Evaluation of Disaster Prevention Capability Improved Through Investment of Recovery Cost

Abstract

In this study, we proposed a method to quantitatively evaluate the improvement degree of disaster prevention capability through investment of the recovery cost in areas damaged by heavy rain storms. Pyeongtaek, Gwangju, Pocheon, and Hwaseong cities, where heavy rain damage had most frequently occurred during the last 10 years, were selected as the study areas, and damages and recovery cost data for 10 years were collected. The total rainfall and 5-antecedent rainfall during the damage period were used to define the amount of disaster rainfall. A disaster rainfall-damage equation was established to assess disaster prevention capability before and after the investment of the recovery cost. Then, we calculated virtual damage before the investment based on the equation and obtained the damage reduction benefit by the damage difference from before and after the investment. The ratio of recovery cost and damage reduction benefit was assessed to ascertain the improvement degree of disaster prevention capability. From the results, we found that disaster prevention capability can be improved in the range of about 19 to 61 percent by the investment of recovery costs over the past 10 years. Therefore, the results of this study could be used as basic data to quantitatively evaluate the effects of recovery costs and establish an effective disaster management plan. Keywords: Heavy Rain Damage, Recovery Cost, Disaster Prevention Capability, Damage Reduction Benefit