multiple hazard zones

Question 1

what are the two types of hazards?

Answer 1

1. tectonic: affected by plate movements
2. meteorological: climate and weather patterns like storms, hurricanes, flooding and droughts

Question 2

multiple hazard zones:

Answer 2

disaster hotspots

Question 3

multiple hazard hotspots:

Answer 3

places where 2+ tectonic hazards occur, likely where plate boundaries intersect with major storm belts in areas of high human concentration in low or medium-developed countries, e.g. Taiwan, Indonesia, El Salvador Japan and Costa Rica

Question 4

characteristics of multiple hazard hotspots:

Answer 4

1. tectonically active, so earthquakes and often eruptions are common
2. geologically young with unstable mountain zones prone to landslides
3. on major storm tracks either in mid-latitudes or on tropical cyclone tracks
4. suffer from global climate perturbations like El Nino and La Nina

Question 5

why is it important to identify a hazard hotspot?

Answer 5

1. implications for development, investment planning, disaster preparation and loss prevention
2. helps to set priorities for action and how to assign resources
3. gets more support from international aid agencies and resources to help with disaster planning and prevention

Question 6

what can be the difficulties for countries that have multiple hazard hotspots?

Answer 6

countries that are hazard-prone have priorities that come before risk management, like poverty management and fighting disease and may not be able to afford the technology to cope with multiple hazards.

Question 7

key facts about the Philippines:

Answer 7

1. The multi-hazard location sits on the major convergent plate boundary
2. high population density, rapid urbanisation, fast-growing population: rapid development
3. tropical monsoon climate
4. middle-income country
5. 74% of the population exposed to 2+ hazards
6. Manila, the capital is a megacity
7. 3rd highest risk rating in the world

Question 8

what hazards are the Philippines affected by?

Answer 8

typhoons(10 annually)
flooding
drought (irregular) caused by Australian droughts
landslides
earthquakes + tsunamis
volcanoes (Pacific Ring of Fire) 20+ active ones e.g. Mount Pinitabu

Question 9

why is the population at such high risk?

Answer 9

1. the landscape is mostly mountainous with coastal lowlands where housing and infrastructure is poorly constructed
2. poverty (40%) like on Muslim Mindanao island

Question 10

what are the issues of multiple hazards in the Philippines?

Answer 10

1. earthquake in 2006: killed 15, injured 100, damaged 800 buildings
2. generated a 3m high tsunami
3. triggered landslides which created floods that washed away houses (the crater wall of a volcano fell into a lake)
4. gets constantly hit by consecutive hazards, leaving communities trying to deal with a new disaster while still recovering from a previous one
5. drains resources and stretches the ability of emergency systems to respond

Question 11

what has been done in the Philippines to reduce the risk?

Answer 11

1. in 2009, the Philippine government passed the Disaster Risk Management Act to increase resilience and reduce risk
2. included: removing illegal settlers from areas prone to hydrometeorological hazards
3. advisory systems for meteorological events and monitoring of volcanoes, mapping of fault systems in Manila
4. comprehensive 2011-2028 National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan
5. a National Disaster Response Pillar provides info (updates + contacts) and links to all government and relief agencies, and volunteers for coordination