Multi-Hazard Environment Flashcards
Which country is an example of a Multi-Hazard environment?
The Philippines, the Philippines are a group of islands in South-East Asia, the area is vulnerable to a variety of hazards.
What hazards are the Philippines subject to?
VOLCANOES - The Philippines is near a destructive plate boundary where the Eurasian plate is subducted beneath the Eurasian plate
E.g Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991, more than 700 people died and crops and other agricultural land was ruined by the Ash.
SEISMIC HAZARDS - The Philippines is also affected by seismic hazards from the nearby plate boundary, the Moro Gulf Tsunami is an example whereby an earthquake sparked a tsunami which killed thousands.
TROPICAL STORMS - The Philippines averages around 10 tropical storms per year. E.g Typhoon Xangsane.
How does the Philippines overcome these hazards to allow people to live there?
> Despite the risks of living there, the Philippines are very densely populated with around 340 people per km2.
> Due to the amount and hence frequency of disasters, the local communities on the Philippines prepare and mitigate very well with defences on their homes and stockpiles of food.
> The Philippines offers and unusual system whereby they offer aid to mitigate against a distant before the disaster as they believe that it will cost them the same money and save lives.
> In 2009 new legislation was put into place to mitigate against future disasters, this included the banning of new buildings in high risk areas, increased public education and better early warning systems.
