tectonics case studies

when was the Mount Merapi erruption?

2010

Mount Merapi location

Central Java, Indonesia.

South Asia

2010 mount merapi VEI

4

mount merapi physical characteristics

composite volcano with andesitic lava on a destructive plate boundary

population near mount merapi

11,000 living on side of volcano due to its spiritual importance

2010 mount merapi deaths

386 mostly due to pyroclastic flows

effects of 2010 mount merapi

* 350,000 people displaced
* over 2000 homes lost
* ash cloud disrupted 2,500 flights
* crop destruction resulted in mass unemployment

when was the Icelandic volcanic eruption?

2011

Icelandic volcano location

Mid-Atlantic ridge, on the coast of iceland

physical characteristics of the icelandic volcano

Composite volcano with basaltic lava created by a constructive boundary

VEI of icelandic volcano

4

deaths of icelandic volcano

none - due to low population density and evacuation beforehand

affect of icelandic volcano on flights

* Reaction of ice and lava caused an ash cloud


* Major flight disruption in which the European airspace had to be closed
* Ash cloud cost European economy $5bn

secondary hazard caused by icelandic volcano eruption

Jokulhlaup as the volcano was covered in ice

when was the Haitian EQ?

2010

location of Haiti

• Caribbean sea

• next to central America

• shares an island with Dominican republic

2010 Haiti earthquake magnitude

7

haiti earthquake physical characteristics

• shallow focus

• conservative plate boundary

why did Haiti’s geography make the EQ worse?

epicentre was near Capital city Port-Au-Prince which was built on loose sediments that amplified the shaking

deaths caused by 2010 Haitian EQ

250,000 deaths

how much did the EQ cost Haiti and how did they pay for these damages?

$7-14bn

Haiti received large amounts of international aid and their debt was cancelled to help them pay for the damages

response to Haiti earthquake

• mass evacuation into the dominican republic

• President failed to address the nation - presidential palace collapsed

when was the Japanese (Tohoku) EQ

2011

magnitude of 2011 Japanese EQ

9 (1000x larger than Haiti)

how were Tohoku EQ + tsunami caused and what were its physical characteristics

Destructive plate boundary resulting in a shallow focus earthquake

Pacific plate moved upwards, displacing water and causing a tsunami

Epicentre was 80 miles from the coast and Sendai (a city of over 1m)

death toll Tohoku EQ

20,000

how did prediction + adaptation mitigate the impacts of the Japan EQ

Tsunami sirens and notifications were sent to phones to warn everyone

Japan has EQ proofed buildings as it happens regularly

when was the Boxing Day tsunami

2004

Boxing Day tsunami location

• epicentre near the Indonesian island of Sumatra

• tsunami in the Indian ocean so affected many Asian countries that border it (India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia)

what caused the Boxing day tsunami? what were its physical characteristics

• destructive boundary - Indian plate slid under the Burma plate

• isostatic change in sea level - land was lifted upwards, displacing water

• sudden release of tension building up for years

Boxing day EQ magnitude

9

Boxing day tsunami death toll

230,000

international response to Boxing day EQ

$13.5bn raised

40% of the money was raised privately by individuals and NGOs making it the highest ever privately funded emergency response.

long term impact of the Boxing day EQ

permanent localised sea level rise

Means countries like Bangladesh are now much more prone to coastal flooding