How people respond to earthquakes

Question 1

why response measures are needed

Answer 1

• impossible to prevent EQ
• impt to restore a place, make it liveable again after disaster
• short term vs long term responses

Question 2

short term responses

Answer 2

• occur immediately, last for weeks aft EQ
• provide survivors basic necessities of food, water, shelter
• ensure survival of ppl in affected areas aft event

Question 3

types of short term responses

Answer 3

1. search and rescue

2. humanitarian aid: providing emergency medical aid, food and water

Question 4

short term response: search and rescue

Answer 4

-save those trapped under collapsed buildings, locate and free quickly

Question 5

short term response: search and rescue (+)

Answer 5

• some survivors found aft being trapped for several weeks w/o food
• e.g. 2011 Tohoku, aft EQ, sniffer dogs and heat sensors deployed, rescue many trapped under rubble

Question 6

short term response: search and rescue (-)

Answer 6

• limited time for rescue workers to find survivors, abt 3 days
• w/o food and water, unlikely to survive

Question 7

short term response: humanitarian aid

Answer 7

• injured treated
• clean drinking water provided to survivors, prevent dehydration and spread of diseases
• emergency shelters for homeless

Question 8

short term response: humanitarian aid (+)

Answer 8

• help survivors cope with disaster
• may also be aid sent to affected area by foreign gov, NGO
• e.g. after EQ in Afyon, Turkey 2002, Turkish Red Crescent Society, immediate response, deliver 20k tents, 50k blankets, 2k heaters

Question 9

short term response: humanitarian aid (-)

Answer 9

• insufficient supplies, social unrest if those in need dont get supplies
• countries may not have means/money to provide extensive aid e.g. dont have enough workers/trained personnel (LDC vs DC, Haiti vs Japan)
• emergency shelters cramped, easy spread of air-borne, water-borne diseases

Question 10

long term responses

Answer 10

• rebuild, prepare for next disaster

- stretch over months and years

Question 11

long term responses: rebuilding and improving infrastructure

Answer 11

-infrastructure and amenities rebuilt and improved aft disaster

Question 12

long term responses: rebuilding and improving infrastructure (+)

Answer 12

• authorities often develop stricter building codes
• ensure higher lvls of safety
• e.g. after 1995 Kobe Japan EQ,, spent billions developing tech to build more EQ resistant buildings
• change in building code ensures buildings able to withstand tremors from seismic waves

Question 13

long term responses: rebuilding and improving infrastructure (-)

Answer 13

• reinforced buildings may be resistant to shaking of tremors, may not be for tsunamis
• e.g. though many buildings in Chile EQ resistant, coastal areas suffered damage frm tsunami when EQ struck (2010) (same for Tohoku EQ 2011)

Question 14

long term responses: provision of and improvement of healthcare options

Answer 14

• healthcare options e.g. long term counselling

- loss of loved ones after EQ, long term trauma (PTSD)

Question 15

long term responses: provision of and improvement of healthcare options (+)

Answer 15

• help injured/psychologically disturbed victims
• restore livelihoods thru identifying and addressing problems early
• e.g. a year aft Christchurch EQ, NZ in 2001, anxiety and depression prominent among all age groups of affected population, more health workers deployed in that area

Question 16

long term responses: provision of and improvement of healthcare options (-)

Answer 16

• provision of healthcare options may be challenging to carry out
• affected may not be able to gain access to healthcare options
• e.g. many survivors affected by Haiti EQ in 2010 continue to lack access to basic necessities, less healthcare options