MULTI-HAZARDOUS AREA: California, USA Flashcards
Where do earthquakes occur?
San Francisco Bay Area, coastline and LA
What causes the seismic hazard?
- San Andreas Fault (among others)
- conservative plate margin of Pacific and North American plates
What are the social impacts of the seismic hazard?
Deaths & injury, but relatively small e.g. only one in South Napa
What are the economic impacts of the seismic hazard?
- infrastructure collapse
- damage to water mains
- liquefaction
What are the environmental impacts of the seismic hazard?
Fires and landslides
What are the management strategies?
- faulty risk perception
- aseismic buildings and retrofitting
- FEMA involvement
- Crystal Cathedral
What is the case study example for landslides?
La Conchita 2005
Where does the landslide hazard occur?
Mountainous regions and slopes
What causes the landslide hazard?
- steep slopes
- weak sedimentary rock
- heavy, persistent rain
What were the impacts of the La Conchita landslide?
- social:
– 10 dead - economic:
– 5 houses buried - environmental:
– ½ million tonnes of debris
What are the management strategies for the landslide hazard?
None, this is due to:
– thinking it’s worth the risk
– commuters want beach houses
– place attachment
What is the case study example for wildfires?
South California 2003
Where does the wildfire hazard occur?
Hills and SoCal
What causes the wildfire hazards?
- 7 million people live in high risk areas
- chaparral is flammable
- Mediterranean climate
- south facing steep slopes
- canyons funnel winds
- Santa Ana winds blow west towards settlements
What are the impacts of the 2003 wildfire?
- social:
– 24 dead - economic:
– 4000 homes destroyed - environmental:
– seeds germinate
