CASE STUDIES

Chile-HIC

February 2010

Causes:

Nazca plate subducting under South American plate.

Conservative movement built pressure → magnitude 8.8 quake.

Focus 35km deep near Concepción.

Effects- Primary:

500+ deaths.

12,000 injured.

220,000 homes destroyed.

Roads, bridges, airport damaged.

Effects- Secondary:

Tsunami hit coast.

Landslides blocked roads.

Power + water cut.

Fire at chemical plant.

Immediate Responses:

Emergency services used quickly.

International aid + field hospitals.

Temporary bridges built.

Route 5 highway repaired fast.

Long-term Responses:

Government housing reconstruction plan.

Stronger building regulations.

Economy recovered quickly due to HIC wealth.

Recovery cost about $30 billion.

Why impacts were lower than expected

Strict building codes.

Good emergency services.

Wealthier country could recover faster.

Nepal-LIC

April 2015

Causes:

Indian plate colliding with Eurasian plate.

Pressure released on thrust fault.

Magnitude 7.8 destructive quake near Kathmandu.

Effects- Primary:

About 9,000 deaths.

20,000 injured.

3 million homeless.

Hospitals + schools destroyed.

Effects- Secondary:

Landslides + avalanches.

Everest avalanche killed climbers.

Food/water shortages.

Tourism income fell.

Immediate Responses:

International aid from UK, India, China etc.

Helicopters rescued people.

Camps + tents provided.

Roads cleared slowly.

Long-term Responses:

Roads + schools rebuilt.

Stricter building codes introduced.

Tourism reopened.

Many people still in temporary housing years later.

Recovery cost around $7 billion.

Why impacts were severe:

Poor building quality.

Remote mountain villages hard to access.

Limited healthcare + emergency services.

Low income slowed recovery.

Typoon Haiyan

November 2013

Causes:

Very warm ocean water above 27°C.
Low pressure formed in the Pacific Ocean.
Category 5 super typhoon.
Winds reached 195 mph.

Effects- Primary:
About 6,300 deaths.
4 million displaced.
Tacloban, Philippines badly destroyed.
Airports, roads and homes damaged.

Effects- Secondary:

Storm surges caused flooding.
6 meter storm surge hit Talcoban.

Landslides blocked roads.
Disease risk from dirty water.
Loss of farming and fishing jobs.

Immediate Responses:

International aid sent quickly.
Food, water and temporary shelter provided.
Helicopters rescued survivors.
Curfew in Tacloban stopped looting.

Long-term Responses:

“No build zone” near coast.
Homes rebuilt stronger.
Mangroves replanted for protection.
More cyclone shelters and warning systems.

Why impacts were severe:

Poor-quality housing.
Dense coastal populations.
Huge storm surge.
Limited preparation in some areas.

Somerset levels

Causes:

Heavy rainfall during winter 2013–14, leading to January 2014 flood.
High tides prevented river water reaching sea.
Rivers Tone and Parrett overflowed.
Area is low-lying and flat.

Effects- Primary:

Over 600 homes flooded.
14,000 hectares of farmland flooded.
Roads and railways damaged.
Farm animals evacuated.

Effects- Secondary:

Villages cut off for weeks.
Local businesses lost money.
Floodwater contaminated land.
Mental health impacts on residents.

Immediate Responses:

Temporary flood barriers used.
Pumps brought from Netherlands.
Emergency shelters opened.
Army helped residents.

Long-term Responses:

Rivers dredged to increase capacity.
Road levels raised.
New flood action plan created.
More pumping stations installed.

Why impacts were severe:

Flooding lasted several weeks.
Flat land slowed water drainage.
High rainfall plus high tides together.
Many homes built on floodplain.

Small scale ecosystem- Pond

Features:

Small, self-contained ecosystem.
Includes producers, consumers and decomposers.
Abiotic factors include sunlight, water and oxygen.
Biotic factors include plants, fish and insects.

Food Chain:

Plants → insect larvae → fish → birds.

Nutrient Cycling:

Dead material decomposed by bacteria.
Nutrients returned to soil/water.
Plants absorb nutrients for growth.

Interdependence:

Plants provide oxygen and food.
Animals depend on plants and each other.
Change to one part affects whole ecosystem.

Threats:

Pollution from fertilisers or litter.
Drought reducing water levels.
Invasive species disrupting food web.
Human disturbance damaging habitats.

Management:

Limit pollution entering pond.
Protect habitats around pond.
Remove invasive species.
Monitor water quality regularly.

Amazon Rainforest

Location:

Located in South America.
Mainly in Brazil.
Found near the Equator.
Hot and wet climate all year.

Characteristics:

Very high biodiversity.
Dense layered vegetation.
Thin, nutrient-poor soils.
Rapid nutrient cycling.

Causes of Deforestation:

Cattle ranching.
Road building e.g. Trans-Amazonian Highway.
Logging for timber.
Mining and energy development.

Effects of Deforestation:

Loss of biodiversity.
Increased carbon dioxide emissions.
Soil erosion increases.
Indigenous tribes displaced.

Economic Benefits of Development:

Creates jobs and income.
Improves transport links.
Increases exports.
Provides energy from HEP.

Sustainable Management:

Selective logging.
Conservation areas created.
Ecotourism protects forest.
International agreements reduce deforestation.

Why the Amazon is Important:

Stores large amounts of carbon.
Helps regulate climate.
Home to millions of species.
Supports indigenous communities..

Thar Desert

Opportunities:

Mineral extraction e.g. gypsum and limestone.
Tourism brings jobs and income.
Farming possible using irrigation.
Solar energy development.

Challenges:

Extreme heat and lack of water.
Inaccessibility in remote areas.
Risk of desertification.
Dust storms damage crops and roads.

Plant and Animal Adaptations:

Camel:

Stores fat in hump for energy.

Long eyelashes keep sand out.

Wide feet stop sinking in sand.

Can survive long time without water.

Cactus:

Spines reduce water loss.

Thick stem stores water.

Waxy coating reduces evaporation.

Shallow roots absorb rainfall quickly.

Desert Rat:

Nocturnal to avoid daytime heat.

Burrows underground for cooler temperatures.

Gets water from food.

Large ears help lose heat.

Lyme Regis

Major management scheme completed in 2005

Causes of Erosion:

Soft clay and limestone cliffs erode easily.
Powerful destructive waves from the Atlantic.
Slumping caused by saturated clay.
Weathering weakens cliffs.

Effects of Erosion:

Cliff collapse threatens homes and roads.
Tourism affected by unsafe coastline.
Damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Risk to people living nearby.

Management Strategies:

Sea walls absorb wave energy.
Rock armour reduces erosion.
Beach nourishment replaces lost sediment.
Cliff stabilisation using drainage and netting.

Why Management Was Needed:

Homes and businesses at risk.
Main roads threatened by erosion.
Tourism important to local economy.
Frequent landslides endangered people.

Advantages of Management:

Protects homes and roads.
Reduces erosion and landslides.
Keeps tourism going.
Creates safer coastline.

Disadvantages of Management:

Very expensive.
Can affect natural coastal processes.
Needs regular maintenance.
Some areas still unprotected.

Banbury

Main flood alleviation scheme completed in 2012

Causes of Flooding:

River Cherwell overflowed after heavy rainfall.
Urbanisation increased surface runoff.
Low-lying land near river flooded easily.
Climate change increased flood risk.

Effects of Flooding:

Homes and businesses damaged.
Roads and railways disrupted.
Economic losses to local area.
Risk to lives and property.

Management Strategies:

Earth embankments built.
Flood storage area created upstream.
River channel widened and deepened.
Flow diverted through relief channel.

Why Management Was Needed:

Banbury flooded several times before scheme.
Town centre and housing at risk.
Important transport routes threatened.
Flood damage cost millions.

Advantages of Management:

Reduced flood risk greatly.
Protected homes and businesses.
Improved confidence for investment.
Created wildlife habitats.

Disadvantages of Management:

Very expensive project.
Some farmland sacrificed for storage.
Requires maintenance over time.
Does not remove all flood risk.