Disaster Subculture in Greater Concepción, Chile: Resourcefulness in the Face of Earthquake and Tsunami Events

Abstract

On February 27, 2010, Greater Concepción (GC), Chile, was hit by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake that triggered a tsunami. This article presents the findings in a qualitative and exploratory study format that used the disaster subculture framework as a lens to learn more about the vulnerability, specifically capacity of response, that people in GC experience vis-a-vis substantial earthquake and tsunami events. By applying the disaster subculture lens we shed light on the means or assets that have emerged over time in response to recurring disasters and which form the basis of people's capacity of response. We found that the GC region is characterized by a long-standing, broad, and comprehensive disaster subculture that provides people with relevant resources to ensure resistance, agility, and adaptability in the face of substantial earthquake and tsunami events. Their disaster specific cultural reservoir included a clever mixture of tangible and intangible assets, ranging from values and beliefs to more complex technical systems.