ИСТИНА

Natech accidents are considered as accidents at various technological facilities triggered by the impact of natural hazards with releases of chemical substances hazardous to the environment. In this study capabilities are investigated, which propose databases for monitoring of Natech accidents and risk assessment. As a case study, the author’s database is analysed that includes information about technological accidents in Russia since 1991. Only open sources of information are used to collect the data. Currently, the database contains more than 25 thousand units of information. About 12% of recorded events were triggered by natural hazards. The most part of these accidents were infrastructure damages, such as disruptions of overhead power lines and lines of communication or traffic disruptions due to natural hazards and adverse weather. Natech accidents make up the very small part of events. However they cause large social and environmental damage that should be taken into account in the risk analysis. The database makes it possible to monitor Natech events, to reveal and understand their factors, to trace their development in the time and space context. Statistical analysis of database information can be used to assess risks of Natech accidents at different territorial levels.