April 8, 2008

HOLLY NOTE: The map below assesses 132 urban areas deemed at greatest risk to terrorist hazards and the resulting human casualties. These cities are then broken out by highest risk, to medium risk and lower risk. Vulnerability of each city is based on evaluations of critical industries, ports, railroads, population, natural environment and other factors.

Technically, more than 132 designated locations are marked as some cities include smaller locales. For instance, the Los Angeles region also includes Glendale, Long Beach, and Huntington Beach. Norfolk, Virginia region includes Chesapeake, Newport News, and Virginia Beach. San Francisco region includes Oakland, San Jose, and Fremont. For clarity, these citiess have been broken out.

This map shows the bottom line work of four years' research. The material was developed by Dr. Walter W. Piegorsch, lead author and professor at the University of Arizona; Dr. Susan Cutter, director of the Hazards & Vulnerability Research Institute and Carolina Distinguished Professor of Geography at the University of South Carolina; and Dr. Frank Hardisty, research faculty at the GeoVISTA Center at Pennsylvania State University. Their collaborative research was funded by DHS – Dept. of Homeland Security.