Hazardous Earth Case Studies

Question 1

USA person impacts

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Myanmar people impacts

Answer 2

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

Question 3

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

Answer 3

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

Question 4

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

Answer 4

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

Question 5

USA response

Answer 5

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

Question 6

USA forecasting

Answer 6

Sophisticated monitoring systems

Uses satellite systems to predict the height of storm surges

Question 7

Myanmar forecasting

Answer 7

No monitoring centre

Warned by India 48 hours prior

Question 8

USA warning and evac

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Myanmar warning and evac

Answer 9

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

Question 10

USA defences

Answer 10

Levees brokes and pump systems were faulty

80% of city flooded

Question 11

Myanmar defences

Answer 11

Mangroves were deforested which reduced natural protection

Question 12

USA environmental impact

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Myanmar environmental impacts

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Physical vulnerability of countries to cyclones

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Economic vulnerability of countries to cyclones

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Social vulnerability of countries to cyclones

Answer 16

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

Question 17

How do tropical cyclones occur

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Seasonal distribution of cyclones

Answer 18

Northern hemisphere: water warmest from June to November

Southern Hemisphere: water warmest from November to April

Question 19

How are cyclones effected by atmospheric circulation

Answer 19

Can be blown west near the equator from easterlies

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