Tectonic, Meteorological, and Environmental Hazards Case Studies

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering tectonic hazards, meteorological disasters, coastal management (Holderness and Sundarbans), and the carbon/water cycles (Amazon and River Exe).

Merapi 2010 (Indonesia) primary impacts

$353$ deaths, $350,000$ displaced, and pyroclastic flows resulting from proximity to the Ring of Fire.

Merapi 2010 (Indonesia) secondary impacts

Lahars (ash + rain), respiratory illnesses, and losses in tourism and farming.

Eyjafjallajökull 2010 (Iceland) primary impacts

$700$ people evacuated, farm and livestock damage, and glacier melt water floods.

Eyjafjallajökull 2010 (Iceland) secondary impacts

$100,000$ flights cancelled, a $\text{€}1.3\,billion$ aviation loss, and a decreased GDP.

2015 Nepal Earthquake primary impacts

Approximately $9,000$ deaths, $600,000$ homes destroyed, and damage to historic sites.

2015 Nepal Earthquake secondary impacts

Landslides, Everest avalanches, food and water shortages, and human trafficking.

2011 Tohoku Tsunami (Japan) primary impacts

Approximately $16,000$ deaths and $400,000$ buildings destroyed.

2011 Tohoku Tsunami (Japan) secondary impacts

Fukushima nuclear meltdown, radiation release, and a $\$235\,billion$ loss.

Hurricane Harvey (2017) primary impacts

$107$ deaths, $300,000+$ structures damaged, and $500,000$ cars lost.

Hurricane Harvey (2017) secondary impacts

Chemical spills, water contamination, and a $\$125\,billion$ loss.

Typhoon Haiyan (2013) primary impacts

$6,300$ deaths, $4.1\,million$ displaced, and $1.1\,million$ homes damaged.

2019-20 Australia Wildfires primary impacts

$33$ deaths, $3,500+$ homes destroyed, and $18\,million\,hectares$ burned.

2019-20 Australia Wildfires secondary impacts

$3\,billion$ animals affected and smoke pollution across the country.

Project NOAH

A Philippine government initiative for hazard monitoring and response.

PHIVOLCS

The abbreviation for the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Mount Pinatubo (1991)

A volcanic event in the Philippines that produced massive ashfall and lahars, causing a temporary drop in global temperatures.

2018 Lombok Earthquake

A $6.9$ magnitude shallow earthquake near the Sunda Arc that caused over $560$ fatalities and widespread destruction on Gili Trawangan.

Holderness Coast erosion rate

The fastest eroding coastline in Europe, losing approximately $2\,m$ per year.

Easington Gas Terminal

A facility on the Holderness Coast that provides $25\%$ of UK gas; it is currently threatened by erosion.

The Sundarbans

The world's largest mangrove forest, covering $10,000\,km^2$ in the Ganges Delta (Bangladesh & India).

Amazon Rainforest carbon sink

A tropical forest covering $5.5\,million\,km^2$ that stores $100\,billion\,tons$ of carbon.

Exmoor Mires Project

A restoration project in the River Exe catchment that rewets peat bogs to increase water retention and carbon storage.

REDD+

A management program utilized in the Amazon Rainforest to protect forests.

River Exe catchment stats

A catchment area of $1,530\,km^2$ with an average annual rainfall of $1,295\,mm$.