Hazards Flashcards
What is atmospheric circulation ?
The movements of air around the world due to pressure & temprature
What is an atmospheric hazard ?
Hazards caused by the weather and processes in the atmosphere
What is a conservative plate margin ?
A plate margin where 2 plates move alongside eachother
What is a constructive plate margin ?
When 2 plates move away from eachother
What is a destructive plate margin ?
When 2 plates are moving towards eachother
What is continental crust ?
The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the continents.
What is oceanic crust ?
The thinner, denser crust that makes up the ocean floor
What are the factors affecting hazard risk ?
Population
Urbanisation & population density
Frequency & magnitude
Level of development
Human activties
What are the 4 main layers of the earth
Inner core
Outer core
Mantle
Crust
Where do most earthquakes occur ?
Along plate boundaries
Where do volcanoes occur ?
At constructive & destructive plate margins
What are the primary hazards of a volcanic eruption ?
- Ash
- Pyroclastic flow
- Lava flow
- Gas emissions
- Volcanic bombs
What are the secondary hazards of a volcanic eruption ?
- Landslides
- Climate change
- Fires
-Floods
What are the primary hazards of a earthquake ?
- Ground shaking
- Gas emissions
What are the secondary effects of a earthquake ?
- Building collapse
- Landslides
- Gas leaks
- Fires
- Mudflows
- Tsunami
What are the secondary effects of an earthquake on a place ?
- Economy slows as businesses take time to re-establish and money is spent on rebuilding
- Aid struggles to reach those in need due to damaged/destroyed transport routes
-Fires start due to broken gas and electricity supplies
-Lack of clean water leads to disease
-Damaged/destroyed homes lead to homelessness
-Food prices increase
What are the primary effects of a volcanic eruption on a place ?
-Buildings, homes and farmland destroyed/damaged
-People injured/killed
-Transport routes destroyed/damaged
-Aircraft grounded due to ash in the atmosphere
-Contaminated water supply
-Ash fall buries houses/crops
What are the secondary effects of a volcanic eruption ?
- Economy slows as businesses take time to re-establish and money is spent on rebuilding
- Aid struggles to reach those in need due to damaged/destroyed transport routes
- Lack of clean water leads to disease
- Damaged/destroyed homes lead to homelessness
- Flooding caused by ice/snow melting on the volcano slopes may also cause lahars
- Food prices increase
What are immediate responses for tectonic hazards ?
- Rescue teams search for survivors
-Medical assistance for those injured
-Shelter provided for homeless
-Food and water provided
-Recovery and burial of bodies
-Warnings issued if possible - Evacuation
- Clearing ash and debris
What are long term responses for tectonic hazards ?
- Rebuild homes and other buildings
- Improve building regulations
- Improve drills, evacuation plans and warning systems
- Repair water, gas and electricity supplies
- Money given to farms for seed and new livestock
- Data from eruptions used to improve future predictions
- Government planning improved
What were the effects of Nepal 2015 ?
- Approximately 9000 deaths
- Over 20,000 people injured
- Electricity and water supplies cut
- 7000 schools and 1000 health facilities were damaged or destroyed
- Almost 3.5 million people were made homeless
- Offices, shops and factories were destroyed meaning people were unable to make a living
- Loss of tourist income which Nepal is reliant on
- Avalanches on Mount Everest and in the Langtang Valley
- Landslides which blocked roads and rivers
What were the immediate responses of Nepal 2015 ?
- Donations of money and aid from around the world totally $3 billion including $3.3 million from China and $51 million from the UK
- Many countries sent aid in the form of:
Temporary shelters
Medicines
Food
Water
Clothing
Search and rescue teams
Medical staff - 90% of the Nepalese army were mobilised
- Tent cities were set up in Kathmandu for those made homeless
- GIS crisis mapping tool was used to co-ordinate the response
- $3 million grant was provided by the Asian Development Bank for emergency relief
What are the key facts about Nepal 2015 ?
- Nepal is located on a collision boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates
- Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world with a - - - Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of under $1000 in 2015
-Located between China and India, Nepal is a landlocked country - In 2015 80% of the population lived in rural, often remote, communities
Why would people live in areas of risk ?
- Fertile soils
- Tourism
- Minerals and precious stones
- Geothermal energy
- Creating new land area
What were the long term responses of Nepal 2015 ?
- Landslides were cleared and roads repaired to restore access to remote rural communities
- Schools were rebuilt
- Earthquake drills were introduced to provide people with education about what to do in the event of an earthquake
- Stricter building codes with more enforcement
- $200 million was provided by the Asian Development Bank for rebuilding
- A new government task force was set up to plan for future earthquake events
What are the 4 key managment stratergies ?
- Protection
- Planning
- Monitering
- Prediction
What are methods of moitoring ?
- Seismometers
- Lasers and tiltmeters
- Remote sensing
- Gas sensors
- Ground water levels
What are methods of prediction ?
Volcanoes:
- Monitoring of volcanoes now allows more accurate predictions of eruptions to be made
- This allows for evacuation and exclusion areas to be put in place
- Accurate timings for eruptions are not possible
Earthquakes : impossible
What are the methods of planning
- Hazard mapping / risk assesment
- Evacuation planning
- Education
- Training
What are the methods of protection ?
Volcano :
- Evacuation
- Buildings protection
- Stronger roofes
Earthquake :
- Drills
- Earthquake reistant buildings
- Sea walls to protect against tsunami
What are the 3 names for tropical storms ?
- Typhoons in the South China Sea and west Pacific Ocean
- Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and west
coast of Mexico - Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and northern
Australia
How do tropical storms develop ?
- Over warm tropical oceans
- Between 5° and 30° north and south of the equator
- When winds converge (meet) near the ocean surface
- There is low vertical wind shear
What are the charectristics of a tropical storm ?
-Lasting 7-14 days
- Heavy rainfall
- High wind speeds (over 119 kmph)
- High waves and storm surges
- Diamter can be 100m - 100km
What are the primary impacts of tropical storms ?
- Buildings & bridges destroyed
- Roads, railways, ports, and airports are damaged
- Electricity lines are damaged/destroyed
- Gas lines broken
- Sewage overflows
- Rivers and coastal areas flooded
- Businesses destroyed
What are the secondary impacts of tropical storms ?
- People are homeless, causing distress, poverty, ill-health or death due to lack of shelter.
- Risk of fires and explosions
- People drown or injured through rushing water. Crops, livestock and habitats destroyed, leading to shortage of food and potentially famine
What are the imediate responses of tropical storms ?
- Evacuation of people before the tropical storm arrives
- Recover any dead bodies to reduce and prevents water and air borne diseases
- Overseas aid may be sent in the form of workers, supplies, equipment or financial donations
What are the long- term responses of tropical storms ?
- Repair and improve flood defences - flood gates, levees etc.
- Improve building regulations
