Hazardous Earth Case Studies Flashcards

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1
Q

USA person impacts

A

1800 deaths
300,000 houses destroyed
230,000 jobs lost

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2
Q

Myanmar people impacts

A

140,000 deaths
450,000 houses destroyed
65% of rice paddies damaged - loss of jobs

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3
Q

Tohoku Earthquake: magnitude, damage cost, amount homeless, deaths, other

A
9.0 magnitude
$235bn damages 
230,000 homeless 
15,900 deaths 
Fukushima nuclear meltdown
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4
Q

Haiti Earthquake: magnitude, damage cost, amount homeless, deaths, other

A
7.0 magnitude 
$14bn damages
1 million homeless 
316,000 deaths
1 in 5 jobs lost  
Cholera outbreak
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5
Q

USA response

A

Rescue teams not prepared which left people stranded
Issued warnings and evacuations
Could track hurrican
Invested $14bn into new levees

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6
Q

USA forecasting

A

Sophisticated monitoring systems

Uses satellite systems to predict the height of storm surges

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7
Q

Myanmar forecasting

A

No monitoring centre

Warned by India 48 hours prior

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8
Q

USA warning and evac

A

NHC issued warning 3 days before to southern states
Later declared emergency and 70-80% residents from Orleans were evacuated
Reduced deaths

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9
Q

Myanmar warning and evac

A

Warnings issued of TV didn’t reach rural communities
No preparation of evac plans
More people killed

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10
Q

USA defences

A

Levees brokes and pump systems were faulty

80% of city flooded

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11
Q

Myanmar defences

A

Mangroves were deforested which reduced natural protection

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12
Q

USA environmental impact

A

Coastal habitats damaged - turtle breeding sites
Coastal conservation areas were destroyed
Oil spills from oil refineries being flooded

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13
Q

Myanmar environmental impacts

A

Irrawaddy delta - 14000km2 flooded
38000 hectares of mangroves destroyed
Flooding caused erosion and salination of land

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14
Q

Physical vulnerability of countries to cyclones

A

Low lying coastlines - storm surges can reach further
Areas in paths of tropical cyclones
Steep hillsides may increase risk of landslides

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15
Q

Economic vulnerability of countries to cyclones

A

People may not have insurance to cover cost of repairs
People in poor countries depend on agriculture which is often badly affected - loss of livelihood
Economic impact can be greater in richer countries as they have more expensive infrastructure to get damaged

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16
Q

Social vulnerability of countries to cyclones

A

Poorer countries are more vulnerable because
Poorer building quality, easily damaged
Health not good so they cannot treat injuries
Little money spent on flood defences or training rescue teams
Poor infrastructure means it’s harder to rescue people

17
Q

How do tropical cyclones occur

A

Warm, moist air rises and condensation occurs
This releases huge amounts of energy which makes storms powerful
Rising air creates low pressure area which increases surface winds

18
Q

Seasonal distribution of cyclones

A

Northern hemisphere: water warmest from June to November

Southern Hemisphere: water warmest from November to April

19
Q

How are cyclones effected by atmospheric circulation

A

Can be blown west near the equator from easterlies

Can be blown east further away from the equator by midlatitude westerlies