Mount Merapi 2010 Flashcards
Location
. Active composite volcano in South East Asia, on Java, Indonesia
. One of the most densely populated parts of Java with over 11,000 people living on the slopes of the mountain
. On the subduction zone of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plate
. On a destructive plate margin
. Part of Pacific Ring of Fire
Cause
. Active composite volcano with andesitic lava
. Indo-Australian Plate was subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate
. Caused a lot of pressure and heat from friction between the plates which melted the Indo-Australian plate to form magma
. Magma was lighter than its surrounding area so rose to the surface and caused a violent volcanic eruption
Background
. October 2010 . Lava ejection with hot ash cloud travelled 3km . Pyroclastic flows . Fireballs . Ash fell 30km away . 4 on VEI
Primary effects
. Villages like Bronggang were under 30cm of ash
. 273 people died
. 4000 dairy cows and agricultural land lost due to ash
. Bridges destroyed
. Lazard
. Water supplies, school and roads destroyed
Secondary effects
. 360,000 evacuated from 20km
. Planes grounded in western Australia’s
. New eruption data for hazard mapping
. Damage to ski lifts
. Difficulty reaching - air contaminated with ash ad acidic fumes
. Water contaminated with lava and ash
. Conservation centre set up around volcano where it is unsafe to live
. Global cooling followed as ash spread through upper atmosphere
. More fertile soil in area
Short term response
. 210 evacuation centres were set up as tents, in schools, churches, stadiums or government offices
. 1600 people, either volunteers or military were part of the national aid response
. Salvation Army team had given medical resources to the survivors
. International aid such as clean water and food was also offered from organisations such as the Red Cross
. Shortage of medical experts
. Temporary shelters in the safe zones such as the village of Gondang
Long term response
. Formal evacuation centres were eventually set up because building such as schools and government offices were needed for their official uses
. 2682 people had to be moved to new safer houses permanently and 300 temporary homes have been constructed
. Government made money available to farmers to help replace their livestock
. Dams built in valleys to hold back lahars and protect the residential areas volcanic flows
. Research carried out to find better ways of monitoring future eruptions
. Government strategy to stop letting people live on the slopes and £6.7m programme to buy cows off farmers
. Impractical as 11,000 people live on the slopes where the soil is most fertile