Hazards Case Studies

Eyjafallajokull 2010

VEI 4 - explosive eruption

Nyiragongo 2002

VEI 1 - lava flows of 90km/hr

Primary impacts of E16

Rescuers had to wear masks, crops where destroyed in ash

secondary impacts of E16

1000 evacuated due to flooding

loss of £130 million a day to airlines for a week

Other impacts of E16

Icelandic economy lost £180 million in tourism

Risk and Vulnerability of E16

Remote area with well educated population

Response Adpation and Mitigation of E16

Counselling offered, monitoring of other volcanoes

Primary impacts of Nyiragongo

1/3 of Goma destroyed including critical infrastructure

Secondary impacts of Nyiragongo

147 people dead from gas inhalation

contaminated water

350,000 fled to Rwanda

Risk and Vulnerability of Nyiragongo

High soil fertility around site

Frequent eruptions (34 since 1882)

Response, Adaption and Mitigation of Nyiragongo

Drills and evacuation routes set up

$15 million spent on refugees

Other impacts of Nyiragongo

Runway became unstable

Lake Kivu polluted

Napa 2014

MMS measured at a 6

Inland but still San Andreas fault

Haiti 2010

Level 9 on Mercalli scale

Shallow focus depth(13km)

Primary impacts of Napa

294 streets and sidewalks along with many public buildings damaged

Secondary impacts of Napa

$500-1000 million in damage

2 dead 6 badly injured

water supplies disrupted

dozens homeless

Other impacts Napa

Wine industry lost $100 million

Risk and Vulnerbility of Napa

Retrofitting and sparsely populated

Response Adaption and Mitigation of Napa

Education and city plans

extra doctors and nurses sent to local hospital

primary impacts Haiti

3 MSF hospitals collapsed

250,000 residences ruined

1300 schools destroyed

Secondary impacts Haiti

316,000 dead

2 million homeless

Prison breakouts

Failed State

Other impacts Haiti

Only 2% of $4 billion in aid reached the ground

Risk and Vulnerability of Haiti

Fatalistic voodoo culture with no risk sharing

Response Adaption and Mitigation Haiti

external builders flown to reconstruct port

70,000 water containers distributed

Camp Fire 2018

Spread 7.5 miles in 90 mins

Santa Ana winds of 45 mph

Primary impacts Camp Fire

153000 acres burnt

85 deaths

30,000 homes destroyed

Secondary impacts Camp Fire

50,000 had to evacuate Paradise

Contamination of water by ash

Costs of $16.7 billion

Virus outbreaks in temporary housing

Other impacts Camp Fire

5,000 firefighters brought in

Air pollution in San Francisco

Risk and Vulnerability Camp Fire

Prolonged drought due to climate change

aircraft douldn’t fly due to wind speeds

Response Adaption and Mitigation Camp Fire

PG&E done for involuntary manslaughter

Mandatory evacuation orders

Long term forrest litter clearing

Katriina 2005

Category 5 hurricane

Wind speeds of 285 km/hr

Haiyan 2013

Most powerful typhoon ever

Winds of over 315 km/hr

Primary impacts Katrina

20 foot storm surge

110,000 houses flooded

1242 fatalities

Secondary impacts Katrina

Power blackouts lasting 2 months

More than 1 million displaced

Other Impacts Katrina

$200 billion in costs

Oil rigs and refineries wrecked

Risk and Vulnerability Katrina

Levees only 60% completed

New Orleans lies below sea level

Response Adaption and Mitigation Katrina

$20 billion spent on rebuilding levees floodwalls and pumps

$150k sent to superdome

Primary impacts Haiyan

6000 dead

1.1 million homes destroyed

$2.9 billion in damages

secondary impacts Haiyan

8 millions displaced

Communications and power destroyed

Extra flooding + landslides

Collapse of local government

Other impacts Haiyan

1.1 million tonnes of crops destroyed - 600,000 hectares

Risk and vulnerability Haiyan

Rapidly urbanising dense low lying archipelago

Response adaption and mitigation

“Build back Better” scheme

uk raised over £73 million

USA sent 13,000 personel

Multi hazard case study - San Fransisco

earthquakes, storms, floods, landslides, fires, droughts

Physical nature of hazard San Fransisco

San Andreas fault with seismic gap means 63% chance of quake before year 2032 (over 6.7 MMS)

5 earthquakes since 1836 average of 6.75 MMS

Population density of 360 people/km²

Socioeconomic character of San Fransisco community

High levels of wealth retrofitting and strict building standards

Earthquake insurance is affordable but only 10% use as people feel safe due to high wealth and glamourus luxury lifestyle

San Fransisco hazard perception

Ignorance or blindness to scale of the threat as 1906 earthquake killed 3000 is still in most memories

Political character of San Fransisco

Democrat State leads to high public spending on emergency services

Authorities and emergency services very well prepared

Plans to deal with displacement of hundreds, reservoir failures

Under federal law plans have to be revisited every 5 years

1906 earthquake San Fransisco

Killed 3000

Started fire around San Fransisco which caused majority of killings

1989 earthquake San Fransisco

Killed 63 - 98% decrease since 1906

Due to better measures in place such as fire hydrant access nd better quality of buildings

Baseball game on which meant roads where quieter