Migration after natural disasters, case study: "the 2003 Bam earthquake"

Abstract

After Bam Earthquake in 2003, large amounts of aids and facilities were provided by government and NGOs for survivals but despite of this people migration took place in two ways, some migrated to cities around and some also came to the city that most of them changed into permanent residents. Chaos and disorder were severely influencing the reconstruction, recovery and development process and other aspects in Bam. Experiences in developing countries show that migration for finding job and better economic conditions after disasters lead to some problems in basic services, for host societies. In developed countries such as Italy after the 2009 earthquake, migration occurred for cultural reasons and economic policies of government. A number of issues such as "Social Correlation", psychology issues, government policies in recovery and reconstruction, economic conditions of society before and after the disasters were analyzed in this research. The methodology of this research is based on a qualitative approach. But quantitative analysis was done when required and data are available. Research findings show migration of Bam was impressed by lack of consideration to economic rehabilitation, traumatic phenomenon after the disaster, social and identity subject, reconstruction methods and physical problems. The feeling of non-identity and foreignness to city among its residents led to migrate some and only poor group to stay in Bam. In reconstruction time, strange workers found jobs in the city and settled there. Some of villagers around Bam also migrated to use facilities were available after the disaster that social, cultural- economic, physical and population subjects are the results. © 2011 WIT Press.