GCSE Case Studies Module 1

Somerset Levels

An area in England known for its low-lying land that can be prone to flooding.

Rivers Parrett/Tone

Rivers in Somerset that contribute to the hydrology of the Somerset Levels.

2014 Somerset floods

Flooding event in January 2014 that included 207 mm of rainfall in the region.

Mississippi River floods (2001)

Floods that caused 3 million dollars in damage and displaced 4,400 people.

Levees

Structures designed to prevent flooding, with the Mississippi River having 15m high levees for 3000 km.

Dams on the Mississippi River

Over 100 dams were built to manage flooding and water flow.

Meanders of the Mississippi River

1750 km of river meanders that have been cut through, which is considered unsustainable.

Newcastle Sea Wall Upgrade (2002)

Infrastructure improvements made to protect the coastline in Newcastle.

Gabions

Wire mesh containers filled with soil and rocks used for erosion control, located near the mouth of Shimna.

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

A Category 5 hurricane that hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013, causing widespread destruction.

Storm surge of Typhoon Haiyan

A 25 meter high storm surge that contributed to the damage from the typhoon.

Casualties from Typhoon Haiyan

Over 6000 deaths and nearly 2000 reported missing following the disaster.

Seed stock destruction after Typhoon Haiyan

Destruction led to less food available for 2.5 million people.

Evacuation camps after Typhoon Haiyan

Over 3.5 thousand people were housed in evacuation camps post-typhoon.

Homes lost in Typhoon Haiyan

5 million homes were destroyed due to the typhoon.

Impact on buildings from Typhoon Haiyan

90% of buildings within 800km were destroyed due to the storm.

Damage to schools from Typhoon Haiyan

10,390 schools were destroyed during the typhoon's impact.

Tacloban stadium incident

People sheltering in the stadium drowned during Typhoon Haiyan.

Indian Ocean Tsunami

A catastrophic tsunami that struck on December 26, 2004, causing widespread devastation.

Fishing boats in Sri Lanka (Indian Ocean Tsunami)

66% of Sri Lanka’s fishing fleet was destroyed by the tsunami.

Casualties from Indian Ocean Tsunami

187,000 people died and 43,000 went missing as a result.

Displaced individuals from Indian Ocean Tsunami

1.1 million people became homeless as a direct result of the tsunami.

Tsunami height

The tsunami reached heights of 30 meters.

Freshwater loss in Maldives

17 low-lying islands lost their freshwater sources during the tsunami.

Foreign aid for Indian Ocean Tsunami

The event prompted $7 billion in foreign aid to support recovery.

UNESCO stations post-Tsunami

UNESCO established 25 stations for monitoring and response after the tsunami.

Yellowstone eruption effect

A potential volcanic eruption could kill everyone within 1000 km, approximately 90,000 people.

Destruction in Chicago/LA from Yellowstone eruption

Buildings in these cities could be destroyed by ash fallout from the eruption.

Travel disruption from Yellowstone eruption

An eruption would likely lead to significant travel disruptions.

Global temperature drop consequence

A 10°C drop in global temperatures could cause crop harvest failures.

Climate change duration post-Yellowstone eruption

Could lead to a 6 to 10 year climate change scenario.

Native fauna impact in Yellowstone

Species such as bison and wolves are likely to die out due to volcanic ash.

Effect on Asian Monsoon season

Failure of the monsoon season could lead to drought conditions.