Earthquake Examples

Question 1

Give some info on the Christchurch earthquake

Answer 1

General:
* 2011
* 6.3 magnitude
Causes:
* Conservative margin between Pacific and Australian plates
* Previous 2010 stronger earthquake weakened areas within the city, 2011 one thought to be an aftershock.
Impacts:
* 185 deaths
* 1,000 major buildings destroyed
* Total economic cost of $40 billion
* Soil liquefaction due to ground surface water being forced to surface
Responses:
* Temporary houses set up
* International aid was quick as international airport remained intact
* Set up CERA for 5 years to reconstruct damage
* Interest rate cut
Recovery:
* 10 years later, Christchurch is no longer an earthquake damaged city
* As a HIC, high funds to repair most damages, allowing efficient recovery
* 100 heritage buildings lost either to initial earthquake or the demolition drive

Question 2

Give some info on the Japan earthquake.

Answer 2

General:
* 2011
* 9.1 magnitude
Causes:
* Located at boundary between Pacific and North American plate.
Impacts:
* Made worse due to Japan being so mountainous and building vertically to combat this
* Many buildings destroyed and damaged, including 300 hospitals damaged. 98% of damage due to tsunami
* 20,000 deaths
* Tsunami, reaching not only Japan but many other countries eg Hawaii and Peru. Tsunami warning systems allowed minimal deaths in these other countries.
Responses:
* Extensive search and rescue operation by locals, military and aid organisations
* Significant progress in recovery due to government investing heavily in rebuilding
* Enhancements made to earthquake and early warning tsunami systems
* Strict building codes and seismic design standards for rebuilt buildings

Question 3

Give some info on the Haiti earthquake.

Answer 3

General:
* 2010
* 7.1 magnitude
* Over 200,000 deaths
* LIC, high risk, political instability and corruption
* Aid tried to reach but hampered by heavy rain
* Slow response, over a million still living in temporary shelters after a year
* Homes were rebuilt to higher standard
* Still not fully recovered, economically or with infrastructure

Question 4

Give some info on the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Answer 4

• 2004
• After a 9.0 earthquake
• Over 230,000 deaths total
• Affected 18 countries, eg Sri Lanka had a 10m high tsunami wave, killing over 30,000

Question 5

Give a particularly seismically active area of the world.

Answer 5

• Can use Philippines, 12.6 thousand earthquakes in 2021, most small.
• 80% large earthquakes on Pacific Ring of Fire (where Pacific plate being subducted).