Exposure to Seismic Hazard in a High-Complexity Hospital in Cali, Colombia

Area of Science:

• Earthquake engineering
• Hospital infrastructure safety
• Risk assessment

Background:

• High-complexity hospitals are critical infrastructure vulnerable to seismic events.
• Understanding seismic hazard exposure is crucial for disaster preparedness.
• Cali, Colombia, faces significant seismic risk due to local geomechanical factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize seismic hazard exposure in the emergency area of a major hospital in Cali, Colombia.
• To quantify the value of assets at risk from seismic activity.
• To inform preventive measures and risk mitigation strategies.

Main Methods:

• A 6-month occupancy analysis of the hospital's emergency area.
• Evaluation of material assets exposed to seismic hazards.
• Utilized a Geographic Information System (GIS) for data analysis and visualization.

Main Results:

• High seismic hazard confirmed, amplified by local geology.
• Emergency area occupancy frequently exceeded capacity.
• Estimated asset value at over USD 959,000, with potential losses reaching 12.4% of the hospital's annual budget.

Conclusions:

• Findings enable hospitals to implement preventive measures and staff training.
• Highlights the significant economic implications of seismic events.
• Contributes data on potential financial and human losses from earthquakes.