摘要：The vulnerability assessment integrates the
analysis of the conditions and the characteristics of a
system that is exposed to a certain type of natural
hazard. In the model that has been used in the present
paper, the vulnerability was assessed at the
administrative unit (county) level, as a result of the
interaction between hazard and the exposed components
of the system. The assessment of the exposure was done
by measuring the total value of goods, resources and
population that are exposed to natural hazards. There
were selected 39 indicators, which were included into
four major groups, depending on the main factors
(physical, social, environmental and economic) that
enhance the susceptibility of communities to natural
hazards and on the elements that are exposed to these
events. Each indicator was classified on a scale from 1
to 5 (1 – very low, 5 – very high). The sum of the
indicators was reclassified according to the same model
and, finally, the total exposure was obtained. The
natural hazard was assessed according to the same
principle, the earthquake, flood and landslide prone
surfaces being taken into consideration. The total
vulnerability was determined by overlapping the results.
The analysis of the vulnerability enables the
identification of the regions that need the allocation of
financial resources in order to diminish the negative
impact of natural hazards. Moreover, the vulnerability
studies can be added to the natural hazards analyses,
thus representing the fundament of the correct
assessment of the risk that is associated to natural
hazards.
