1.2 Kashmir

Question 1

Unsafe conditions in Kashmir (local)

Answer 1

• Poor building practices and code enforcement
• houses built on unstable steep land
• lack of knowledge on aseismic (earthquake resistant) structures
• Loss of traditional skills (Dhajji Dewari)
• Increase in modernised concrete structures
• Access road blockages due to landslides
• Shortage if timber

Question 2

Dynamic pressures ( regional )

Answer 2

• Deforestation due to illegal felling and corrupt practice
• Population growth over long period (increase in resource demand)
• Cold climate
• High agricultural dependency (need more labourers)

Question 3

Root causes (national/global)

Answer 3

Pakistani government encouraged work force to emigrate (attract foreign currency remittances)
- Relations with India mean less aid (helicopters) provided to help with recovery

Question 4

Where did the earthquake occur?

Answer 4

• On a plate boundary
• one of the worlds most remote regions in the world - so difficult to reach in normal circumstances
• Poor, largely agricultural region
• Mountainous environment so it’s already fragile
• Landslides and falling rocks

Question 5

When did the situation occur?

Answer 5

• Saturday morning, a normal school day - so many of the dead and injured were children
• due to it being ramadan, people were sleeping as they had to get up early for suhoor
• Winter was drawing in so conditions became more and more treacherous

Question 6

Main responses to the earthquake?

Answer 6

• Helicopters
• Army troops deployed to help
• $5.4billion of aid
• US marine and army helicopters from Afghanistan
• Ramadan - people donating more and feeling more generous
• British Pakistanis sending aid
• UN provided 2.4 million blankets, 1.2 million quilts, 170,000 plastic sheets and 200,000 tarpaulins go strengthen the tents

Question 7

Main barriers to help

Answer 7

• Unseasonal torrential rain
• Harsh Himalayan winter blocked access for over 6 months
• Fresh landslides
• Corruption in the government
• Poor literacy and education
• 100,000 dead and 138,000 injured
• 3.5 million displaced
• Only 1/6 of potential tectonic pressure was released (living in fear of when the next will come)
• Long term RUM to Karachi and Lahore
• Mainly subsistence farmers (90% of livestock was killed)

Question 8

What’s it been like years after the earthquake

Answer 8

People live in lots of temporary housing even now called katchi abaddis. This is due to corruption from government not using aid money in the right places

Question 9

When did the EQ happen

Answer 9

October 8, 2005

Question 10

What was the magnitude of the EQ?

Answer 10

7.6