Disaster prevention

CIDEM wins the World Habitat Award"

2007-07-24T17:03:28+00:00

“Ecomaterials in social housing projects” that EcoSouth partner CIDEM has been implementing in Cuba since the year 2000 is the winner of the prestigious World Habitat Award that will be presented during the "World Habitat Day" festivities in Den Haag (Netherlands) and Monterrey (Mexico) at the beginning of October. The project produces EcoMaterials in various Cuban municipalities and has allowed 2332 families to repair or reconstruct their houses or apartments during the past five years.

Hurricane Gilbert 1989 - Jamaica

2005-03-17T22:04:14+00:00

Gilbert is the strongest hurricane in Jamaican recorded history (wind speeds to 320 km/h).

Many roofs suffered serious damage, but the Golden Age Home in Kingston´s Trench Town became a refuge for neighbors whose tin roofs had flown away. Its Micro Concrete Roof resisted well and only five tiles on the open overhang were lifted. It must be stressed that these tiles were not properly fixed as recommended, even worse, the wire loops were not nailed down!

Hurricane George 1998 - Dominican Republic

2005-03-18T01:34:58+00:00

Three weeks after Hurricane George ravaged the Dominican Republic in September 1998, EcoSouth colleagues from Ecuador and Honduras visited houses built with EcoMaterials and encountered the great majority in good condition.

Hurricane Mitch 1998 - Honduras

2005-03-18T01:44:25+00:00

After Hurricane Mitch devastated much of Central America, EcoSouth colleagues Grupo Sofonias Nicaragua, EcoVide Honduras and CIDEM Cuba became involved in post-disaster reconstruction.

Hurricane Mitch 1998 - Nicaragua

2005-03-18T02:03:20+00:00

After Hurricane Mitch devastated much of Central America, EcoSouth colleagues Grupo Sofonias Nicaragua, EcoVide Honduras and CIDEM Cuba became involved in post-disaster reconstruction.

Guatemala earthquake: a quarter century later

2005-03-18T02:17:28+00:00

Guatemala earthquake 1976: In a nutshell, it was reconstruction in a sustainable manner, concentrating on setting examples of earthquake resistant adobe houses affordable to the general public.

(based upon 2001 evaluation of adobe houses by University of San Carlos team)

Recurring hurricanes: the Cuban experience

2005-03-18T02:27:23+00:00

George, Lilly, Mitch, Lilli, Michelle, Ivan, Charly...

After Hurricane Michelle passed through the Caribbean and Central America in November of last year, an article in the Guardian drew attention to the great differences in damage between Cuba and its neighbors, not only in this hurricane but others throughout the past decades: "Whatever the reasons, Cuba has lessons for the rest of us."

Three decades of disaster prevention that works

2005-03-16T19:52:48+00:00

It is a long hard road until construction projects integrate disaster prevention into their project planning. It is the dream of EcoSouth to influence development projects in this direction, prior to the onslaught of catastrophes.

Disaster prevention begins with good human settlement design

2005-02-03T19:01:11+00:00

A resettlement project in Malacatoya brought villagers from flood risk zones into a safer haven. Not only is the new settlement located in a higher zone where an inundation has never occurred, its design incorporates many principles to avoid future disasters, and involved the people themselves in the analysis.