Still, less than 1% of public budgets is allocated to risk reduction, and only 2% of international aid includes resilience objectives. These figures show a large gap between the magnitude of the losses and the investment in prevention.
By: Camilo Salazar, VIPER Operations Manager
A few days ago the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction was commemorated, an initiative promoted by the UN that seeks to promote a global culture of prevention. Although the date has passed, his message is still fully valid for a country like Chile, highly exposed to natural threats and where strategic sectors such as mining must be prepared to respond quickly and in a coordinated manner to any emergency.
Globally, the direct costs of disasters exceed USD 202 billion annually, but their real impact is estimated at more than USD 2.3 trillion, eleven times more. Still, less than 1% of public budgets is allocated to risk reduction, and only 2% of international aid includes resilience objectives. These figures show a large gap between the magnitude of the losses and the investment in prevention.
In the case of Chilean mining, operational continuity is not only an efficiency objective: it is an economic and strategic necessity. Any interruption to a site (whether due to a weather event, a technical failure or an accident) can have knock-on effects that impact production, logistics and tax collection. The recent collapse at Mina El Teniente (2025), which cost the lives of six workers, reminds us that operational safety remains a permanent challenge. Cases such as that of Pique Arenas Blancas (1994) or the rescue of the 33 miners of San José (2010) reinforce the same lesson: prevention is worth more than reaction.
In this context, good notification management becomes an essential pillar to reduce risks. It is not just about issuing alerts, but about ensuring that critical information reaches the right people, at the right time and through the right channels, with traceability and confirmation of receipt. In an environment where every second counts, the difference between controlling an incident or regretting losses can depend on timely and effective communication.
The digitalization of alert and coordination processes allows us to anticipate failures, react to emergencies and simultaneously notify hundreds of collaborators without depending on the human factor. This reduces errors, downtime and costs, while improving the safety, productivity and traceability of actions.
Although Chilean mining has made significant progress in process automation and control, there are still gaps in operational communication and real-time information management. Many tasks still depend on radios or calls, systems that do not guarantee full coverage or verification in the event of an unforeseen event.
International Disaster Risk Day has passed, but its spirit should guide the daily work of the sector. Investing in smart notification systems is not just a technological improvement: it is an investment in security, sustainability and resilience. Communicating in time can make the difference between a controlled emergency and a crisis that paralyzes an entire country.