Hazards case study-CHILE EARTHQUAKE

Question 1

when did the earthquake happen?

Answer 1

27th February 2010 at 3:47 am

Question 2

what what the magnitude and where was the epicentre?

Answer 2

8.8 and 3km off the coast of Pellunue.

Question 3

what might have been peoples perceptions?

Answer 3

level of development-HIC/NEE

96% of people are religious-fatalistic perception

Question 4

at what plate boundary did the earthquake happen at?

Answer 4

destructive between Nazca and South American plate.

Question 5

what were the social effects of the earthquake?

Answer 5

• 22,000 homes destroyed
• 12,000 fatalities

500dead

Question 6

what were the economic impacts of the earthquake?

Answer 6

-The quake and tsunami caused more than $30 billion in damages(17% of the country’s GDP)

Question 7

what were the environmental impacts of the earthquake?

Answer 7

• a fire broke out in a chemical plant in the outskirts of Santiago which caused an evacuation of the neighbourhood
• the earthquake shifted 28cm WEST-SOUTHWEST.

Question 8

what happened regarding the tsunami?

Answer 8

Tsunami warning was declared for Chile and Peru and a tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica .Panama and Costa Rica.
some 30 mins after 1st shock consecutive tsunamis hit coastal towns, a tsunami amplitude of up to 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) high was recorded in the sea

Question 9

what were the short term responses?

Answer 9

• Temporary shelters were set up for over 35,000 homeless people.
• Within ten days, 90% of homes had had power and water restored.

-Within 24 hours, the north-south highway was temporarily repaired, allowing aid to be transported from Santiago to areas affected by the earthquake.
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Question 10

what were the long term responses?

Answer 10

• The recovery took over four years.
• $60 million was raised after a national appeal, which funded 30,000 small emergency shelters

-Chile’s government launched a housing reconstruction plan just one month after the earthquake to help nearly affected 200,000 families and those whos houses had to be demolished due to safety reasons.

Question 11

successes and issues.

Answer 11

issues:

• Even after experiencing the worlds largest recorded earthquake in 1960 Chile developed strict anti-seismic building codes but the 2010 earthquake still wrecked destruction

successes:

• people are familiarised with practising countless earthquake drills and evacuation routes and even children are taught how to react
• Troops may be deployed to prevent looting.
  -government gave a tsunami warning

Question 12

hazard management cycle.

Answer 12

preparation-earthquake resistant buildings
-education

responses-quick search and rescue

              - international aid
              - evacuation of some areas

recovery-reconstruction plans
-repair roads and airports

mitigation-involved in UNESCO IPRED which is a platform for collaborative research training and education in the field of seismology and earthquake engineering in order to reduce disasters due to earthquakes.