tectonic hazards : LIC & HIC casestudy

What date did the L’Aquila earthquake happen ?

6th April 2009

What magnitude was the L’Aquila earthquake ?

6.3

What caused the L’Aquila earthquake ?

The Apennine mountain run though L’Aquila and are formed at the destructive collision boundary between the African and Eurasian plates

How many people died ?

309 people of which 20 are children

How many people were injured ?

1,600

How many people were left homeless ?

65,000

How many building were destroyed ?

10-15,00

What 3 types of building were destroyed ?

• Cultural monuments (e.g. Basilica of Saint Bernardino of Siena)

• The university of L’Aquila

• The new earthquake-proof wing of the L’Aquila hospital was closed after severe damage

What was the cost of the total damages as estimated by the European Union ?

USD$ 11,434 million

What were the secondary effects of the earthquake ?

• Landslides → damage to housing and transport

• Burst main water supply pipeline → mudflows and landslides

• No. Of students at L’Aquila university decreased

• lack of houses → housing price and rent increased

• Central business district was cornered off

• ‘Red zones’ → reduces business and tourism → income

What were the immediate responses to the L’Aquila earthquake ?

• Shelters

  • 10,000 in hotels

  • 40,000 tents

  • Train carriages

  • Prime minister of Italy offers some of his homes as temporary shelters

• Italian Red Cross raised : searched for survivors

• British Red Cross realised : £171,000

• Mortgage , electric ,gas &Sky TV suspended

• Italian post office

  • Free mobile calls

  • Raised donations

  • Free delivery for small businesses

• Declared ’state of emergency’ → sped up international aid

  • EU granted : US$ 552.9 million

What were the long-term responses to the L’Aquila earthquake ?

• Toch-lit procession with catholic mass on the anniversary of the earthquake

• No taxes for residents in 2010

• Student given

  • Free public transport

  • Discount on equipments

  • Exempt from university fees for 3 years

• Historical centres - 15 years to rebuild

• October 2012 - 6 scientists and 1 government official were convicted of manslaughter for not predicting the earthquake but in 2014 the verdict was overturned

What was the date of the Gurkha,Nepal earthquake ?

25th April 2015

What is the magnitude of the Nepal earthquake ?

7.8

What caused the Nepal earthquake ?

Destructive collision boundary between Indo-Australian and Eurasian plate

How many people died ?

8,841

How many people injured ?

16,800

How many people are homeless ?

1 million

What types of building were destroyed ?

• Historic temples and buildings in Kathmandu

• Darahara tower (UNESCO world heritage site)

  • 200 people trapped

• 26 hospitals

• 50% of schools

What other primary effects were experienced during the Nepal earthquake ?

• 352 aftershocks

• Secondary earthquake on 12 May 2015

• 7.3 magnitude

How much was estimated of the cost of damages ?

US$ 6.7 billion

What were the secondary effects of the Nepal earthquake ?

• Avalanche (Mt. Everest) → killed 19 people

• landslide → killed 250

• Landslide blocked the Kali Gandaki river → people evacuated because of risk of flooding

• Food shortages and loss of income → rice seed stores at home were ruined

Key social, economic and environment statistics that demonstrate the severity of the secondary effects ?

• Economic

  • Tourism creates 8.9% of Nepal’s GDP

  • 1.1 million jobs

• Social

  • Rice is Nepal’s staple food

  • 2/3 of population depend on farming

• Environmental

  • Earthquake occurred before monsoon season when rice is planted

What were the immediate responses to the Nepal Earthquake ?

Requested international help

• Facesbook launched an ‘I am safe’ feature

• UN & WHO : distributed medical supplies to remote areas

• Disasters Emergency Committee :

  • US$ 126 million

• UK, China & India aid :

  • Rescue teams

  • Medical support

  • Water

• Red Cross :

  • Tents for 225,000 people

• 315,000 people were cut off by road

What were the long-term responses to the Nepal earthquake ?

• Nepal + international assistance → 23 area need rebuilding

• Recovery fund = US $274 million

• Tourist sites reopened :

  • Durbar square heritage site : June 2015

  • Mt. Everest : August 2015

    • Climbing permits extended

    • Trails rerouted

• UNFAO : recovery phase to support crop production and irrigation repairs