LE CONCEPT DE RISQUE NATUREL URBAIN

The rapid development of the cities and growth of urban population have determined an inadequate use of some terms and concepts, in order to include in the research field specific phenomena and apply appropriate preventive measures. One such concept is about the hazards occurring inside the urban territory – urban hazards. The term urban can sometimes be associated to anthropogenic/industrial hazards or social hazards, and less to natural hazards.Natural hazards in urban areas are generally common for that geographical region. There is no such thing like special urban hazards. What is specific to urban area is the anthropogenic factor, which brings to risk various risk elements, including population, through his activities, density, or buildings. As a consequence, transition from hazard to risk is faster in time and space. Another feature is the multi- and interdisciplinary character of the genetic type of hazards. The so-called natural hazards are often caused by an anthropogenic factor. In the special literature urban risk is simply defined as the risk bounded by the urban territory or area, and is classified into: natural risk; industrial and technology risk; diffused risk.