3.6.1 Multi-hazard Environment Flashcards
What is the case study for a multi-hazard environment?
The Philippines
What hazards are found in the Philippines?
- Volcanoes
- Seismic hazards
- Tropical storms
Volcanoes in the Philippines
The Philippines is near to a destructive plate boundary, where the Philippine plate is being subducted beneath the Eurasian plate.
- For example, Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1992 – more than 700 people died, around 200,000 were left homeless, buildings collapsed, crops were destroyed, and agricultural land was ruined by falling ash.
Seismic hazards in the Philippines
Earthquakes occur along the plate boundary and at fault lines where the plate has cracked under pressure. For example, an earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred on Luzon island in 1990, killing over 1500 people.
Earthquakes in the surrounding oceans can cause tsunamis.
- For example, in 1967, an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 caused a tsunami that hit the coastline around the Moro Gulf. Thousands were killed and several cities were devastated.
Tropical storms in the Philippines
The Philippines has around 10 tropical storms every year. They develop in the Pacific Ocean and move westwards over the islands.
- For example, Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 caused major damage in the Philippines. It killed over 7,000 people, left 1.9m people homeless and destroyed infrastructure. It’s economic impact is estimated at $5.8 billion.
Strategies used by the Fillipino government to increase the country’s resilience
After 2009, the Philippines’ policy on disasters is now focused on increasing the country’s resilience.
- Preventing people building in areas at high risk of disaster.
- Adapting new and existing buildings and other structures to cope with earthquakes.
- Building embankments to reduce flood risk from tsunamis and tropical storms.
- Increasing public awareness of hazards and how to respond to them.
- Monitoring hazards and developing early warning systems so people in at-risk areas have time to prepare.
What was the main issue with the responses to disasters in the Philippines before 2009.
Funding for dealing with diasters was only available after the disaster occurred - this meant that the response focused on reacting to a disaster that had happened, rather than trying to prevent or prepare for future disasters.
Community responses to hazards
Communities often understand the risks of hazards, having experienced them before. In many cases, people prepare for hazards themselves, e.g. by widening rivers near settlements to prevent flooding, and by stockpiling food. In this way, individuals and communities increase their own resilience.
