5.4.3

Question 1

Outline primary social impacts of earthquakes

Answer 1

Deaths and injuries

Displacement of people

Damage to properties and infrastructure causing disruption to people’s lives

Question 2

Outline secondary social impacts of earthquakes

Answer 2

Mental health issues e.g. stress, anxiety, depression

Homelessness

Disruption to services such as healthcare and education

Loss of cultural heritage sites

Question 3

Outline primary economic impacts of earthquakes

Answer 3

Destruction of property and infrastructure leading to significant costs for repair and reconstruction

Disruption of trade and economic activity

Loss of income and employment

Costs of immediate responses e.g. food aid, temporary shelter, medical treatment

Question 4

Outline secondary economic impacts of earthquakes

Answer 4

Slower economic growth and development

Increased economic inequality as impacts are more severe for most vulnerable people

Increased costs of insurance and hazard management strategies

Question 5

Outline primary environmental impacts of earthquakes

Answer 5

Loss of vegetation and damage to natural environment through landslides and liquefaction

Contamination of water supplies

Tsunamis can cause flooding, erosion and damage to coastal ecosyt

Question 6

Outline secondary environmental impacts of earthquakes

Answer 6

Pollution as a result of the release of hazardous materials e.g. 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused the release of radioactive material from the Fukushima nuclear power plant

Question 7

Outline primary political impacts of earthquakes

Answer 7

Pressure on governments to co-ordinate emergency response

Social unrest and political instability

Question 8

outline secondary political impacts of earthquakes

Answer 8

Conflicts over government response and food shortage

Changes in government policy and regulations to reduce future risk

Question 9

What is the name of earthquake that occurred on 25th of April 2015 in Nepal?

Answer 9

Gorkha

Question 10

Where was epicentre located?

Answer 10

Barpak village, 60km north-west of Kathmandu (capital)

Question 11

What was the magnitude?

Answer 11

7.8

Question 12

What was the plate boundary?

Answer 12

Collision plate where Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate

Question 13

What were the social primary impacts of Gorkha earthquake?

Answer 13

Approximately 9000 deaths and 20,000 injuries

Over 600,000 houses destroyed and leaving approximately 3.5 million people homeless

7000 schools and 1000 health centres damaged or destroyed

Electricity and water supplies cut

Question 14

What were the primary economic impacts of Gorkha earthquake?

Answer 14

Agriculture, which employs over 75% of Nepalese population was badly affected with almost a third of crops destroyed

Loss of tourism which accounts for 8% of Nepal’s GDP due to damage to popular tourist sites like the Everest Base Camp trek

Damage estimated between $7-10 billion, about 35% of GDP

Question 15

What were the primary environmental impacts of Gorkha earthquake?

Answer 15

The earthquake triggered more than 3000 avalanches and landslides causing damage to the fragile environment

Large areas (12,000 hectares) of forest and vegetation were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake

Rivers and water sources were contaminated

Question 16

What were the primary political impacts of Gorkha earthquake?

Answer 16

The government struggled to co-ordinate the relief effort and distribute adequate aid in a timely fashion

The government deployed security forces to maintain order and prevent looting and violence

In the weeks following the earthquake, there were protests by people who were unhappy with the government’s response

Question 17

What were the secondary social impacts of Gorkha earthquake?

Answer 17

More than 1 million children were unable to attend school, affecting future social and economic development

Two years later 70% of displaced people still in temporary shelters

Question 18

What were the secondary economic impacts of Gorkha earthquake ?

Answer 18

Offices, shops and factories were destroyed meaning over 1 million people were unemployed and unable to make a living

Destruction of roads and bridges impacted trade and economic activity

Number of tourists visiting Nepal dropped by a third in 2016

Question 19

What were the secondary environmental impacts of the earthquake?

Answer 19

10 million people were affected by reduced access to clean water causing water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid