hazard case study Flashcards
Mount Pinatubo primary impacts
explosion sent a cloud of ash 30 km into atmosphere. Eruptions accompanied by earthquakes and torrential rain. Ash destroyed all crops on adjacent farmland.
200,000 homes collapsed due to the ash.
Power supplies were cut off for 3 weeks.
Contaminated water supply.
Relief efforts hindered due to damaged infrastructure.
700 deaths, 6 directly from eruption, 600 from disease, and 70 from lahars.
Mount Pinatubo secondary impacts
Over one million animals died as there was not enough grass due to the ash and acid rain. Many people had to take refuge in refugee camps. Disease spread easily there. Typhoons meant that heavy rainfall occurred which caused flooding and lahars. The ash caused global temperatures to drop by 0.5’C.
Mount Pinatubo short-term responses
Manila airport closed, 200,000 ppl relocated, Oxfam provided food and blankets. 23 USGS helped to advise the communities.
Mount Pinatubo long-term responses
President raised 10 billion Filipino peso by setting up a fund. New houses have been built on stilts. UK government sent millions in aid.
Mount Nyiragongo primary impacts
147 deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning, 400,000 people evacuated, 80% of Goma airport covered in lava, 1/3 of city destroyed, water shortages due to disrupted water supply
Mount Nyiragongo secondary impacts
Looting occurred, jobs lost, overcrowded refugee camps, acid rain, businesses were destroyed
Mount Nyiragongo short-term responses
50k ppl trapped between 2 lava flows, damage to Goma airport meant disrupted aid, UN sent 260 tonnes of food within a week, $35 million in aid from government around the world, Oxfam send £150,000 in water cleaning products
Mount Nyiragongo long-term responses
Prevention- 30 new signs that show the early signs of eruption put up, education in schools, leaflets about evacuation is given out, evacuation routes are set up
Planning- officials have been retrained and provided with evacuation plans
Prediction- measure gases emissions, observatory records data on the volcano and monitors it
Ghorkha Earthquake primary impacts
9000 deaths, 3 million homeless, 50% of shops were destroyed, cost was estimated to be $5 million, 7000 schools were destroyed
Ghorkha Earthquake secondary impacts
Avalanches and landslides were triggered which blocked relief efforts, 19 ppl died due to avalanches on Mt Everest, Rice seed planting ruined, Tourism industry declined
Ghorkha Earthquake short-term response
India and China provided over $1 billion in international aid, half a million tents were provided for the homeless, facebook launched a safety feature, helicopters rescued people and delivered aid to villages which got cut off
Ghorkha Earthquake long-term response
The ADB gave $3 million for relief and $200 million for rehabilitation phase, landslides cleared, roads repaired, repairs made to Everest trekking ad base camps, stricter building codes were introduced
Tohoku Earthquake primary impact
Over 15,000 deaths, 25k injured, 2000 roads were damaged, 4.4 million households were left without electricity
