Hazards Case Studies

Japanese Earthquake

2011

Tohoku

Mag 9.0

Tsunami triggered

$50,000 GDP per Capita

What were the impacts of the Japanese earthquake?

18,000 dead

500,000 homeless

Fukishima Daichi nuclear leaks

Increased cases of juvenille thyroid cancer

Cost $300 billion

What were the responses to the Japanese earthquake?

100,000 soldiers mobilised

Nuclear power turned off

evacuations reversed after 6 years

What mitigation techniques came after the Japanese earthquake?

2013 installation of new tsunami warning system

Tsunami defences designed by Reconstruction Design Council

Haitian Earthquake

Port au Prince

Mag 7.0

Shallow focus earthquake (13 km)

4/5 in poverty

1/2 under 18

What were the impacts of the Haitian earthquake?

1.5 million homeless

50% buildings destroyed

Palais National destroyed

1500 killed by cholera

Prison damaged

Crippled government

What were the responses to the Haitian earthquake?

16,000 UN Peacekeepers

$12 billion relief fund

Locals employed to rebuild

1100 camps for the homeless

UK Disaster Emergency Committee provided 100,000 health consultations

What mitigation techniques came after the Haitian Earthquake

UN strategy to increase industry jobs

Some economic activity moved to safer places

Slums replaced

Farming sector reformed

Hurricane Matthew

Category 5

Haiti

4/5 in poverty

1/2 under 18

What were the impacts of Hurricane Matthew

550 dead

3,500 cases of cholera

Crops destroyed, leading to civil unrest in the city

80% buildings destroyed

What were the responses to Hurricane Matthew?

World Vision

UN Central Emergency Fund of $6 million

17 out of 26 camps had no sanitation facilities

UNICEF used $8 million to tackled cholera

UK government formed 2 disaster teams

What mitigation techniques came after Hurricane Matthew?

Disaster preperation teams

Political instability prevented further action

Hurricane Katrina

New Orleans, Louisiana

Category 5

25% poor

75% black

10% unemployed

53% renters

What were the impacts of Hurricane Katrina?

20% too poor to evacuate

Forests damaged- 10% jobs in forestry

Cost $14 billion

5 million without power or water

What were the responses to Hurricane Katrina?

Armed police

Red Cross set up 275 shelters

Federal Task Force

30 year plan to restore wetlands

Floodwall restored

Superdome used as a shelter (had its roof ripped off)

What mitigation techniques came after Hurricane Katrina?

National Hurricane Centre

DHL hurricane simulator

US Army planned for new flood defences

What was the local-scale change after Hurricane Katrina?

White population rose by 5%, black population fell by 7%

18% difference in white-black income restoration

25% more black residents than white say their area is neglected

84% decrease in public housing available

Gentrification

Mount Nyiragongo

Goma, DR Congo

VEI 1

$400 GDP per capita

What were the impacts of Mount Nyiragongo?

Goma airport covered in lava

14 villages destroyed

2 out of 4 hospitals destroyed

120,000 homeless

Acid rain

Salt price increased by 300%

What were the responses to Mount Nyiragongo?

400,000 evacuated

Electricity restored in 6 days

Red Cross gave chlorine for water treatment

UN provided refugee camps for 85,000

Tourism increased to see the volcano

What mitigation techniques came after Mount Nyiragongo?

2 seismology station

5 monitoring units for volcanic observatory

Paradise Wildfire

California, 2018

17 days of burning

Ageing population

Non-pyrophotic ponderosa pine trees

10 inches less average rainfall

Steep topography

Power lines ignited fire

Underfunded forestry services

What were the imapcts of the Paradise Wildfire?

95% of buildings destroyed

150,000 acres burnt

52,000 evacuated

Cost $16 billion

85 dead

What were the responses to the Paradise Wildfire?

Schools shut

Evacuation warnings

6000 firefighters

24 helicopters

Mental health support

North Valley animal shelter set up

PG&E sued for $13 billion

What mitigation techniques came after the Paradise Wildfire?

New fire codes

Investment into fire safety education

Lack of good management of the urban-wildland interface