Analysis of essential facilities and occupancy class for earthquake preparedness in Dhaka City

Abstract

A major earthquake has been forecast for Bangladesh in the near future due to its position at the junction of three continental plates. Should an earthquake occur, it is expected to be devastating, particularly in the capital city of Dhaka, due to a large number of high-rise buildings constructed on relatively unstable ground and the high population density of the metropolitan area. In this paper, we use statistical methods to identify correlations among the occupancy classes, essential facilities, and population density in both of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). Correlation analysis shows that medical care and emergency response are positively weak correlated in DNCC but negatively correlated in the residential areas in DSCC. Multiple regression analysis indicates that the potential to efficiently respond to a disaster is relatively low concerning the emergency response and medical care facilities in both of DNCC and DSCC area.