Urban, industrial and technological risks. Synthesis of the elements of vulnerability of the city of hassi-messaoud

Abstract

Today Algeria is among the developing countries that are trying to engage seriously in a new approach of all kinds of combined risk assessments for better prevention. Note that this is a fairly important parameter, that of the safety of people and property. However, the magnitude of the risk posed by risk, of whatever nature, affects a variety of diversified dimensions, (Human, economic, technical and environmental). This study presents in the following, a case study, which is sometimes paradoxical, in a way that it is the result of the combination of all risk factors and specific factors related to them, in a fragile urban environment: Hassi-Messaoud. It is well known that Hassi-Messaoud is one of the most important components of Algeria's economy; and where the demographic development is mainly known by incessant flows of immigrants, motivated essentially by the jobs’ search. This arbitrary form of population distribution exposes this city to a certain danger; especially when one knows that Hassi-Messaoud is in a zone subject to a rather probable risk expressed here by its character of oil zone. Thus, we will try through this article to provide elements of risk assessment related to oil activity. This approach leads to a conclusion that, ultimately, presents, through a schematic scale, the different types and levels of exposure and vulnerability, characteristics of the urban space in question.