Geography - TECTONICS CASE STUDIES

Nepal vulnerability to EQ's (specifically 2015)

low GDP

weak infrastructure

poorly built buildings in kathmandu

many large aftershocks

landslides made access for rescue teams hard

tourism fell

midday EQ - most people at work in fields - reduced death toll

1989 Loma Prieta EQ

San francisco. Marina district built on man made landfill - soft soil amplified the ground shaking and also liquefied. Buildings collapsed. Part of cypress freeway built on soft mud collapsed

Christchurch 2011 EQ

Aftershocks - 2011 aftershock caused more damage than initial 2010 EQ as it was shallow focused so caused more ground shaking

Eyjafallajokull 2010 Volcanic eruption

huge ash cloud threatened to clog plane engines and stop them working - 100000 commercial flights cancelled, 10m passengers stranded worldwide , EU economy lost $5bn

Montserrat 1995 Volcanic eruptions - social + economic impacts

part of island arc in Carribbean - 5 yrs of huge ash clouds and pyroclastic flows from eruptions - most of population moved to other countries , capital (plymouth) destroyed, unemployment rose, farmland destroyed, young people left

why was Indian ocean 2004 tsunami so bad

EQ that caused tsunami was big

Epicentre close to densely populated coastal communities

Low lying coastlines - waves travelled far inland

no early warning system

many countries in region poor so no money to spend on protection

mangroves destroyed for tourist developments

Impacts of 2004 indian ocean tsunami

coastal settlements devastated

much infrastructure destroyed - andaman is. cut off - pier destroyed

fishing, tourism and agriculture devastated

ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs) destroyed

water supplies contaminated by salt water

Physical factors in making 2010 haiti EQ a disaster

shallow focus - more ground shaking

liquefaction on looser soil caused building foundations to sink

epicentre only 24km from port au prince

Political, social and economic factors in making 2010 haiti EQ a disaster

developing country

corruption

lack of building regs - slums etc

lack of disaster prep

many people living in poverty

2010 EQ impacts on Haiti

small amount of infrastructure there (eg 1 airport) destroyed - aid couldnt arrive

many govt officials killed and govt buildings destroyed - govt even less able to respond

cholera outbreak due to lack of sanitation occurred - even more people died

Haitis recovery

5yrs after Haiti still recovering

corruption meant people unwilling to provide aid

new infrastructure built

relying on foreign aid

China sichuan EQ 2008 key facts

damage concentrated in rural areas

China wealthier than haiti

Chinas strong central govt able to respond fast to disaster - medical services restored, soldiers parachuted into remote areas to reach survivors, people in dange from landslides relocated, withing 2 weeks temporary infrastructure being built

China sichuan EQ response/recovery

corrupt local govt officials arrested for not following building regs after buildings collapsed

transport projects went underway

most farmhouses rebuilt

most reconstruction projects had started 2 yrs after

Japan preparation Sendai 2011 EQ and tsunami

good building construction

well developed disaster plans

education

failed to think about fukushima power plant

Japan response Sendai 2011 EQ and tsunami

govt responded immediately - troops mobilised

all radio + tv stations switched to EQ coverage

bank of japan offered money to japanese banks - protecting the countrys economy

foreign aid quickly accepted

Philippines - multiple hazard zone

on major convergent boundary - volcanoes and EQ's

N and E coast faces Pacific (tsunami prone) ocean

in SE Asia's major typhoon belt

tropical monsoon climate - heavy rains

47 volcanoes

landslides common

Philippines vulnerability

fast growing pop - rapid urbanisation and high pop density

many of countrys poor live in coastal areas with poorly constructed houses and infrastructure

much of pop in poverty