PHILIPP PETERMANN & GHIZLANE AQARIDEN
On October 10, 1980, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake destroyed the town of El Asnam (known today as Chlef) in Algeria, causing several thousands of casualties and leading to considerable economic losses. It was followed 3 hours later by a magnitude 6.3 aftershock, making it one of the largest and deadliest earthquakes ever recorded in Algeria. 23 years later, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook the country again and caused devastating damage in five provinces in the north-central region.
What would happen if a disaster of a similar magnitude hit the country today?
Unfortunately, disasters like these are far from rare in Algeria. Be it earthquakes, forest fires, or floods, Algeria has had its share of disasters over the years and has learned valuable lessons from them. The Algerian government estimates that annual spending over the past 15 years to respond to floods, earthquakes, and forest fires averages around USD 255 million (DZD 35,14 billion), with about 70% allocated to floods. Aware of the country’s growing disaster risks in the context of urbanization and climate change, the government has adopted numerous…
