Viviendas de emergencia: reflexiones a partir de la experiencia del terremoto del 27F

Abstract

The experiences of the earthquakes that shook central and northern Chile on February 27, 2010 and April 1, 2014 respectively, and the great fire that affected Valparaiso on April 12, 2014, reveal serious shortcomings in terms of disaster preparedness and training. Specifically, the low quality of emergency dwellings reflects the poor legislative aspects that operate within the context of socio-natural disasters or social vulnerability. This paper analyzes the statutes and regulations intended to cope with emergency situations and address the quality of housing. The resrach concluded that there is no legal regime that ensures the provision of decent housing; this being a task subject to economic guidelines such as a preocupation on pricing. Ensuring the provision of quality housing and procedures aimed at coping with disasters and the establishment of proper settlements and emergency camps demands a planning process, regulations and implementation in order to avoid improvisation. There are other regulations such as those related to emergency evacuation; however, they have been proven partially operative. It is hoped that the enactment of the Civil Protection Act provides an effective instrument for the incorporation of emergency housing.