Based on a 1994 Tokyo conference, several of whose participants became founding members of the steering committee of the International Geographical Union's Study Group on the Disaster Vulnerability of Megacities.

"UNUP-987"--P. [4] of cover.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction / James K. Mitchell -- Natural disasters in the context of mega-cities / James K. Mitchell -- Urbanization and disaster mitigation in Tokyo / Yoshio Kumagai and Yoshiteru Nojima -- Flood hazard in seoul : a preliminary assessment / Kwi-Gon Kim -- Environmental hazards in Dhaka / Saleemul Huq -- Natural and anthropogenic hazards in the Sydney sprawl : is the city sustainable? / John Handmer -- Disaster response in London : a case of learning constrained by history and experience / Dennis J. Parker -- Lima, Peru : underdevelopment and vulnerability to hazards in the city of the kings / Anthony Oliver-Smith -- Social vulnerability to disasters in Mexico : an assessment method / Sergio Puente -- Natural hazards of the San Francisco Bay mega-city : trial by earthquake, wind, and fire / Rutherford H. Platt -- There are worse things than earthquakes : hazard vulnerability and mitigation capacity in Greater Los Angeles / Ben Wisner -- Environmental hazards and interest group coalitions : Metropolitan Miami after hurricane Andrew / William D. Solecki -- Findings and conclusions / James K. Mitchell.