Special issue: Quantitative assessment and risk management of Natech accidents

Natech events (Technological accidents triggered by natural events) are industrial accidents involving the release of hazardous substances due to the impact of natural events, as earthquakes or floods, on industrial facilities and infrastructures. A specific approach is needed to quantitatively assess and manage the risk of Natech events, due to the specific conditions in which such technological accidents may be take place, during or after the natural event that triggered them. Moreover, the simultaneous impact of a natural event on an entire industrial area may cause multiple simultaneous releases of hazardous substances. At the same time, the natural event may affect the availability of safety systems and utilities and thus impair first response actions. Thus, Natech quantitative methodologies need to take into account the possible simultaneous damages and the loss of containment scenarios deriving from both dependent and independent systems. Similarly, the risk management of Natechs should account for the specific conditions arising during Natech scenarios, caused by the natural event triggering the technological accident(s).