Disaster management

Question 1

Search and Rescue Efforts

Answer 1

finding and rescuing survivors trapped in buildings or disaster zones
● Having skilled rescuers and specialised equipment can reduce the time taken for the rescue work
● Search and rescue will prevent survivors from dying due to injuries, dehydration, lack of food, crush syndrome, etc.

Eg. 2020 Aegean Sea, Turkey earthquake. More than 8000 search, rescue, and first aid teams were deployed, rescuing more than 106 people.

Question 2

Timely Evacuation

Answer 2

Earthquake
move people away from areas at risk of hazards quickly, as:
○ Buildings may collapse and crush/ trap people
○ Aftershocks can continue even after the main earthquake event, causing further damage to the city
○ ppl need to be evacuated to temporary shelters where food,water and medical supply are provided
Eg. Students in Kamashi City, Japan, were evacuated to higher ground during the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami, and nearly all 3000 students survived.

Tsunami
people need to be evacuated to higher ground
Eg. Students in Kamashi City, Japan, were evacuated to higher ground during the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami, and nearly all 3000 students survived.

Volcano
people need to be evacuated to places that are not affected by lava flows or the ejection of volcanic materials
Eg. Mount Merapi (2010). Indonesian authorities evacuated people around the volcano following a warning. More than 700 evacuation centres were set up, saving more than 10, 000 lives.

Question 3

Provisioning services to affected communities (water)

Answer 3

Water
○ Water shortages usually happen after a disaster due to water sources
being polluted with volcanic ash or broken water pipes.
○ Providing clean water can prevent dehydration and deaths, as well as
water-borne diseases.
Eg. After the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, International Red Cross provided water supply for 12, 000 people by trucking water to Port-au-Prince daily.

Question 4

Provision of basic services (food)

Answer 4

Food
○ Food shortages frequently occur after tectonic disasters are food
storage areas, supermarkets, farms, are destroyed.
○ Providing food can prevent hunger and starvation, and reduce number
of casualties and deaths.
Eg. The Indonesia government and international NGOs provided food to more than 75, 000 people living around Mt. Agung after its eruption in 2017

Question 5

Provision services to affected communities (healthcare)

Answer 5

Healthcare
○ Hospitals and medical facilities can be damaged after a tectonic
disaster, which means a lack of medical treatment for casualties.
○ Medical personnel and equipment need to be provided to ensure quick
response and recovery after an earthquake/ eruption.
Eg. World Vision, an international charity, provided 30, 000 boxes of medical supplies and 1000 hygiene kits to the communities affected by the 2018 Fuego eruption in Guatemala.