/20 17:20 77

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 77 05/11/20 17:20 to give us all facilities for the diplomatic never found them again. Today, they never and chancery personnel to enter. On the lose sight of their home keys. In addition, other hand, Customs and Immigration were they know that they cannot exhaust their informed about the trucks entering to move cell phone’s battery, but must be cautious the cargo and be able to transfer personnel to enough to have it charged permanently. This the coordination area, which was the National is what the Secretariat does and what is mostly High-Performance Center (CNAR). unknown for a lot of people. We are not the first responders, but as our International We coordinated all these actions In the Development Cooperation law states along Committee. At the same time, other colleagues with the manual in the General Civil Protection from our different offices and in our alternate Act, we are assistants for others to be able to venue, were managing communications via help the population. Our job is not minor. e-mail or with formal letters dealing with what was required at the moment. Basically, about Within the Federal Government’s Secretariats, the requests for equipment, it was necessary we must provide ethics, collaboration and to define where to send them. For example, if service guidelines. Overtime work is not they asked me for an electric generator for the paid with anything but your own personal Federal Electric Commission, they delivered satisfaction, although it does create family the material where we defined to where it had problems. Emotionally, it is not easy but to be transported. we have to do it. Our soldiers, marines, policemen, the civil protection staff, doctors, nurses, they do it every day, and that is the other side of emergencies. “Group psychological attention was provided” Beyond whether it was right or wrong, there are people who were working in the emergency in It is constant mobility. There were other spite of their feelings, of their frustrations, their colleagues who went, along with the Peruvian family situation or their labour condition. We experts, to make an assessment of homes saw in the social media the case of a physician and buildings in the Morelos zone. They left who was operating at the IMSS and who in the morning of September 20 at 7 AM and continued operating because if he stopped, returned at 12 AM of September 21. There his patient would die, in spite of having been was a huge human effort. informed that his home had collapsed.

Therefore, group psychological attention After 1985, the Federal Government started was provided by AMEXCID to all the Agency to get prepared so the same situation staff through workshops, where people would not be repeated. The bases were set talked about what they had seen or lived and for the National Civil Protection System, a that helped them. There were persons who document reflecting what we are today. The returned home, tossed away the keys and document was issued in 1986, a law was

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 78 05/11/20 17:20 passed, regulations were approved, teams were created, capabilities were enhanced. We continue improving the system to include comprehensive risk management and to focus toward prevention and capacity training. For the first time, the creation of an alert system was proposed on those bases. Initially, it was considered that an earthquake alert include just the Federal District and the schools. Today we have an alert system which is unique worldwide and allows alerting the population in seconds. We are at the forefront in terms of disaster prevention and attention to emergencies.

Part of the work in our area is to prepare ourselves for the occurrence of disasters. For example, in the context of the influenza pandemic of the year 2009, we had been preparing a guidebook for several years among all government agencies, to tend to a pandemic, because the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had alerted us already in the year 2004. What we did was to create the manual, decisions were made based on articles that had already been created and based on the experiences in other countries like Haiti, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela where we brought humanitarian aid. The Colima earthquake of 2002, the 2009 pandemic, the Tabasco floods, all these prior experiences, helped us.

We also learned to decline the offers. What happened in September 19, 2017 was ltesting what we had been fine-tuning for thirty years and even allowed us to continue its refinement. Within one month we had nine large magnitude emergencies: two hurricanes, five tropical storms, floods and two large earthquakes.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 79 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 80 05/11/20 17:20 81

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 81 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 82 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Undersecretariat of the Operational Center for Contingency Attention (COPAC) Seismic alerts, Emergency system, Temporary shelters, Indigenous “Mexico´s communities, Oaxaca, International strength cooperation. is its people”

n September 7, we were operating “Systems stopped Oat our base in the Operation operating; power is Centre for Attention to Contingencies failed in the first hours” of the Secretariat of Health, in the city of Cuernavaca, Morelos. On the night of There was no way that we could have September 7, on the way back home, after communication, especially in the region finishing the day’s work, the Seismic alerts of the Tehuantepec Isthmus. We had no started sounding, and I started receiving communication, the systems stopped messages. The earthquake was 8.2 in the operating; power failed in the first hours scale of Richter. and that keeps us from having a diagnosis of the situation after the first impact. During The earthquake was felt in Morelos. In the first four to six hours, the first images Mexico City, due to the soil conditions as and videos that had been uploaded to the a lake bed, it was amplified. Our task is media started to arrive. Approximately, at to make a diagnosis of the situation and noon, we had an idea of the magnitude of provide responses to the entities we know the damage and considering the magnitude could be affected and start making a cabinet of 8.2 in the Richter scale, we could expect diagnostic, by communicating with our sizable damage. colleagues and they in turn with the health jurisdiction or municipalities so they could From 6 and upward in the Richter scale, we give us the information to be able to prepare can expect structural damage, we started to the first diagnosis. work in the organization and, by midnight,

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 83 05/11/20 17:20 on September 8, the medical units that we How many temporary shelters had we set have in the Federal Secretariat of Health up? And how many people did we have were moved to start providing medical lodged at those shelters? The number of attention to the patients. aftershocks was over 7 thousand, there were even aftershocks stronger than 6 in Through the Office of the Director General the Richter scale, so every time there was of Health Planning and Development and in another earthquake, the diagnosis had to coordination with the Office of the Director be reassessed. General of Civil Protection, the Advanced Medical Emergency System of the State of All of the search and rescue brigades from Puebla started to be deployed to Ground Civil Protection, the Secretariat of the Navy, Zero arriving at the Autonomous University the Secretariat of Security and from the of Chiapas (UAC) and also to the most Federal Police, collaborated in coordination. affected area which was the Tehuantepec A great effort was made, and there were Isthmus, specifically, Juchitan in the State of groups from many agencies even from Oaxaca. national security, like the Attorney General’s Office, which helped with aircrafts along with An operations command post was set up armed forces to take us to the vulnerable for Health Security, wherein all instances locations of difficult access. that provide responses participated in the logistics and coordination of the efforts to avoid duplicity or leaving areas unattended. There, we realized the magnitude of the “Rescue of indigenous emergency because the first reports from people with health problems” the State of Oaxaca through its emergency coordination offices, like the State’s Civil We have very good stories with the rescue Protection and the State Secretariat of of indigenous people with health problems Health, did not really report the damage who were more vulnerable because the in the region, as they had no access to health services collapsed in the provision information and didn’t have a lot of people of services. The most important collapse in out in the field. Therefore, the first 24 hours the Isthmus was perhaps that of the General were difficult to get information. Hospital “Dr. Macedonio Benitez Fuentes”, in Juchitan. The structural damage made it Oaxaca suffered damages in many regions, impossible to operate. The health authorities not only in the Isthmus, but in several regions. provided the hospital services that had been We had to spread out our teams and staff so interrupted and huge efforts were made they could make a more reliable diagnosis. with a very effective collaboration, over six The initial diagnosis took approximately or seven Federal States participated, among 48 hours. How much infrastructure was them Hidalgo, Mexico City, Jalisco, State of damaged? How many victims did we have? Mexico, Puebla and Zacatecas.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 84 05/11/20 17:20 Mobile vehicles were used specialized to provide medical support. © Secretariat of Health

and there was no organization among the hospitals to be able to receive the patients. They provided us the “Atlantes de la Salud” which are special vehicles to provide medical assistance, acting aa a mobile hospital. There was great cooperation from the three levels of government. The municipality helped us a lot in Juchitan, especially to install the mobile hospital with some support to level the grounds.

We had around 10,000 people lodged in shelters. The Secretariat of National Defence (SEDENA) made a great effort to send the Mexican Air Force and to coordinate the temporary shelters, providing food, housing, etc. There was also a lot of solidarity and support from the social players and Non- Governmental Organizations that collaborated with donations of tents, water, food, etc.

“We Requested Mobile Medical Units from other States”

The State of Puebla was one of the main My responsibility at that time was to players. Through its emergency system, guarantee medical attention, from first level they collaborated with ambulances and up to hospital attention. We requested an advanced medical post, because the Mobile Medical Units from Other States. Isthmus region has no ambulances or its It was a large collaboration to be able to own emergency system. They did not have send Mobile Medical Units to the farthest a medical emergency regulation centre communities in Oaxaca.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 85 05/11/20 17:20 “Resources are never sufficient and the necessary first level medication along when you have a catastrophe” with other basic urgent drugs to stabilize patients. They have everything necessary to Finally, it is a very complex task. We lack be able to make the first contact and provide many resources in Mexico. Resources first attention. These units help the pre- are never sufficient when you have a hospital system as the medical unit, given the catastrophe. I have had the honor to know load of its equipment, is not set up to transfer several emergency systems in different patients. The units collaborate in stabilizing countries. If we would have a system for the patient and they are handed over to the prevention, which allows us to watch, to pre-hospital teams, the ambulances for their monitor, to access the communities on transfer. time, finally, nature takes the upper hand and it is so strong that, in spite of all efforts we make, there is always something bigger than we could have foreseen. “In total, approximately 20 patients were transported by plane”

“Mexico´s strength is its people” In the first 24 hours, we concentrated in transporting qualified emergency patients Recently, I came back from a course to and critical patients, those who required learn about one of the most advanced major surgery, stabilization or monitoring in systems, which is the Japanese. Japan an intensive care unit, etc. We focused on faces its problems. They are also overrun those patients with the coordination from by emergencies, they learn and invest in the National Civil Protection System and the the most important resources, their people. National Emergency Committee and set up Mexico’s strength is its people. The same an air shuttle from the Ixtepec Airbase to population helps itself in a catastrophe. This Mexico City, Puebla or some other Federal is something that we have to take advantage States. In total, approximately 20 patients of and use, we need to train more people were transported by plane. because finally, they are the ones who respond initially when disasters hit. Patients who did not require to be transported were concentrated at the temporary shelters We moved around with eight Mobile that had been already set up and where Medical Units. These units have all necessary people were staying. Medical attention was equipment for the survival of their own given to each and every one in coordination personnel. They have tents, food and medical with the Secretariat of the Navy and the and rescue equipment. Medical units carry Secretariat of National Defence and the Office everything necessary to set up a medical of the Director General of Civil Protection, post. They have medical aid kits for trauma kept control of the temporary shelters and we

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 86 05/11/20 17:20 The medical units of the Federal Health Secretariat were mobilized to start providing medical care to patients. ©Secretary of Health

could focus on the attention to the shelters in we managed to negotiate and talk to them the first 24 hours. so they would allow us access and therefore provide the basic health services and other Some municipalities like San Mateo del social and recovery activities in emergencies, Mar and Santa Maria del Mar, do not allow such as the removal of debris. entrance of government services or political parties, as they have a several years-old We did several things in coordination with the community conflict. This communities did not Secretariat of the Navy, with the Secretariat of allow entrance of the Social Security services, National Defence and the Federal Police, we especially, medical attention. We managed to even gave workshops on security, organized break the blockage existing between them, community work journeys, up to removal of

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 87 05/11/20 17:20 debris and the painting of schools. These One of the most important things is that, localities received direct attention. Later, we through the National Risk Atlas prepared started to make the diagnostic job and after by the National Disaster Prevention 72 hours we had a very general scenario with Centre, we could tell for sure how many the statistics about affected localities and communities there were, where they were people. In spite of the efforts made to reinstate located and what was the risk level of the the operation of the first level health system, area. This National Atlas continues being especially first attention, it was complicated. updated with different layers to review the There were circumstances that did not allow risk and to be able to assess the type of risk health centres to operate 100%. We stayed they are under or the rating for each region. at the Tehuantepec Isthmus for over three Each community appears in the map of the months. National Risk Atlas.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 88 05/11/20 17:20 We offered basic health services to indigenous coomunities. ©Secretary of Health

“Chiapas, Oaxaca, We know where the most vulnerable Guerrero, Michoacan, communities are and where the highest risk lie. Colima, Jalisco, etc. We have developed protocols and guidelines This region of the for the emergency medical teams during the Pacific Cost is very vulnerable” years 2017 to 2019, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization. Nurses and health The highest earthquake vulnerability areas promoters receive at least one training session are located on the Pacific coast: Chiapas, per year. For example, in the training, intercultural Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima, respect is stressed. Perhaps they don’t speak the Jalisco, etc. This region of the Pacific Coast language, but they know perfectly well that they is very vulnerable because it is in close have to respect the traditions and the culture of contact with the tectonic plates. the place that will need assistance.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 89 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 90 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Mexican Hospitals Association Hospital, Security, Emergencies, “SHELTER, SHELTER!” Drill, Electricity, Food, “the shake was very Safe Hospital. strong and didn’t allow us to move anywhere”

n September 19 we conducted a drill to “Ground floor and first floor, Ocommemorate the 1985 earthquakes leave the building” in Mexico, one hour before the actual earthquake. I was coming back to my office Everything was moving, the doors were and met with a couple of vendors who provide banging, everything cracked. At the time when maintenance to the generator set and we were the earthquake stopped, I started to give finishing up some details when I felt the floor instructions, “ground floor and first floor, leave moving. The first thing I did was to take my the building” and we started to get out. There radio. With the radio I have control of at least were several exits and the first thing that people 46 points located throughout the hospital, and in the valet parking did, was to stop the traffic what I said was: “shelter, shelter”, at that time, on the main avenue in front of the hospital, the shake was very strong and didn’t allow us which allowed us to cross the road partitions to move anywhere. safely, to our meeting and safety point.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 91 05/11/20 17:20 The brigades evacuated the people who were in the emergency department. ©Secretariat of Health

As I went out, I noticed there were people in the hospital, but also in the adjacent buildings. I asked all my heads of brigades to put on their safety vests for quick identification, told them to come by the fountain on the road partition and started to define actions.

My first move was to get the largest amount of people possible out of the hospital, because I didn’t know what was going on with the building. The largest amount possible was 2 thousand people inside the building. More or less, I would have had to bring out around 1,800 persons, a large number. For me it was urgent to complete two actions: to regain space which would allow us to establish a cordoned-off security area for the movements I was going to make.

“Brigade members evacuated the people in the emergency area”

Brigade members evacuated the people in the emergency area, in pediatrics, hospitalization, hemodialysis, along with the people at the first floor and the group

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 92 05/11/20 17:20 93

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 93 05/11/20 17:20 in the command post. Then, basic material protection and warning in case anything and supplies were required to attend the happened to them during the inspection of patients. I asked the maintenance staff to the areas in each floor. open the disaster storeroom to use what was needed. An important area is the switchboard operator as communications through the That storage area was set up in late 2016, with hospital radios are handled from there and it basic supplies. We put there cots, cases with also communicates us outside. it has all the equipment, even oxygen tanks, everything codes we use in different emergencies calling included in the Safe Hospital protection list, outside from the switchboard. It definitely which is the recommendation of the PAHO allowed contact with all personnel and, in (Pan American Health Organization): “you turn, provide information on the patients and need to have, at least, these inputs at this the family members of the medical staff. place”. We went there every four months to check that the supplies were well kept and The priority area in the inspections by that the expiry date would not lapse. During the different brigades was emergencies, I a remodeling, it was considered to remove wanted to make sure that physical spaces that storeroom but, as the spaces could be and priority connections worked well. I well distributed, everything stayed where it thought constantly of the next 48 hours was. This storage area allowed us not having and the possibility of aftershocks as had to take resources from the different services happened in the 1985 earthquake. What we in the following hours. needed first was to find the largest number of patients that could be discharged as soon After evacuating the whole building, I stayed as possible, so that the facilities, if required, at my command post and instructed the could be expanded. Search and Rescue Brigade to inspect from the fifth floor to the ground floor, searching for patients, family members and hospital staff who could move without compromising “Everyone responded their health, and had done so. Also, to check that the building was for the patients who were not able to move not in bad condition” and how many of the health staff were taking care of them.. After approximately, one hour and a half, all areas started reporting back to me. The Priority Services Brigade started to How many people were there? Who was check for any damage to the gas, electric at the operating room? I conducted all and water lines and also checked for leaks communications through the radio. Radios or overflows and, mainly, that the equipment helped me a lot to know the situation in the worked properly. What I did was to organize operating room, in nutrition, in intensive the brigade’s members in pairs, looking for care, in those critical sections where you

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 94 05/11/20 17:20 cannot move the personnel. Being in I considered the issue of returning as soon contact with these areas, they told me that as possible to the premises. Outside the there were two persons in surgery who had building my concern was the power needed gone for emergency procedures and what for the emergency equipment. I could not physicians were doing to be able to either occupy the main level because we were close them up or finish the procedure, if outside the facilities. So, what I did in order to necessary. An hour and a half later, after have power was to run two electric extension having given the indication, we received lines and connect my critical equipment. the information from all services. I received the status about: gas tanks, electric grid, That is how we started to manage the water storage tanks and everyone reported resources for the next 48 hours, we needed that the building was not in bad condition, meals, space, etc. My intention was to return at least in the non-structural components, to the ground floor. If I managed to get and that they had identified a few things at these facilities ready, I could work safer and if variousplaces such as cracks, a column that there were aftershocks, it would allow me to showed some damage but which was not get out quickly any moment. With the head in a critical structural position and several nurse and the medical deputy director, we ceilings that had fallen off. coordinated the actions to determine the minimum number of patients we needed to We closed the road completely, I realized care for and prepare the resources necessary that Emergency units were starting to move taking the emergency room and the disaster a lot, so what I did was to divide the road storage area. on both sides and I stayed on the middle of the road to be able to move: equipment, There were three structural engineers with personnel, patients, etc. We already had me, and I learned, with their assistance, the equipment from the disaster storage how the building had come through. area, some emergency equipment, They checked all the information that the hospitalization and the pediatrics section brigades had given me regarding damage and we also took out all extra resources for and took the actions to validate it. What the next 48 hours. Patients started to be we found were minor damages, but we did moved. We moved emergency patients. have a column with major damage. That We had approximately 20 patients who column was not supporting anything at the were in Emergencies and patients in top, it was only the end of a section of the hemodialysis, and 6 were discharged, we structure, so it was possible to work with it had 14 who still needed to be connected without any problem. The engineers told to the hemodialysis machines. We moved me: “you can go back to work. You can use all patients, in hospitalization we were left the facilities from the ground floor to the with 12 patients, two of them were in the third floor without any problem”, and my third-floor, and were kept there with their decision was to take the ground floor to families. We could not take them out. relocate the actions.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 95 05/11/20 17:20 “Fear is the main challenge reserves from the kitchen to feed them even I had to face given such if cold, making sure with the physicians that a big responsibility” their metabolism would not be unbalanced so we could keep them at least for the next Fear is the main challenge I had to face given 48 to 72 hours. such a big responsibility. I had to be sure at that time what the three engineers had analyzed, I must know that, what they are telling me, will help keep all my patients. One of the first “Hey! No!, Wait!, Take it easy!” challenges was how to keep the patients stay, how to give them the trust that they are going There was another important challenge. to be indeed in a place which is not going to During the night, a person suddenly said crumble down, how to convince them, how to “earthquake”, then everybody bolted to make them know that the hospital has been their feet and ran out. The first intention was already checked, that they know that the to tell them “Hey! No!, Wait!, Take it easy!” specialists already assessed the place. And But I knew that they would all just run over what I did, was to make copies of the quick me. Therefore, they all ended up outside checkup that the specialists did, and I made a and out there, it was convincing time again. large-scale copy of it and posted it on the front “You see, there was no earthquake. Nothing entrance inside the hospital so everybody is happening. There is no mention in the knew that the structural engineers had been news”. What I also did to be well-informed, here and the copies had the professional was to bring the TV sets I have for information license numbers of the experts. purposes, tuned to the newscasts, so they could see what was going on, and the TV was put on at certain times in order not to saturate people. “The other challenge was to feed them” The recommendation of the Safe Hospital Program is to take up a group of medications The other challenge was to feed them, useful to resolve several conditions and put how to feed all those persons, but I was them in boxes. We finished taking this to the confident. From 9 PM on the first day, when disaster storage area. This is a space of 32 m² traffic eased down, we were already secure; located on the ground floor where materials we were in our places and the civil society are stored. It was designated from the time started to provide meals to us. Almost of the Safe Hospital program evaluation on everyone brought us sandwiches or water. March, 2016. All we had to do was to check the expiration dates and before that date However, I had children and special patients: we took out the drugs and use them in the diabetics, hypertensive patients, who require hospital, replenishing our disaster storage a special diet. What we did was to keep our area afterwards.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 96 05/11/20 17:20 I have been participating in the State Assessment Committee of the Safe Hospital Program for the last 4 years. It meets every thirty days with the purpose of following the recommendations made by the National Evaluation, Diagnostic and Certification Committee, following the recommendations made in the year 2005 at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held at Kobe Hyogo, Japan, in 2005, stating that hospitals should remain accessible and continue working with the same infrastructure during a threat like the earthquake was at this time. Knowing the program and promoting it, first in the hospital, was a great advantage.

Then, what we do is that we meet every month in a group with representatives from institutions having hospitals in Mexico City, and what we achieved is to assess hospitals every month to see how they are doing, what its condition is. The Safe Hospital Program is identified for large hospitals with over 70 beds, with x-ray equipment. The intent is to define what can be resolved at the most critical time with patients in trauma, especially: burns, poly-traumatized and fractured, who need x-ray equipment, CT scanners, which must be kept working.

In Mexico City, at the State Committee, we decided to assess medium-size hospitals and the smaller hospitals. The only issue stopping us now is that the certificate for hospital evaluation was designed for large hospitals. Then, if I have a small hospital that wants to be evaluated, when I apply the assessment tool, the index of hospital results pretty bad. However, applying the actions proposed in this program facilitated and made the difference on that September 19, 2017.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 97 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 98 05/11/20 17:20 99

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 99 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 100 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: National Institute of Educational Physical Infrastructure (INIFED) SEP, Construction, Damages, “Several schools were SEDATU, FONDEN, damaged (...), most Protocols, Building codes were built without and regulations. following the building codes and regulations”

lmost 20 thousand schools suffered “It will take much time Adamages with the earthquakes of to respond to the schools september 2017 and february 2018. damaged by the earthquakes” Several schools, buildings and homes were damaged. Most were built without following We have been working in coordination with the the National Institute of Physical Educational Inter-Secretarial Reconstruction Commission, Infratructure (INIFED) regulations and the Coordinated by the Secretariat of Agrarian, federal center´s building code (Building Territorial and Urban Development (SEDATU), Code for the Federal District), which is the trying to review and fine-tune the actual data main reference for construction throughout from schools and other type of properties the country. It is a very important and damaged by the earthquakes, and we now essential issue to continue promoting the have a clearer idea of what was the effect of culture of compliance with regulations the quake in the main 12 Federal States where especially in the construction of schools or schools were damaged. In addition, the census facilities wherein hundreds or thousands we received, describes schools that were not of persons are provided services. These damaged by the earthquake, however, they buildings should have been designed not had damage due to bad maintenance and, only to withstand earthquake shocks but on the other hand, we received information also to function as shelter for the population of an important number of schools that were in case of disaster (as indicated in INIFED´s damaged by the earthquake but which had regulations). not been recorded or reported.

101

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 101 05/11/20 17:20 We have been attending schools that suffered damage to their entities Elementary School 21DPR0697F Ignacio Zaragoza, Puebla. ©National Institute of Educational Physical Infrastructure

It will take much time to respond to the schools without budget and we are insisting schools damaged by the earthquakes because with the Treasury Department to include them budgets have been insufficient. We operate in the 2020 and 2021 budgets. with resources from the Natural Disasters Fund (FONDEN). The federal government included in its 2019 federal expense budget an important amount to tend to all kind of properties from “They had no time housing, health, cultural facilities and schools. for assessment” In the case of schools, we were authorized a budget of 800 million but later it was cut by The dimension of the September 19, 2017 over 372 million pesos. We still have over 1,500 earthquake was incalculable because it had

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 102 05/11/20 17:20 The Schools must have greater structural safety conditions. Presidente Juarez Elementary School 20DPR0029P, Oaxaca. ©National Institute of Educational Physical Infrastructure

effect in twelve states of the country. The INIFED went out to the field to do the framework of the protocols and standards of the verification, with approximately 600 engineers Natural Disasters Fund (FONDEN) establishes and architects. However, the effects of the a seven-day margin to assess damages, record earthquake overwhelmed us because there these and be able to issue a statement of were many schools that were not checked emergency damages, but that time is not always because they could not be reached, enough. One of the problems that arose is communications were cut off. We have that there were schools that did have damages approximately 210,000 schools throughout the and perhaps they did not have the time to country. We trained the schools, universities, assessment, or some preferred to just record high schools, so they know how to assess the them when damages were not necessarily there. schools in case of earthquakes.

103

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 103 05/11/20 17:20 “In the central zones of Morelos their structure, this to the extent that we can and Puebla, we did not have set it up at the schools located in the highest a seismic alert system in place” seismic areas. However, we believe that it will be very important not only for schools but We are also considering now to place also for many other buildings. Schools must accelerometers in several schools. In case have higher structural security conditions. of damage, this will help us a lot because we Devices measuring the speed of seismic will be able to detect the areas of highest waves or any other movement show how the risk, we are going to have better options building is moving as they can measure the to move around and to use resources. It up-and-down, sideways from East to West was always thought that perhaps there was and from south to north motion, depending some failure in the alarm, because it was on their location and are fixed at the ends of indeed activated in the drill at 11 in the the buildings, at the bottom and at the top. morning and not at the time of the actual earthquake. In the central zones of Morelos and Puebla, we did not have a seismic alert system in place. The movement and “Technical standards shockwaves got to the coastline and so the for earthquake design were alarm was set off. modified in the Building Code for the Federal District” Along with the Engineering Institute of Mexico´s National Autonomous University Technical standards for earthquake design (UNAM), we are in the experimental were modified in the Building Code for stage of engineering design of a Digital the Federal District after 2017. We have Accelerometric System for Structures. been reviewing the schools that suffered This system consists of placing several damages to their facilities, but there were seismometers, 2 per level, which allow other schools that suffered no damage perceiving vertical, horizontal and crosswise and which do not comply with the new movements in a building. This will allow Building Code and its regulations. This knowing remotely the building’s response does not mean that the schools will fall after an earthquake, either severe or of down but that, as of that date, they will medium magnitude. It would be possible require reinforcement. Therefore, we are to have an alarm system assisting in implementing another evaluation stage decision-making to identify and prioritize for schools, beginning with Mexico City. the response to inspect the most vulnerable We are assessing their vulnerability before buildings. Also, to study the response of possible new earthquakes in the future and buildings to earthquakes to improve the we are undertaking a project of gradual design of schools in order to receive in reinforcement. It is very important to begin real time, the vital information about which making adequations to those buildings to schools could have suffered damages to improve their security and durability. We

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 104 05/11/20 17:20 are coordinating this phase also with the UNAM Institute of Engineering and with the Government of Mexico City through the Secretariat of Works and Services, along with the Institute for Construction Safety.

“There are many schools that were inspected and even if no damage was found, we need to reinforce them”

The first thing we have to do is to make sure that all school buildings have no problems after an earthquake. This is something we have to respond to so that all school buildings may be returned immediately to operation in case they had no material damage. There are many schools that were inspected and Failures in construction even if no damage was found, we need to procedures, Instituto Tecnologico reinforce them, that is what the Building del Istmo 20DIT0003M, Oaxaca. Code indicates currently, a structural safety ©National Institute of Educational report has to be made to know where to Physical Infrastructure reinforce the school buildings.

The biggest challenge is to respond in parallel, taking preventive measures so we can have better response elements in the future along with the tools to tend immediately to any emergency, not only those produced by earthquakes. Schools are also subject to other kind of damage from natural events like rain, floods, hurricanes. We are also working with state governments and with the National Coordination of Civil Protection to prepare action protocols. At INIFED we are working in a new project to reduce the lack of maintenance in the schools so the

105

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 105 05/11/20 17:20 authorities and the education communities always have the plans of the architectural structural layouts, manuals and materials’ warranties available. Every three years the school’s maintenance cycle must be completed.

“All buildings must have their Standard Documentary Archive”

All buildings must have their documents archive [Standard Documentary Archive (ADN)] and when there is any problem or some job, they can go quickly and check the log book and the drawings, for example, to verify if a gas line runs through the site. We believe that we need to create awareness among decision-makers about maintenance budgets so they always foresee and can have the resources for the situation. What we have to do is to train and disperse the standards that the INIFED has, as these are very strict. If those standards were followed, we would have safer schools.

All school buildings were reviewed after the earthquake. Fissures were found in Eliodoro Charis School walls in Juchitan 20DES0004Z, Oaxaca. ©National Institute of Educational Physical Infrastructure

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 106 05/11/20 17:20 107

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 107 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 108 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Subdirection of Security of the Direction of Health and Safety in Schools (DSSE), of the General Direction of Innovation Co-responsibility, and Academic Strengthening (DGIFA), of the Federal Educational Authority in Mexico City (AEFCM) Risk, Capacity identification, Prevention, “Several activities Real emergency, Children, Parents, conducted during School, Protocol. the drill were not followed at the time of the real emergency”

fter the earthquacke many parents, quite were explained that children were not Aaggressive, arrived and one young man going to return home with their backpacks, working with me at the Directorate of Health or their sweaters or with anything that had and Safety in Schools (DSSE) who had been remained within the classroom, because helping during the drill, started talking to the we preferred to have the school checked parents from the rooftop to avoid generating completely before risking anyone’s life. All problems. The school had already calmed parents understood this well and the work down the students and the young man, from continued. the rooftop, started to dialogue and calm down the parents. He explained them what Several ctivities conducted during the was happening inside and why they could drill were not followed at the time of the not enter the school directly. The parents real emergency. There was chaos during calmed down and when they went to the the earthquake due to the seismic alert. main door (the main entrance), parents saw We checked our own facilities to verify that the students were grouped in the yard, them and make sure we could be in the that they were calm and that nothing much condition of continuing to help. Only had happened to the school. the members of the risk and vulnerability team stayed and the rest of the staff went The school was closed for a few days so back home to attend any emergency at a full assessment could be made. Parents home.

109

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 109 05/11/20 17:20 Next day, the work team started concentrating “We realized that there lack at the central area. We started to define routes, strategies to ensure for example, to supervise that the architects an Operations Continuity from the building assessment area provided Plan, as indicated in the the guidelines to inspect the schools. All General Civil Protection Law” buildings were checked systematically. We had the support from Civil Protection, who In public schools we had no casualties, started to check and verify the premises in but we did have to think up a strategy as order to provide guidance to the inspection to how to reinstate service because we teams because at times, they looked at a had many damaged schools. Therefore, wall and if there was anything damaged, they we started looking for spaces to be able did not know whether it was a maintenance to set up shared classrooms. We realized problem, if it was a serious problem or if it was that there lack strategies to ensure an only a wall finish issue. My team and I visited Operations Continuity Plan, as indicated in several schools that were not damaged, and the General Civil Protection Law, necessary had only minor maintenance problems. In to cover the need to reinstate education general, we saw nothing important in many services in a different way. We had to learn of the schools. to work at schools with combined groups in multi-grade spaces. In private schools the story was a little different. Since the September 7, 2017 earthquake, we asked both public and private schools through the channels, “How do I prepare to report how many seismic alerts (radio my Internal School receivers) they had, which ones were Safety Program?” operating and which were not. When the September 19 earthquake hit, these had Teachers told us; “how do I prepare my already been checked, civil protection Internal School Safety Program (Internal requirements (licenses, permits, insurance, Civil Protection Program), because I’m not Internal Civil Protection Program) and in my school.” Schools are close followers of private schools met those requirements the regulations, they have high compliance: for operating. However, it is not the if you are a relocated school, you join the institution’s competence to check the alternate program of this new school and legality or truthfulness of these documents, it has to be adapted but, in contrast, if my and only compliance was verified. school is not in service, it has no internal program. Regulations allowed us to know what shortages we had, especially at the level of permits and formalities before the precinct offices, because a public school is finally a real property which, in

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 110 05/11/20 17:20 We taught emergency protocols in a simple way, and very easy for parents to understand the drill process, at the Victor Maria Flores Elementary School, Mexico City. ©Maria Isabel Garcia

111

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 111 05/11/20 17:20 the great majority of cases, is owned by a And when you are a federal instance with municipality. Education service is federal, state coverage, regulations sometimes however, there is no property act but we are conflicting. Civil Protection Guidelines did realize that there is great need to from the Secretariat of the Interior did not execute agreements, perhaps a parallel fit well with the Civil Protection guidelines set of regulations or maybe set up other of Mexico City. mechanisms to resolve. What all schools had was the existence Back then, the PISE (Internal School Safety of the Internal School Safety Committee, Program, currently Internal School Civil which is made up by the school staff, Protection Program) was being updated the Principal is the coordinator, and the so that public schools could build it teachers and administrative staff make up electronically. According to the Terms the brigades, depending on the number, of Reference TR-SPC-001 1998, section there are 4 basic brigades (Evacuation, I Integration of the Internal Committee Communication, First-Aid, Firefighting) had been integrated and the other 2 were today, a new Psycho Emotional Support being prepared. Schools had to compile group is integrated and if there are information, and for this, a list of the main disabled people, there is also a Support documents it should comply with, was Brigade, in case the number of adults in extracted. We realized that out of the 35 the school is small, then the brigade is documents, around 11 did not exist at classified as multifunctional, everybody the schools. To resolve the situation, the knows about everything and take up the central areas had to intervene, and given activities as required. their own needs and the way in which the education system is structured, resource Administrative areas were more inclined budgets would be assigned. towards following the federal regulations. However, the school had to follow as well local regulations. This led to discrepancies., There was a brigade that was appointed at “The school had federal level (search and rescue) but did to follow local not exist at local level, so that schools, regulations” given that properties belonged to the municipal offices, followed the regulations Intensive work started in 2018 with joint of Mexico City. areas of the Juridical Matters Coordination and the General Direction of Administration The platform of the internal program was because we asked who is in charge of strengthened and was aligned to the terms resolving this? These are issues that are of reference, in such a way that it became not clear because sometimes there is no a formality of administrative simplification complete understanding of the regulation. for the school, because there are many

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 112 05/11/20 17:20 Drill before the earthquake of September 19, Mexico City, at the Victor Maria Flores Elementary School, Mexico City. ©Maria Isabel Garcia

113

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 113 05/11/20 17:20 things that schools have to do in addition “We started with risk to teaching children.The idea was not analysis of the human to generate even heavier administrative factor to identify how burdens, but rather to simplify things, we were doing emotionally” retake the information they were already using for some other program and in We had a training program aimed precisely this way, feed the internal program. This to cover the needs of the Internal Civil platform was growing well, but due to the Protection Program about school safety: earthquake, the area that was working on What was the structure of the program? it suffered job saturation and the platform How is it made up? Who were the members was left unfinished, we could not obtain of the Internal School Safety Committee? the information we required to be able to What is the context of school civil attend the over 4 thousand public schools protection? What does it have to do? How we have in Mexico City. is it made up? Which are the functions of the brigades before, during and afterwards? It was planned to commission a study to We started with the introduction and from recover this information in a reliable way there we designed drills, signage for the because we were having problems with school, learning about first-aid, learning schools which, in order to comply with how to fight fires and to keep kitchens and the regulations. They confirmed toI have diners, safe. all the necessary regulations but did not have the capacity to verify its accuracy. We started with risk analysis of the human factor We needed to know exactly the amount to identify how we were doing emotionally, of schools that could comply with the this in a preventive way to begin the work, we standard, so we retained the services of identified the capabilities and features of the a company to recover the information school population to begin to work with them, electronically and to prepare the empowered their abilities in all aspects. electronic files for each school. We started to work with the section coordinations so We saw this at risk level, but in reality, it was that, through the levels and the schools, an issue that reached to many points. Social they uploaded their documents and and emotional support were parallel. We could support the program, because that worked on small things, in fact, one of our was what we needed to know. Normally colleagues was a psychologist, she had and the school complies but, in this case, we major in psychology of emergencies. need accurate information so we could have a real sight of the needs and be able We started later with management of to resolve them. chemical and technological risks, and a little bit on socio-organization risk, reaching some areas such as how to act on persons with disabilities. We taught punctually how

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 114 05/11/20 17:20 to prepare emergency protocols. In a simple The most important goal in the civil way, very easy for parents to get to know protection culture is that information-based what schools do and join in if they were at the decisions can be taken with knowledge and school during a drill. The idea was to include with training, anywhere they are, because them to allow the school staff to protect the finally it is a formative process. The school students and themselves, without altering is a space of formation and we have to form performance of the school activities. the child, who in turn forms the adult and sometimes even the very authorities.

Let us share the responsibility and share “People awareness is what the responsibility sections in a thought-out will make risk management manner and in an informed manner without actions last” looking for culprits. We look for solutions that have been proven before. If I cannot What we always aimed in the courses was solve this, at least I learned to recover the a heavy amount of theoretical-practical experiences of others. What we are doing content as the basis of the internal school is very interesting, because we recover what safety program. Regulations, terminology worked and we continue implementing and and awareness. People awareness is what innovating. will make risk management actions last and that people take preventive action. After the earthquake there was heavy demand for the student groups, especially in junior high schools located on a second or third level, to be relocated to the ground floor.

Actually, in some private schools, there were training needs. Orientation of the internal program was opened up; private school had this concern. There were many parents saying: “I want my child to be on the ground floor”.

“Let us share responsibility”

Children have to be connected to their reality, but must be given sufficient tools, let them form a broad view to make decisions.

115

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 115 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 116 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: National Coordination of Historical Monuments of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) Structural stability, Properties, Strategic allies, “Keep the Heritage, Restauration. integrity and authenticity of the property”

he Disaster Prevention Program for Office, formed starting in 2017, has been TCultural Heritage (PrevINAH) stipulates diluted again. Now processes are carried out protocols in case of earthquake. There by each one of the areas according to their was no formal entity yet, responsible for competences. coordination during an emergency. An emergency requires all departments of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the academic departments, “Telephone communication the managed parties and the authority- was lost, there was no power, exercising parties, all act in a very coordinated there were no computers” way. This was achieved in 2017, setting up a special office for the earthquake damage, The Secretariat of Culture has a broader we call it the “earthquake office”. In 1999, national coverage because the Institute something similar had been done somewhat was decentralized at the end of the 1970s more informally, but likewise, to attend the and early 80s. A decentralized structure is damage from the 1999 earthquake. In 2017 it a federal entity with presence at each state was established formally and specialized staff of the Republic. INAH has the functions was hired to reinforce the Institute to make up of research, protection, conservation and a group of specialists to help us coordinate information. We have 31 INAH centres in the whole process and to help match the thirty-one states of the Republic, in Mexico efforts of each one of the areas in every one City there is no INAH centre as such because of the fields that had to be attended. This the Institute’s headquarters are there.

117

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 117 05/11/20 17:20 There is personnel assigned to each INAH dictate the emergency safeguards actions at Centre. Given the earthquakes that affected the site after the earthquakes, which implied twelve Federal states, the protocol of making decisions, for example, in affected INAH’s prevention program, the PrevINAH, buildings with damages in their architectural indicates that during a disaster, it is the and support structure which could collapse INAH centre corresponding to the site, at any moment.The decision was made to which takes the leadership to respond to prop up the architectural properties that the emergency in coordination with the collapsed inward. central level in Mexico City. We participate mainly from the National Coordination of Historic Monuments where we recorded the largest number of damages, but also from “Part of this affected heritage the National Archaeology Coordination is a treasure keeping up that was responding to the damages in the memory and patrimonial the archaeological sites and the National legacies of cultures prior Coordination of INAH Centres, which is the to today’s citizens” communication link with the centres in the States and which reports to the Director Actions were taken to rescue the assets General. safeguarded in these properties. The great majority of damaged properties of this We requested participation of all the staff architecture from the 16 to 19 centuries are deployed in all 11 states. However, as this religious monuments, churches open to the was not enough because the damage reports Catholic cult, 94% of the 2340 properties. continued growing and the area of attention There were sculptures from the 16 to 19 expanding, the decision was made to bring century, easel paintings of great Masters all the personnel in the country which did not from the time of the viceroyalty, mural suffer damages to concentrate them at the paintings decorating the churches and altar place where there was the most impact. pieces with sculptures and mural paintings, historical parish archives, historic sacred We managed to gather a large number of music organs, pieces of Sacred Art, silver brigades around 800 experts who toured and gold chalices and other artifacts used in the territory day and night and responding the catholic rite which hold high historic and to the reports received both from the INAH artistic value and that had to be rescued. centres and from headquarters. In the first Brigades worked with the help of the hours after the September 19 earthquake, communities, which has been participating the telephone communication was lost, throughout the whole recovery process. there was no power and no computers. The work of the brigades consisted initially in Participation of the communities was not identifying the damage and take a census of always easy to manage. They entered the items affected. Brigades were responsible to churches risking their lives because the

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 118 05/11/20 17:20 stability of the building was not guaranteed. affected mexican patrimony as much. A stone might come loose and hurt someone, Therefore, in order to face the recovery but they wanted to safeguard, take care and challenge, it was necessary to have the protect the altar pieces if they could not support of the federal government but also be removed, at least to protect them. Two from private sector and civil society. It has days after the earthquakes of September been a costly learning process that made us 19, there were heavy rains that poured water understand that these processes have to be in the churches damaging mural paintings, managed in a very coordinated manner with altar pieces, sculptures. It was of utmost well-defined protocols. The 1999 earthquake important to safeguard the pieces, first from was quickly managed, but we now have a the collapse and from the rain. challenge that we are still facing, even now, two years after the earthquakes. It was a very heroic work of the Institute personnel, often risking their lives, repeatedly We set up procedures in the central office going without sleep, conducting rescue to classify damages into 3 categories: minor and safeguard operations and the result damage, moderate damage and severe was having a very reliable database of the damage. Severe damage included massive affected properties. The final result of the collapse of structural elements which, if census was 2340 damaged properties, of compromising the structural stability of the which 94 are religious churches from the 16 to building, could have an important loss in 19 centuries and within these temples there their structural elements. We worked then in were over 6000 religious pieces affected. Part the centre of the country to define protocols of this affected heritage is a treasure keeping and the damage was quickly managed in a up the memory and patrimonial legacies of homogeneous manner. Brigades prepared cultures prior to today’s citizens. That value the protocols for buidling identification and was affected like never in the history of this damage assessment. country. This country is a very seismic one and has a long coastline that makes it vulnerable to earthquake movements and other type of hydrogeological disasters, mainly hurricanes, “Historic monuments are cyclones, floods, tsunamis, etc. not remodeled neither rebuilt, otherwise the historic value of the property would be lost”

“Not even Civil War affected Another protocol was the Assets Safeguard mexican patrimony as much” Protocol and the need to restrict access in those cases where the building was in risk of The 2017 earthquakes had generated collapse. Access and use of the buildings for the largest damage to Mexico’s cultural cult were immediately restricted, as this was patrimony in history. Not even Civil Wars the normal use for churches. In contrast to

119

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 119 05/11/20 17:20 Restoration and conservation are based on basic criteria: maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the property. ©Edith Camacho

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 120 05/11/20 17:20 121

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 121 05/11/20 17:20 collapses of contemporary architecture were It is very important to inform residents and everything crumbling down is a rubbish to collaborate with them. Sometimes we which is useless and is hauled to a special took the time to get to the site and the dump, everything falling down in a historic local people started to work without having material, is material that can be reused. the technical guidance, for example, when the church steeple fractured. For the effects of recovery, historic monuments are not remodeled neither rebuilt, otherwise We managed to save their temples and their the historic value of the property would be monuments. Finally, reason prevailed and lost. If the building loses an element during we obtained those initial successes. the earthquake and some structure falls down, criteria for restoration and conservation are supported on basic criteria: maintain integrity and authenticity of the building and conserving “A first element of coordination all elements used to build it originally. All these and teamwork was with the materials that fell down and looked like rubble Catholic Church” and debris had to be safeguarded to classify them, looking for the possibility for reuse and Since many affected buildings were churches, put them back in place during the restoration a first element of coordination and teamwork process. One last task of the brigades that was with the Catholic Church, that finally was also very important, was to inform the resulted in the execution of a collaboration community and make them participate in the agreement with the Conference of the processes. Mexican Episcopate.

They have a very hierarchic structure with one cardinal, the bishops, the vicars, the “Ask the community archdioceses and the parish priests. We for assistance to safeguard had to coordinate with them to be able to the properties” cross information about the first damage assessment. Information exchange allowed Accesses have to be restricted avoid anyone us to identify more precisely the damage and risking their life, and ask also for the community also to take a series of decisions related to the for assistance to safeguard the properties. properties.

Communities responded immediately, As you know, there is an illegal worldwide they organized in groups of residents that trade with art pieces and within those illegal helped the brigades enter the churches in trafficking networks there is an important a relatively safe way to pick up the parts of demand for religious sacred art items which the sculptures lying on the floor to be able are invaluable for private collectors. to safeguard and classify them.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 122 05/11/20 17:20 During a natural emergency, one of our biggest concerns was precisely sacred art, that was safeguarded within the churches that were affected. One of the initial protocols we followed was to get the assistance from the Catholic Church to notify all parish priests responsible for the safeguard of assets, not to allow access to the public, unless they were instructed by the Institute.

Other strategic allies were the local authorities, town mayors, state governors, who provided invaluable support during the first hours of the emergency. They provided us vehicles, they provided us personnel, they provided us fuel, they gave us communication radios and joined the brigades.

We had to be coordinated with the Natural Disasters Fund (FONDEN) which is the instrument created by Mexico’s Government to manage these disasters, and ask for funds immediately, Immediate Priority Support (APIN).

Most of the collapsed churches required wooden propping, at the time we did not have the money or the resources to do it, and had to request it to the FONDEN Trust. We started to do it, but all that process took at least a couple of weeks and we could not wait that long. We invited construction companies in the affected areas to come and help us. Many construction companies helped us to do the propping up led by our experts, but they contributed the labour, the wood, the materials, the nails, etc. and in many cases, they donated these things. Over 800 properties were propped up.

123

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 123 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 124 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Regional Center of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Oaxaca FONDEN, Heritage, Church, “Nothing is Indigenous communities, Oaxaca, Dialogue demolished, INAH, everything Vernacular architecture. is restored”

n September 7, 2017 an earthquake the challenges to upload information about Oshook the states of Oaxaca and damaged assets to the platform of the Chiapas. Only a few days later, on the Natural Disasters Fund (FONDEN). This task 19, another larger magnitude quake was essential to request financial resources multiplied the damage affecting States for their recovery. like Puebla, Morelos, Tlaxcala and Mexico City. 2340 patrimonial properties suffered such a scenario,.At the National Institute “Calm and peace to the team” of Anthropology and History (INAH) we understood that all actions to recover the As head of the work team I had a bigger patrimony would be very important. challenge than uploading information to the FONDEN platform, “it was necessary to get I was responsible for the INAH’s Delegation people calm and quiet, mainly those who in Oaxaca, where we had suffered severes lived through the earthquake of the 7th, one damages, particularly in the Mixteca and of the strongest registered in the state in the Central Valleys areas. last 100 years”.

I am a social anthropologist, I understood Back then, seismic aftershocks were that we had to work in hand with the constant, hundreds of them being recorded communities and the local authorities, daily, some slight ones and others very everybody together, solidary, advancing in strong. In the end, it is estimated there the recovery of the patrimony. At that time, were over 20 thousand. I recall we were in coordination with my colleagues I faced checking the steeple of a church, pretty

125

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 125 05/11/20 17:20 Maintenance, conservation and restoration of buildings, especially those of a religious historical type. ©Edith Camacho

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 126 05/11/20 17:20 127

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 127 05/11/20 17:20 high up, when one strong aftershock came Oaxaca, while it was not the most damaged and, as if not enough, the September 19 state, (it was the second one after Puebla) earthquake occurred. qualitatively did have severe affectation, particularly in areas like the Tehuantepec The colleagues from INAH, most of them Isthmus, la Mixteca and in some areas of the were from Mexico City, came to Oaxaca to Central Valleys. Recalling what happened, I help us, How could I make these colleagues can say today that in 2017, the patrimony of who joined us very solidarily to help us to be Oaxaca suffered like never before. calm?, How to reauest them to be calm when their families were far away, suffering a great intensity earthquake while they could not be with them? That was the main challenge. “Work with the communities”

The Institute has the PrevINAH, a program that monitors natural phenomena which “Both in the field and in the may impact the cultural patrimony like cabinet, they were focused earthquakes, rain, hurricanes, cyclones, etc. on an exhaustive damage In order to attend the affected monuments, assessment, crack by crack” a team was formed with 80 to 100 members who joined this huge challenge. INAH In this context and under such pressure, worked very closely with the residents and, despair and impotence, the group of experts of course, at all times took the municipal took action to start the recovery tasks of mayors into account, the authorities in the Oaxacan cultural patrimony. After the general and the church representatives, and September 19 earthquake, INAH’s expert above all, the communities. Their opinion crews, both in the field and in the cabinet has always been essential. were focused on an exhaustive damage assessment, crack by crack. Later we had to It can be said that, during this tragedy, we do a “conciliation” exercise, which allowed lived and worked hand-in-hand with them, identification of the best proposals for always being very respectful of their culture. restoration of the affected items and real During the identification of damage, it was property. very important for us not to lose closeness with the Oaxaca communities: Thanks to It was a long and detailed process, as we this, we gained their trust and they gained had to add up the damage from two strong peace of mind, to the extent that they knew earthquakes, plus the damage from the that, with a little patience, they would again uncountable aftershocks. In addition, it was enjoy the valuable patrimony that identifies difficult to work for two sources of financing: them. the insurance and specific funds which were granted to attend 587 properties in the state.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 128 05/11/20 17:20 “Dialogue and approached the INAH to contribute with awareness raising” information and to explain what, for them, was relevant regarding restoration of historic Even so, there were times when the scenario buildings. was so devastating that some Oaxacan municipalities started to consider demolition of In order to take decisions about its recovery their historic monuments. INAH implemented and restoration projects, INAH conducted the strategy had to dialogue and raise a survey among the residents. One of those awareness. We explain to the communities exercises was done around the Church of the relevance and transcendence that their San Vicente Ferrer, in Juchitan de Zaragoza, properties have, not only for their locality but a historic monument that suffered severe for the Mexican nation. damage, among others, the collapse of one of its steeples. Oaxaca is a seismic In the end, we managed to convince them. State by nature. People are used to this To the extent that today, in the collective and in our history, there have been other image of the Oaxacan communities, that it important earthquakes like the one in became a work policy for INAH: Nothing is 1999. But, why was there so much damage demolished, everything is restored. Today, to the patrimony this time? According to we all believe in it and under its premise we the analysis by INAH’s experts, two factors have focused on the noble task of recovering were determinant. the cultural patrimony. The first one was lack of maintenance, an Oaxaca is proudly an indigenous State. aspect that is not really a responsibility of And in this recovery task, knowledge of INAH. According to the Law, maintenance their cosmogony and their forms of social of the properties, especially those of organization has been extremely valuable historic-religious kind, corresponds to for INAH to be able to build, first, and then religious associations, that is, the parish to strengthen, this bond of trust with the priest of each church. INAH itself is a population, a task for which the participation federal normative agency, responsible of the anthropologists was paramount. To to authorize, validate and supervise them, all my gratitude and recognition. maintenance, conservation, restoration and intervention projects for these properties. The other factor that impacted “Two factors behind in the magnitude of the damage to the the magnitude of the damage” Oaxacan properties lies in the wrong works undertaken in the 20th century. Before the At the Tehuantepec Isthmus, something last century, construction was done with the interesting happened. The community materials of the time, especially stone and was committed to such an extent with the lime, which means that elements like metal recovery of their monuments that residents and cement were not of everyday use.

129

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 130 05/11/20 17:20 131

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 131 05/11/20 17:20 Concrete, especially, began to be whereby attention could be given to the incorporated during the 20th century. architectural wealth of that municipality, According to the specialists, combined with which properties traced back to late 19 ancient building materials and techniques, and early 20 centuries and represent a high concrete generates endless problems. historic and cultural value for the country. Definitely, our monuments don’t have to be intervened with concrete, because it is a In this area, INAH got together a crew of very rigid material; which, being applied to a architects and anthropologists, which went historic property built 200 or 300 years ago, door to door, family by family, to explain leads to different reaction at the time of an the importance of their patrimony for the earthquake. national culture. On these visits, they came upon extraordinary stories, of course, It works as a medieval ram, but made of some painful, as there were people who cement which, with the seismic movement, stated to have seen several institutions impacts on the historic monument. For come by to tell them that their homes this reason the 2017 earthquakes caused would be demolished. “We didn’t know very important damages and today this what to do”, they said. In other cases, information give us a clue to identify risks in some families had other type of interests, the patrimony of other states. like pulling down their constructions to obtain some financial benefit. This presence of foreign elements in the church of San Vicente Ferrer is what caused It was a challenge to explain to them the the damages in the steeples. There were patrimonial value of their homes and, in no calculations or adequate considerations, the end, get them to trust the INAH. It they were only appended to the ends of was a hard persuasion task, to make them the historic monument, in addition to being remember that these walls were built by the excessively heavy as they were built with hands of their grandparents and that it was concrete elements. possible to recover their beauty and dignity. In the end, the claim turned into hope and we managed to hear voices of optimism: “We are going to trust you”, was heard. “Restoration of From that agreement and the authorization vernacular homes” of each family, 180 homes where recorded in the census of Santo Domingo Tehuantepec. In addition to the attention to historic The Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation joined monuments, INAH’s Earthquake Program this alliance, and its participation was produced other fruits. Among them, invaluable. In this way, INAH contributed the restoration of vernacular homes at Santo specialists and the restoration projects while Domingo Tehuantepec stands out. It is a the foundation came up with the specific successful example and a good practice, financial resources for this work.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 132 05/11/20 17:20 According to the Law, everything related With all this learning, at INAH today, we all to historic and archaeological monuments feel very proud of the road we have trodden under federal supervision, is the responsibility in terms of restoration of the historic and of INAH. However, through this model of religious patrimony in a good part of the participation and the accompaniment of country, promoting participation of the the anthropologists, we achieved provision communities as they are the ones giving life, of attention to private homes, those that sense and reason to the built patrimony. conserve their vernacular essence and provide a face to Santo Domingo Tehuantepec.

That is how we have been restoring historic vernacular homes, requesting a lot of patience from the community. Regrettably, it was not a program that we could replicate in other Oaxacan communities and much less throughout the Republic, but undoubtedly, it is a great experience and the confirmation that joint effort always gives the best results.

“Learning along the way”

Today, there is only one sure thing: in Oaxaca there will be earthquakes again, and INAH has to be prepared from the patrimonial point of view, so the institution has been devoted to generate plans that, in addition to repair damages to historic monuments, result in the reduction of affectations in case of future earthquakes.

The magnitude of the damages for these earthquakes 2017 was such that, even the best institution you could imagine could have had failures. So, we are also focused on the task of prevention, preparing projects having different visions from experts and with the opinion from the community.

133

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 133 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 134 05/11/20 17:20 135

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 135 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 136 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Institute for Construction Safety of Mexico City (ISC) Co-responsibles, Structure, Code, “Journalists asked Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, me how many Cracks. buildings are going to be demolished?”

ighly damaged buildings that were we did not have the exact answer then but I Hclassified as High Collapse Risk, where remember I gave a number; “I estimate that demolition was recommended, were it is going to be around 150 buildings” I said mainly ainthe Cuauhtemoc, Benito Juarez, it at the Congress. Over 100 buildings have Coyoacan districts of Mexico City. Many been demolished so far. At the same time, in of them are buildings catalogued by the the reports, we recommended rehabilitation Fine Arts and Literature Institute (INBAL) or of those buildings that were at High Risk or by the National Institute of Anthropology at Medium Risk. and History (INAH), because of their important artistic or historic aspect; their façades represent an era in the history and architecture of Mexico City; for example, “People argued a lot, many buildings in the Condesa district they did not want their have an Art Deco style from the decade of buildings to be classified the thirties. Many of these buildings were at High Risk” affected and were at High Risk of Collapse, but it is forbidden to pull them down, as People told us: “for me, it is not the same catalogued buildings are protected. that my building is at High Risk or at Medium Risk”. People argued a lot, they did not want Journalists asked me “How many buildings their buildings to be classified at High Risk, are going to be demolished? Of course, but there were those who did in order to get

137

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 137 05/11/20 17:20 the insurance benefit. People said “if you Official Gazette, and the rehabilitation cost of classify my building as a High Risk, insurance the project was determined from there, and kicks in, so I want it be at High Risk”. In was paid for by the Institute. spite of these requests, the actual structural conditions of the buildings were assessed There were over 200 rehabilitation projects and they were classified according to the paid for by the Institute. In late 2018, criteria of the Institute for Construction rehabilitation projects stopped being financed Safety of Mexico City (ISC), but people by the Institute and the task was delegated insisted “Hey, why do you say this building to the Reconstruction Commission. I estimate is at High Risk if the other expert said it that to date, there must be approximately 400 was Medium Risk?” I answered: “we assess rehabilitation projects financed by Mexico certain determinant aspects to make the City’s Government. classification from a point of view different to that of the other expert, we not only consider As to demolition, once a building classified the visible damage, but also the type of as a High Collapse Risk was demolished, the the property’s structure, its boundaries, the Executive Project was undertaken, consisting subsoil, the year of construction, etc.”. of a structural project, an architectural project and a project for all the installations. We had to start with the rehabilitation of Once concluded, the reconstruction of the buildings. We made the decision that ISC took building started. over coordination and to provide information to the people about the experts who could undertake their rehabilitation project. “Classification of Not every engineer is a specialist in the affected buildings structural design. When an engineer has a was one of the stages certain experience and knowledge on the of reconstruction” subject, the Government recognizes him/ her as Co-responsible in Structural Safety. Classification of the affected buildings was As Institute, we demanded that people one of the stages of reconstruction. Buildings look for a Structural Safety Co-responsible to be classified were selected according to design the rehabilitation project for to the post-seismic inspection reports. ISC their property. We provided them the list produced over 1,500 to 1,600 reports of of those registered Co-responsible with the damaged buildings, from the end of 2017 Government and whose licenses were valid. to the end of 2018, which implies 7 reports every day, approximately. This allowed us to A table with the professional fees charged select buildings with the highest damage, for the services of structural design of the and with that report, it was defined which rehabilitation by the Co-responsible engineers, were going to be rebuilt and which were was published at the time in Mexico City’s going to be rehabilitated.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 138 05/11/20 17:20 Buildings at high risk of collapse. ©Institute for Construction Safety of Mexico City

139

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 139 05/11/20 17:20 “We face the problems buildings: relocation first, because the soil of cracking of the subsoil” has a lot of cracks and it is impossible to rebuild there; the second classification is In 2018, there were already many reconstruction, when the property is very rehabilitation projects in process. We were affected but the soil allows rebuilding; very well organized, with many ideas. The the third one is rehabilitation, when the Reconstruction Commission took much structure is slightly damaged and is not too of our workload, such as payments for the affected, allowing ntervention; and lastly, rehabilitation projects. the fourth classification, which is about minor repairs for very slight damages. In the prior administration, the Reconstruction Commission had not focused strongly on For the relocation, adequate, nearby parcels the districts of Iztapalapa, Tlahuac and are found and, once they are located, Xochimilco. Therefore, the new administration residential homes or tenements were built took on the challenge to focus on those so that all affected people can live close to areas that had not been attended, which put where they lived before, even within the same us to face the problems of cracking of the neighbourhood but in new homes. This is the subsoil. There were many existing cracks, but process we are currently at in the Precincts of these were activated due to the earthquake, Iztapalapa, Tlahuac and Xochimilco. generating a lot of damage, both to the urban infrastructure and to residential homes. Regarding the Centre of Mexico City, many buildings are already in rehabilitation process and many other have already been reconstructed. Over two years after the “Geo-structural reports” earthquake, we have many cases where people are again living in their rehabilitated or We started an action jointly with the new buildings. Reconstruction Commission to prepare a strategic plan with the assistance from the This earthquake showed us that we have Responsible Construction Directors (DRO) to train the Co-responsible engineers. We and the soil mechanics specialists to form have around 100 Co-responsible engineers joint groups. A joint group is teamwork: with valid professional licenses but many of a soils-mechanics expert with a structures them are not available because they left the specialist. Geo-structural reports started in country or moved to other cities, or have 2019 and this work continues to date. retired. What we try to do is to motivate young structural engineers to become Co- In the districts of Iztapalapa, Tlahuac and responsible engineers in structural safety. Xochimilco, approximately 9,000 geo- structural reports have been made to date. The Building Code describes Co-Responsible There, we have another way to classify Structural Safety Engineers as the experts

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 140 05/11/20 17:20 who are knowledgeable and have experience obsolete. Therefore, the Building Code in structural design and it is them who made it mandatory that a Co-responsible precisely can help us with the rehabilitation Engineer renew his/her license every year, or reconstruction projects. presenting evidence of a minimum of 30 hours of professional training.

Many young structuralists are coming to “Mandatory professional the Institute to ask for information on the update was published for way that they can become Co-responsible the Co-Responsible Engineers Engineers; let´s hope that in the near future, in Structural Safety” their number will grow. Hopefully, by the time another important earthquake happens, we Finally, many young people decide to will have a sufficient number of these Co- study certain programs for the financial Responsible Engineers. Of course, it is a benefits they will derive. Regarding the great support to have a group of specialists Co-responsible engineers, the idea is who are experienced and up-to-date, but that they are compensated according to it will always be important to increase the the responsibility of their job, setting up number of Co-Responsible Engineers in a minimum rate. They can be paid more, Structural Safety due to the always present but they cannot be paid less given the risk of an earthquake in this big city. responsibility attached to their function to design and examine buildings, this is why the Basis to Hire Co-Responsible Engineers in Structural Safety have been published, “The idea is to increase wherein their minimum professional fees Mexico City´s resilience” are specified along with a service provision contract form. Currently, the Government tasks focus on avoiding severe effects to existing structures Likewise, mandatory professional update was from large magnitude earthquakes, to this published for the Co-Responsible Engineers end, it is necessary to observe which are the in Structural Safety so they are up-to-date most affected buildings by the September in their technical knowledge on the subject. 19, 2017 earthquake. By observing the Every year, much research is made in Mexico statistics, it is evident that we have to study regarding structural safety of the buildings, the buildings built before 1985, which show which contributes to the rapid evolution of inadequate structures for seismic areas, scientific and technological knowledge, that and in addition suffer slides, sinking or in turn leads to changes to the Building Code, elevation. so that it is important that Co-responsible Engineers continue updating their Furthermore, we have to continue studying knowledge, lest their background becomes the subsoil of the Mexico Valley, not only in

141

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 141 05/11/20 17:20 the zones that have been affected by the Many cracks cracking produced due to overexploitation already existed, but of the water table, but also those other were activated due to zones wherein the dynamic properties of the the telluric movement, subsoil have changed. it generated a lot of damage, both to the Finally, the idea is to increase Mexico urban infrastructure City’s resilience in earthquakes so that and to the houses. the population is not so affected and to ©Institute for achieve reduction of damage to the existing Construction Safety buildings, as well as a faster return to of Mexico City normality.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 142 05/11/20 17:20 143

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 143 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 144 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Community Cooperation Civil Association Reconstruction, Ancestral knowledge, Traditional housing, “We Gender. rescued adobe houses”

ooperacion Comunitaria (Community construction reinforcement systems against CCooperation) is a young organization, earthquakes, one for traditional homes made up by a multidisciplinary group, most and the other one for the new homes of us architects and engineers, working since that had been built. It was a participative 2010 in marginal rural areas of Mexico. It is housing design because the methodology not only about building or rebuilding, our of Cooperacion Comunitaria contemplates work is always related to the environment, different stages of social production of the to the natural assets to the territory and the habitat, through a participative-formative accumulated wisdom or knowledge from process, which goes from the diagnosis the indigenous cultures. This knowledge is to the evaluation, and construction is one very important for a sustainable way life, to of the 6 stages it goes through, therefore improve quality of life and for self-managing people are involved throughout the whole daily challenges. project.

For Cooperacion Comunitaria it has been When the September 7 earthquake struck, very important to recognize that ancestral we knew what was going on at federal knowledge. With a bit of adapted technology level from the Government, because we both, construction and production systems held meetings with the National Housing can be improved, always in relation to the Commission to understand how and which environment and the territory. After the funds were available for reconstruction. In Oaxaca earthquakes, and after the damage the meantime, out in the field, we started assessment, we proposed two different to have information meetings with the

145

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 145 05/11/20 17:20 people, and later we defined the group with who we were going to work with, willing to participate in the reconstruction process according to their possibilities, and we started with the participative design stage, technical training for the participants and advisors in the construction and other trainings for slef-management. Cooperacion Comunitaria provides technical advisory and supervises construction, facilitates participative design for the homes and reinforces the traditional building systems through the use of adapted technology. People know how to build traditional homes; we add to this technical knowledge so they learn to make the reinforcements we are introducing. We try that most of the work is done with local materials and following traditional techniques as much as possible. Self-management is the training related with the use and taking advantage of the natural assets, with organization and strengthening of the collective subject, as well as the knowledge of the rights to have an adequate home and habitat.

“A traditional house is much more than four walls and one roof”

A traditional house is much more than four walls and one roof, it is the place where people live, where most of the activities are produced and carried out and often, is not defended as it should. Traditional houses are considered as less valuable than new concrete houses, because its value is not perceived consciously. Considering its positive adaptation to the local weather

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 146 05/11/20 17:20 Traditional Reinforced Housing, Ixtepec, Oaxaca. ©Cooperation Community A.C.

147

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 147 05/11/20 17:20 and culture, the built cultural and financial We proposed a participative and formative patrimony of the family is lost because there is reconstruction process that was going to no awareness of the value and the community’s take longer but, in the long run, generated right to adequate housing is ignored. capacities in the population, contributing to its resilience. However, other companies said “you are going to have your home ready in eight days”, obviously many families went “We worked on the with the construction company. We worked reinforcement of traditional with 78 families, some participated more, houses against earthquake” others less, due to the type of employment.

In the post-disaster chaos, we did not have sufficient time to organize the participative design sessions as we thought and would “All wooden elements have liked. However, for traditional housing, were taken to Mexico City we conducted some workshops and worked to test their resistance on the reinforcement of those houses and, based on this, we proposed against earthquake. It should be said that the a model adapted to the site” Tehuantepec Isthmus is a region with the highest seismic coefficient, not only in the country but in We started to rebuild the Arts and Trades Latin America. The earthquake with a magnitude Centre of Ixtepec City. Based on the diagnosed of 8.2, raised the seismic coefficient and along family needs, it was necessary to train in with it, the anti-seismic building regulations. important needs, how to form carpenters, This was something to be considered. During how to form electricians, as labour was very the design process the regulations changed and necessary during the reconstruction. A very we had to bolster the seismic reinforcement so it important need was to build the skills of more would meet the standard. people in those areas and also in productive processes like the embroiderers women, amongst many others. We designed this space with an improved and reinforced bahareque. “We worked with 78 families, Bahareque is a construction system using some participated more, sticks and mud, to explain it very simply, with others less, due to the type of tree trunk columns shaped in a “Y” form and employment” the other pieces of wood that make up the roofs. We tried to rescue these constructive We started to work in the midst of chaos systems looked down by people as they are and also in the middle of a competition with sustainable and have low cost, however, in other construction companies that arrived to order to avoid wooden columns which imply tell people they were going to build a home deforestation of jungle and forests, we used for in eight days. another similar ancestral building system from

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 148 05/11/20 17:20 El Salvador, rescued by the Peruvian architect, houses with better or the same quality they Mr. Wilfredo Carazas. Salvadorians use twigs had before, but adapted to earthquakes. It is for their columns instead of tree trunks. It is very essential not to make the same mistakes as resistant to earthquakes and we proposed this before. What we saw is that damages were construction system for the Arts and Trades mainly due to lack of maintenance. Center, the same that would be used afterwards for the reconstruction of kitchens and thus reduce deforestation. “We have to appreciate Masons and other technical personnel were the current construction trained at the community centre to help the techniques and recognize building processes. To date, 48 kitchens soil as a construction have been built not only at Ixtepec but also material and we may not in other municipalities. There was a great lose the traditional demand for reconstruction of ovens and construction systems” kitchens. We replicated this project to other municipalities and it has worked very well Construction should be communal, and has had great adaptation depending on collective, with a collective use in the the wood and the type of soil. All wooden future. We built a school with the students, elements are taken to Mexico City to test their involving the parents, we wanted people to resistance and, based on this, we propose a learn the construction theory, to appreciate model adapted to the site. Workshops have the current construction techniques and to been organized for building supervision, recognize soil as a construction material and we are about to finsih the project at Ixtepec not lose the traditional construction systems. which consists of 20 kitchens, 78 homes and the Arts and Trades Centre. In total, it has This knowledge has to be recovered as it been around 256 construction jobs in eight has been losing and most of all, revalue it different municipalities. because the same system has made them to appreciate modern materials like cement, like steel and think that those are the best and most resistant. We have been focused in “A safer house with better making people aware about the importance or the same quality they had, of the rational use of the natural assets and but adapted for earthquakes” the care for the territory, which allows living in a sustainable manner. There are many Here in Ixtepec, we could not build a model learning experiences and 133 construction home that would serve for training workshops. workers from different states were trained Government haste and the people who and had over 400 participants in the had the money wanted to build. What we project, learning the different reinforcement wanted were housess to be rebuilt into safer construction techniques.

149

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 149 05/11/20 17:20 “We rescued patrimonial much energy or how we can make materials adobe houses” efficient. These construction techniques are getting lost, both in their productivity and in We rescued patrimonial adobe houses that their terms of sustainability. suffered cracks but had 60 to 90-centimetre- thick walls and five-meter roofs that survived the earthquake pretty well. For the size of the earthquake these are very efficient “We make it possible construction systems. They complied with their for women to participate” function, did not fall down and did not crack. We recovered those homes, recovered the There are many stories within the reconstruction traditional bajareque home. We reinforced process, stories of single women. A very those traditional houses by adding foundations complicated issue within construction and to make them more efficient during an reconstruction is that women are always the earthquake. Nowadays, we have the traditional most vulnerable and almost always they have brick house and the traditional Bahareque to work to support the children. The degree adobe house. of participation they might have through the construction process is reduced. One of the big challenges we always come across is how to make the rest of the group solidary with these “The most important people who are more vulnerable and who will patrimony is not only a not be able to participate equally. We try to get static patrimony but a living them to contribute, for example, through the patrimony that is not seen” collection of local materials in the community and we are supporting with industrialized I believe that the most important patrimony materials which are expensive, but necessary at is not only a static one but a living patrimony certain stages of the reinforcement of the house. that is not seen. Traditional knowledge is getting lost and we are not seeing it. We We make it possible for women to participate. start understanding how people made a There is always inequity in participation that self-manageable and almost autonomous sometimes brings up conflict in the group, living. Now people work a lot to pay for that is always a big challenge and more so materials brought from far away, which in traditional regions like the Tehuantepec contaminate the environment and which, in Isthmus. It is impressive when people the end, are not adequate for their culture participate in the construction of their houses, or their environment. We see how we have the cost, the time and decision-making are progressed in technology in this sense, but all a lot faster, all processes get easier but, we have been also losing the knowledge of, how to generate these funds for women? for example, how to have a temperature- After a disaster, women are three times more regulated home without need to use so vulnerable than the rest of the population.

A very sad situation happened whena woman with nothing. A person in vulnerability due whose traditional home was damaged. She to a disaster, should not be further affected. was convinced about entering the project, she participated in the meetings, but a We have never worked with state governments, building company told her “we are going we have not approached them. On occasion, to rebuild your home, you don’t have to do we approached municipal governments, anything, we will reconstruct it; however, for very small issues because we know they you have to pull down your house and you don’t have funds. The money going through have to give us your credit card because we them ends up who knows where. We don’t are going to buy the materials”. She had know the degree of corruption in this country. her home demolished, gave the card to the Only in the Guerrero Mountain, Cooperacion construction company and the company just Comunitaria took six and a half years in a disappeared. The woman was left without project, but collaboration with governments is project, without a home, without money and very seldom.

151

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 151 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 152 05/11/20 17:20 [ Area of assignment at the time of the earthquakes ] Key words: Commission for the Reconstruction of Mexico City , Inequality, Reconstruction, Evaluation, “Haste is Sendai Framework, Reports. not a good advisor for the reconstruction process”

t the time when the earthquake struck, civil protection, I knew about the economics AI was working as Undersecretary of of the city but knew very little about Economic Development for Mexico City. I economics and sociology of disaster nor was responsible for certain special projects response to human emergencies. All that, I for the Mayor, for example, the project learned along the way and, fortunately, many to increase minimum wages or the future people were willing to help us, to guide us, of the land of the current Benito Juarez to advise us, especially, the United Nations. international airport. A few days after the earthquake, the Mayor asked me to find the The support of the Program for Disaster Risk best person who could lead the Mexico City Reduction of the United Nations (UNDRR) Reconstruction Commission. I searched helped us a lot to generate the framework around during 2 and a half weeks, talking for the Commission’s actions, but at the same to several competent people with proven time we decided to go out to the streets, qualifications but nobody wanted to accept which I think was the best decision of all: go that responsibility. to the affected places, especially to the places which were hit the hardest, reinforce directly After a series of interviews with six relevant the links with the victims and see with our candidates, we found no one who would own eyes the damage and human tragedies accept to lead the Commission. The Mayor woven around them. I think this is what made called me on the phone and told me “then it the task unique and made the work of that will have to be you”. I had no experience in Commission so valuable.

153

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 153 05/11/20 17:20 “The third week, things went back to their prior status and less solidarity”

One month and a half after the earthquake, in November 2017, I could see the society’s curve of solidarity and also the government actions were diminishing and depleting quickly. Because after the disaster, we saw a real tsunami of human solidarity but after the third week, things went back to their prior status and less solidarity, this is what I call the tragic sense of reconstruction, the logic of urgent, desperate needs, from those who were left homeless, with no patrimony, in shock against the logic of the reconstruction decisions which are necessarily slow.

Prior to being the Reconstruction Commissioner, as the City’s Undersecretary of Economy, I was responsible to the first response of some areas in the first days of the disaster. I was not at all ignorant of the dramatic circumstances and realized the magnitude of the problem, especially of the despair throughout the city, in that long-curved line that sketched the city’s disaster from south to north. I realized the diversity of the damage conditions.

We live in such an unequal society that the same phenomenon impacts different persons very differently. With that awareness, I was to face social demands with the responsibility that we had to help everybody with the resources available to tend to the damage. Already since working at the Secretariat of Economic Development, before I was appointed Commissioner, I was

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 154 05/11/20 17:20 Go to the affected places, especially those most affected, strengthen ties directly with the victims and recognize with our own eyes the damage and human tragedies woven around them. ©Eduardo Lopez Vega and Jose Luis Flores Geniz

155

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 155 05/11/20 17:20 aware that the scale of destruction of houses and urban infrastructure, the magnitude of the emergency, was around the tens of thousands of houses and buildings.

This marked a difference with the images from the experience of the other great earthquake in Mexico City, in 1985. Back then, the damage concentrated on an area, in polygons wherein, almost at plain sight, you can recognize the devastation. In the 2017 earthquake, in contrast, you had to go through many streets and see many disaster scenarios, discontinuous from one street to the next and from one parcel to the other. Within the same block we could see the total collapse of a 6-floor building and beside it, another intact building. My first task was to prepare the criteria to assign funds for different people and for different types of damage, it was an obligation as I was fully aware that the resources would not be sufficient.

“The Government of Mexico City did not have, the institutional capacity to make an assessment of the damage”

The main insistence from the Commission was to have reliable information to measure the disaster, to be able to set up different programs and with a different array of options before different human groups in different situations, on the basis of clear and universal criteria. The government of Mexico City did not have, nor does it have, the institutional capacity to make an

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 156 05/11/20 17:20 In the tumultuous solidarity of the first moment, all the engineers wanted to help, but without homogeneous criteria and without a centralization of command. © Eduardo Lopez Vega and Jose Luis Flores Geniz

157

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 157 05/11/20 17:20 assessment of the damage, therefore, it cannot comply with the first requirement from Sendai: governance of the disaster demands an accurate assessment of the damage, and Mexico City could not carry this out even if it is the local government in our country with the highest institutional capabilities. This weakness is so serious that even today (late 2019) we still do not have a census of the affected people.

Problems came from all levels. Political debate immediately set in. We were in the midst of an electoral tidal wave that had started precisely in the month of September. All political players distributed their time between the government and their future aspirations. These were the first global tensions of the Commission work.

Below, was the human magma, despair, demands, impatience that we had to respond to and, in front, a hardly disguised political dispute.

I learned quickly that understanding the psychological condition of quake victims is Within the same block we could see essential in order to start a dialogue with the total collapse of a 6-floor building and them, and not only because of the initial beside it, another intact building. ©Eduardo trauma, but also because they live some sort Lopez Vega and Jose Luis Flores Geniz of continuous shock. Their former patrimony, probably the fruit of their life’s work, crumbled down and they contemplate this daily in a bitter life experience. Those ruins were the seed for the mass psychological depression of tens, hundreds, or thousands of people. But it is the material with which verbal agreements must be woven for the community reconstruction process.

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 158 05/11/20 17:20 “We located some 169 Our team, in contrast, went first from the points,which represented suburbs to the centre, while information the most dramatic cases was put together based on the different for reconstruction” official, public sources and from the victims themselves who came to our offices. There was not a day within the Commission that we didn’t go to or were not at a territory Later, we made contact with the National of maximum destruction. We located some Institute of Statistics and Geography. This 169 points, which represented the most is the internationally recognized Mexican dramatic cases for reconstruction. authority that conducts all census in Mexico. They were willing to do what we One of the first and best actions was that needed: a census of the affected persons of calling on the engineers, scientists, and buildings. Nevertheless, when I geophysicists, economists and lawyers, to resigned, the project did not continue, they join us and become part of the Commission. were not convened anymore by the City I understood that, if I could not attract the Government. best talent to assist me, the work of the Commission would be more vulnerable.

“We needed information about the city very fast, “We had no information through face-to-face, executive about the poor neighbourhoods and practical conversations, that were deeply damaged” to make the best decisions”

We set up a small team, we were not more We proposed a Trust, a financial instrument than 10 persons who toured the city and with funds to be disbursed as our tours built an exact map of the disaster. This was and studies would reveal according to important, we had the information from the severity of the damage. This created the government and from the press which conflict with the Mexico City Congress, focused on the casualties in the downtown as its leaders believed they could area, the most urbanized area, which had predetermine said resources from the the highest number of press notes. The cabinet. This tension ended up by forcing information we did not have, was from my own resignation. the farthest neighbourhoods on the north and the south sides and, especially, those Another important point: we gathered a in the eastern area of the City. We had no scientific group with the universities in the information about the poor neighbourhoods city and the national universities so they that were deeply damaged. It was another conducted for us quick special studies in relevant decision. the form of workshops, because we didn’t

159

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 159 05/11/20 17:20 have time to invite and receive papers or The first priority was to maintain the rental materials which preparation takes a long assistance program for earthquake victims time. We had to extract knowledge about that was fortunately started on September the city very fast, through face-to-face, 23 and it helped some 23 thousand executive and practical conversations, to families, the majority of the group of make the best decisions using the previously victims. It consisted of a cash assistance of acquired knowledge in the City. 4,000 pesos (200 dollars), that was handed to each family with houses condemned But: haste is not a good advisor for the after the earthquake. It was a great help reconstruction process. In the emergency, to avoid personal financial catastrophes. everything is done in haste, things are However, the Government of Mexico City, measured in hours, but not in reconstruction, without prior consultation, cancelled the because usually, mistakes result extremely program. The Commission, demanded its expensive. For example, in the month of reinstatement in December. We got the November, several districts spent around 200 approval, for the benefit of many as it was million pesos to prop up buildings and houses the most urgent need which could be seen that had to be torn down later. Given the by just touring the city. pressure from the neighbours, governments reconstructed hastily, however, they failed The second priority, which was a life-and- to evaluate soil and subsoil competence of death issue, was to program the demolition the subject area, something that was done of buildings that had been left with high afterwards and only then, they realized that risk of collapse. That diagnosis had already they reconstructed on loose, deeply altered located 29 critical zones that required subsoil and, after a month and a half, it was massive demolition, which we called the Risk confirmed that that such investment was Elimination Program. unsustainable.

We needed the support of science to make better decisions, without rushing. Once we “I came across several made and took that type of decisions, in cases of buildings December, 2017, we had to face another with 8 assessment reports” two situations. One was a matter of law. We had to present the Reconstruction The third priority was providing juridical Program by January 12, 2018, at the latest. security to the victims. After the In addition, we had to present to the public, earthquake, we did not have the necessary the set of the main reconstruction priorities. order to conduct the classifications, Said document is the first synthesis effort the structural engineering studies for in the whole process, to define how much buildings and homes which, due to the resources were required for this task and urgency, were assessed by many different what agency would carry them out. instances successively, so that a single

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 160 05/11/20 17:20 building could have two classifications with The Federal Government helped Mexico opposite results. In the massive solidarity City very little, partly because Mexico City, of the initial moments, all engineers has always demanded broad autonomy wanted to help but without homogeneous from the Federal Government. It only criteria or a centralised command. After a assisted in the case of the damage to while, this became a generalized problem the rural areas of the city. In contrast, the because, for some, it was necessary to friction and political competition to help the demolish while, for others, it was enough victims became a sharp struggle, making to reinforce, and even, in the opinion of institutional coordination very difficult. a third expert, it could be fit to live in. The main pressures that the Mexico City This disorder conspired strongly against Reconstruction Commission received preparation of a coherent plan. came from those who believed that the Commission was at the service of one of Assessing engineers came from the the political parties, of the city officers or its Federal Government, from the districts, the congressmen. The task of the Commission Architects’ Association, from universities and was precisely to escape these situations, and of their own will. I came across several cases not be part of any political party project. We of buildings with 8 assessment reports that had to convey a message of neutrality and contradicted each other. It was, in addition, objectivity: regardless of what party you a tremendous source of disagreement and belong to, it doesn’t matter which party has community conflict wherein each affected more influence in your neighbourhood, you person, according to his/her means or would be treated with the same criteria as convenience, accepted the result from one everybody else. This political component or other classification report. That is why it became a decisive critical aspect of the is very important to have homogeneous whole reconstruction. criteria before the catastrophe, which implies systematic training in the City, which we did not have.

These were the considerations for the Reconstruction Program in its first stage. The other two priorities were the soil evaluations in all buildings that had been diagnosed with high risk of falling and collapsing; that is, the soil at each property but at the same time, geotechnical and geophysical studies had to be made of broader areas where the property was, to know the type of urban pattern and the type of construction that could be sustainable.

161

Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 161 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 162 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 163 05/11/20 17:20 Libro Terremoto INT ENG_0110.indd 164 05/11/20 17:20 K Y

M C Fte HistoriasSismos 30235 ING Marco

Libro Terremoto PORT ENG FINAL.indd 1-5 05/11/20 17:16 K Y

M C Fte HistoriasSismos 30235 ING Marco

Libro Terremoto PORT ENG FINAL.indd 1-5 05/11/20 17:16