Geo Case Studies Paper 1

Chile earthquake context

Feb 2010; Magnitude 8.8; offshore epicentre → tsunami; HIC (GDP 38/193)

Nepal earthquake context

Apr 2015; Magnitude 7.9; inland/shallow focus (15 km) → landslides; LIC (GDP 109/193)

Nepal human casualties

~9 000 dead; LIC status → poor-quality buildings, shallow focus, densely populated Kathmandu valley

Chile human casualties

~500 dead; HIC status → strict building codes, more resistant structures, preparedness (earthquake resistant tables etc)

Nepal infrastructure & homelessness

3 million homeless; hospitals overwhelmed; widespread collapse of low-quality LIC housing, landslides

Chile infrastructure & homelessness

220 000 homes damaged; 56 hospitals affected; Port Talcahuano damaged; robust HIC infrastructure, tsunami impact

Nepal economic cost & secondary hazards

US$ 5 billion; large % of GDP; secondary: landslides/avalanches (19 dead on Everest)

Chile economic cost & secondary hazards

US$ 30 billion; damage to high-value infrastructure; secondary: tsunamis/landslides

Nepal immediate aid response

slow; heavily reliant on international aid (UK, India, China) for S&R; LIC government lacked resources, roads blocked by landslides

Chile immediate aid response

swift domestic response; Route 5 repaired in 24 hours; HIC government resources & preparedness plans

Nepal shelter & basic services

0.5 million tents required; prolonged disruption of services

Chile shelter & basic services

90% power/water restored in 10 days; 30 000 emergency shelters funded via US$ 60 million appeal

Nepal long-term reconstruction

dependent on foreign aid/loans; June 2015 international conference; rebuild 7 000 schools; reopen Everest routes (Aug 2015); India blockade challenge

Chile long-term reconstruction

self-funded via copper exports; government housing plan for 200 000 households

Typhoon Haiyan category, max wind speed, storm surge

Category 5 super typhoon; winds up to 275 km/h; storm surge up to 15 m (5 m in Tacloban)

Haiyan location & path

Philippines (worst hit Tacloban, Leyte); tracked WNW across central islands

Haiyan primary impacts

Social:

~6 300 deaths; >600 000 displaced;

Economic:

30 000 fishing boats destroyed; widespread crop destruction (strong winds); 90% of Tacloban destroyed

Environmental:
flooding from >400 mm rain & 5m storm surge; coastal devastation

Haiyan secondary impacts

Social:

14 million affected; disease outbreaks (food/water/shelter shortages);

Economic:

$ 6 million lost.

Environmental:

landslides triggered by flooding; blocked roads (cutting off aid to remote communities)

Haiyan immediate responses (4)

1 200+ evacuation centres; field hospitals (France, Belgium, Israel);

rapid international aid (UK shelter kits); US carrier George Washington & helicopters for SAR

Haiyan long-term responses

Aid

UN & UK/AUS/JPN/US donations; Oxfam fishing boat replacement;

Programmes

‘cash for work’ programmes;

Preparation/resilience

homes rebuilt away from flood zones; more cyclone shelters built

Somerset Levels floods when

Dec 2013–Feb 2014 (peak Jan/Feb); lasted several weeks

Somerset floods causes

Rainfall

wettest January since 1910; ~350 mm rain (+100 mm) from Atlantic depressions

High Tides

storm surges & high tides from Bristol Channel prevented river outflow

Dredging

no dredging of Tone & Parrett for ~20 years; reduced channel capacity

Somerset impacts

• The social impact was that over 600 houses were flooded.

• The economic impact was that there was an estimated £10 million of damage.

• The environmental impact was that the flood water was polluted with waste.

  • The waste was deposited when the floods receded.

Somerset immediate responses (2)

• people were evacuated from villages;

• community volunteers/groups supported;

Somerset long-term management

• £20 million Flood Action Plan - Environment Agency and the Somerset County Council;

  • 8 km dredging of Tone & Parrett;

  • raised roads; flood defences; pumping stations;

Banbury flood scheme why

River Cherwell runs through Banbury; major floods in

• 1998 (£12.5 m damage)

• 2007

Banbury scheme completion date

2012

Banbury flood defence features (3)

• An embankment (2.9 km - 4.5 m high) to create a flood storage reservoir (holds 3 million m³ water).

• Raised roads along key routes. (A361 raised)

• BAP (Biodiversity action plan) habitat creation with ponds, trees etc to absorb and store excess water.

Banbury benefits

• Social benefit – Fewer people are worrying about flooding.

• Economic benefit – The scheme cost £18.5 million, but has protected houses and businesses worth £100 million.

• Environmental benefit – New trees and ponds have created habitats for wildlife.

Banbury costs

• Social - minor construction disruption

• Economic - scheme cost £18.5 million

• Environmental - ~100 000 t earth moved (to create embankments); floodplain deliberately allowed to flood

Lyme Regis why needed

• Unstable cliffs and powerful waves lead to the fast erosion of the cliffs at Lyme Regis.

• Lyme Regis has a popular seafront which needs to be protected from damage. e.g. Tourism on Jurassic Coast (pop 15 000 in summer)

• Previous coastal defences in Lyme Regis have NOT been successful.

Lyme Regis scheme phases

• Phases 1 and 2 involved: (£22 million)

  • new sea walls being built (and promenades).

  • rock armour was also added

  • the beach was nourished with sand and shingle from France and the English Channel

• Phase 3 was cancelled following a cost-benefit analysis.

• Phase 4 involved: (£20 million)

  • 390 m sea walls

  • cliff stabilisation for 480 homes

Lyme Regis scheme dates

Phase 1 started in 1995

Phase 4 ended in 2015

Lyme Regis positive effects

• More tourists have visited Lyme Regis because the beaches have improved.

• Better protection for the harbour (The Cobb) - benefits boat owners and fishermen.

• Lyme Regis has been successfully protected from the sea during storms (reduced erosion/landslips).

Lyme Regis negative effects

• congestion & litter from tourists

• people complain that the new defences ruin the natural coastline.

• increased erosion elsewhere due to long-shore drift changes

• stabler cliffs prevent landslips that may reveal important fossils

River Tees upper course landforms and patterns

• high Force waterfall

• steep-sided gorge

• showing vertical erosion.

River Tees middle course landforms and patterns

• meanders

• levees

• floodplain near Darlington

• show increasing lateral erosion and deposition, as expected

River Tees lower course landforms and patterns

• mudflats

• salt marshes near Middlesbrough

• show the increased deposition typical of a river’s estuary.

Overall, does the River Tees follow the expected river valley profile?

Yes – it transitions from

• vertical erosion in the upper course

• to lateral erosion in the middle course

• to deposition in the lower course

As typical of UK rivers

Malaysia TRF destruction causes (4)

• rapid deforestation in the 1980s as trees were clear-felled to harvest tropical wood (selective now)

• palm oil plantations (largest exporter) - rainforest cleared for commercial farming land

• HEP dams (Bakun Dam 205 m) - flooded large areas of rainforest

• transmigration (15 000 ha) encouraged by government to reduce pressure on cities.

  • road building

  • slash-and-burn (gives short term nutrient but results in soil degradation over time (leaching) - the fires can also grow out of control)

Malaysia TRF impact: economic benefits

• The Bakun HEP dam has provided jobs for construction workers and energy to support developing industries in Malaysia.

• As businesses benefit, the amount of tax they pay the government increases.

  • The increased tax received by the government can be reinvested into public services like health and education.

Malaysia TRF impact: soil erosion

• Trees intercept rain and bind soils.

• When trees are removed, the soils are easily washed away.

• Changes to the microclimate make soils drier so soil erosion is more severe.

Malaysia TRF impact: climate change effects due to deforestation

• global CO₂ release & reduced absorption;

• local drier, hotter climate:

  • less shade, darker surfaces (soil) absorb more heat

  • reduced transpiration means less water vapour, so less clouds, and less rain; soil dries out with no tree canopy to protect it from direct sunlight.

Malaysia TRF management strategies (4)

• selective logging & replanting;

• conservation & education (National Parks Main Range);

• ecotourism; ITTO agreements;

• debt relief - debt is paid off in exchange for a guarantee that money is spent on conservation

Svalbard location, population

Location: Norwegian Arctic territory

Population: ~2 700 (majority live in Spitzbergen)

Svalbard opportunities (3)

• Coal reserves create >300 jobs. It is the main economic activity.

• Barents Sea south of Svalbard is one of the richest fishing grounds in the world (~150 species).

• Tourism:

  • provides ~300 jobs for locals.

  • in 2011, 70,000 people visited Longyearbyen and 30,000 of these were cruise passengers.

Svalbard challenges (3)

• Cold: winter <–30 °C; frostbite risk; difficult working conditions

• Inaccessibility:

  • remote (plane/ship),

  • one airport

  • travel on snowmobiles

• Building and Infrastructure:

  • The warmth from buildings/roads could melt the frozen ground (permafrost).

    • Melting the frozen ground could make buildings collapse.

    • Buildings must be carefully designed to make sure they don't collapse.

    • Roads must be built on top of a gravel layer

  • Water pipes need to be heated so the water in them doesn’t freeze.

    • Water (and sewage) pipes must be kept above the frozen ground.

How MPPP reduces risk from volcanoes

🌋 Volcanic Hazard — Mount Etna, Italy 🇮🇹

How MPPP reduces risk from volcanoes:

• Monitoring: Seismometers detect tremors + gas sensors track sulphur → early signs of eruption

• Prediction: Based on frequent eruptions, scientists can accurately forecast future activity

• Protection: Lava-diversion channels + emergency services trained to respond

• Planning: Exclusion zones, evacuation drills, land-use restrictions near the summit

🔑 Memorise it as:

Etna's eruptions are tracked, timed, tamed, and trained for.

✅ Reduces risk by giving early warnings, protecting property, and ensuring safe evacuation

How MPPP reduces risk from earthquakes

🌍 Seismic Hazard — Japan Earthquake, 2011 🇯🇵

How MPPP reduces risk from earthquakes:

• Monitoring: Networks of seismometers detect early tremors

• Prediction: Still unreliable, but Japan uses historical data + tech for rapid alerts

• Protection: Earthquake-proof buildings with shock absorbers + flexible foundations

• Planning: Regular drills (e.g. Tokyo ShakeOut), emergency kits in homes, education

🔑 Memorise it as:

Japan jumps ahead with drills, designs, and data.

✅ Reduces deaths/injuries through preparedness and strong infrastructure

How MPPP reduces effects of tropical storms

🌀 Tropical Storm — Typhoon Haiyan, Philippines

How MPPP reduces effects of tropical storms:

• Monitoring: Satellites + radar used to track storm movement and intensity

• Prediction: Accurate forecasting from PAGASA (weather agency) → early warnings

• Protection: Coastal areas have storm shelters, elevated buildings

• Planning: Evacuation routes planned, public warned via text alerts and media

🔑 Memorise it as:

Haiyan was tracked, texted, and taken seriously.

✅ Reduces effects by saving lives through fast evacuation and stronger buildings

Types of Weather Hazards in the UK

• 🌩 Thunderstorms – e.g. 3000 lightning strikes (July 2014), flash flooding (Boscastle 2004)

• 🌧 Prolonged rainfall – river floods, e.g. wet winter of 2014

• 🔥 Drought & heatwaves – water shortages, health risks, e.g. 2003 & 2019 record temperatures

• ❄ Snow & extreme cold – less frequent but disruptive, e.g. 2010 and 2009 heavy snow

• 💨 Strong winds – sometimes remnants of hurricanes, e.g. 105mph in Wales (Feb 2014)

Is UK Weather Becoming More Extreme?

• ⏳ More frequent events since 2000 (e.g. floods in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015)

• 📈 Greater magnitude – 38.5°C heatwave (2003), record rain/floods (2015), -18.7°C Castlederg

• 🗺 Wider spatial distribution – events affect diverse regions across UK

• 🌍 Linked to climate change:

  • More energy = intense storms

  • Jet stream ‘sticking’ = prolonged weather

  • IPCC: extreme weather more likely in warming world

What major landforms of erosion and deposition are found at Swanage?

• Erosional landforms:

  • Headlands and bays (Swanage Bay & Durlston Head) – formed due to alternating bands of hard (limestone) and soft (clay/sand) rock

  • Stacks and stumps – e.g. Old Harry Rocks (chalk stack) formed by erosion

• Depositional landforms:

  • Sandy beach in Swanage Bay

  • Spit at Studland Bay – formed by longshore drift

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Medmerry managed retreat scheme?

✅ Advantages:

• Creates natural saltmarsh – buffer to absorb wave energy

• Protects farmland & caravan parks from flooding

• Supports wildlife habitats and eco-tourism

❌ Disadvantages:

• Expensive – cost £28 million

• Loss of farmland

• Some locals oppose coastal realignment