Natural hazards Case studies Flashcards
when was Kobe earthquake
it happened in January 1995 in the early hours of the morning before rush hour
what were the basic facts of Kobe earthquake
it was the first major earthquake in Japan in 400 years
Kobe has a population of 1.5 million
Economic damage was 100 billion which was 2.5% of Japan’s GDP
6000 people killed 35,000 injured
only 3% of buildings were ensured
train line collapsed
why was Kobe at risk form an earthquake
this city was vulnerable due to the plate boundaries. Kobe is situated on a convergent boundary on the Eurasian, pacific, and Philippine sea plates surrounding these plates are numerous fault lines such as The Nojima Fault which was responsible for the earthquake
kobe is a major port which also makes it at risk of soil liquefication
what were the responses to the Kobe earthquake
highly criticised for their response due to only 200 people sent out to help 5 hours after the event occurred
it took a further 4 days for more people to be sent out
they declined international help
48,000 housing units were supplied for the homeless
what were peoples perceptions before Kobe earthquake
Overconfidence in infrastructure
Many people believed that Japan’s strict building codes and modern infrastructure made them safe from major earthquake damage.
Especially in cities like Kobe, which had modern-looking buildings and bridges.
- Lack of personal preparedness
Because large quakes hadn’t hit Kobe in a long time, people were complacent.
Emergency kits, evacuation plans, and awareness were not widespread among households.
- Trust in government systems
People thought the government and emergency services would respond quickly and effectively.
There was a false sense of security — people underestimated how bad things could get.
this c
how did Kobe peoples perception change
- Shocked by the damage
Even modern buildings collapsed, highways buckled, and fires broke out.
People’s belief that they were “safe” because they lived in a developed city was shattered.
- Realization of systemic weaknesses
Delays in government response made people lose confidence in official systems.
Local communities had to rely on self-help and neighbours in the early days.
- Greater risk awareness
After Kobe, people became much more cautious and more aware of hazards.
More emphasis on personal preparedness, better emergency drills, and improved early warning systems.
how were the wildfires in Australia distributed
the distribution of wildfires was across the whole of Australia with the least amount being in new south Wales
what were the key facts on the Australian wildfires
killed 34 people
burned 186,000 km squared
destroyed over 5900 buildings
killed an estimated one billion animals
caused large amounts of extinction
what were the impact of the wildfires in Australia
killed 34 peole
cuased people to fell to the sea to esape the fire
military planes were being deployed to provide aid to comunites
3 billion animals displaced
900 million tonnes of co2 pollution
what were the short and long term responses of the autrlian wildfires
firefighting efforts- local firefighters and volunteer groups such as a rural fire service and the fire country authority
military support- Australian defence for deployed personnel, aircraft, and ships
over 100,000 were evacuated
in Mallacoota Victoria approximately 4000 people were rescued by naval ships
The Australian government invested around $200 million to support the recovery of native wildlife and their habitats. This included initiatives like the “Koala Forever” plan, which aims to double the koala population in eastern Australia by 2050.
were the Reponses to the Australian wildfires effective
i think that the response to this earthquke had a varying effectiveness with some working very welll and oters not. For example evacuaitions were succesfull but the fire was to large making fire fighting efforts not massivly effective
what was the locaition/path of hurricane mathew
Hurricane Matthew hit hati moved past Cuba and the bahamas then hit coastakl areas of the U.S suhc as florida, georgia and south and north carolina
what were the primary impacts of hurricane matthew in the US
a
it caused 49 deaths in the us
over 2 million people were evacuated
catastrophic inland flooding
caused an estimated 10 billion in damages
2.5 million people lost there power
infrastructure damage
what were the secondary impacts of hurricane matthew on the US
Lots of small business affected in various areas
a significant number of insurance claims were filled
leading to financial strain
soil and water pollution
flooding in wildlife
what were the primary imapcts of hurricane matthew in hati
over 546 people were confirmed dead through some estimates place the death tall much higher
175,000 people were displaced
nearly 200,000 homes were damaged/destroyed
southern Hati agriculture sector was nearly obliterated
fishing boats and equipment were destroyed
river overflowed and strom surges inducted
what ere the secondary impacts to hurricane Matthew on hati
resurgence of cholera which they have been battling since 2010
their was destruction of crops causing people to loose there live hoods
Hati economy was already struggling and this made it worse
they became dependant on aid from other coutries
were the responses to hurrricane matthew effective
Personally, I think that the responses to Hurricane Matthew were much more effective in the U.S.A. compared to Haiti. In the U.S they issued numerous warnings and evacuation orders before the hurricane made landfall
Hati is a very poor country who were still revering from the 2010 earthquake and the cholera outbreak then this left them unprepared and not ready.
what were the key dates of typhoon Haiyan
a
2nd November 2013= typhoon start in the pacific
3rd November 2013= it moves west turn to depression
4th November 2013 = haiyan becomes tropical
5th November 2013= rapid intensification winds up to 175 mph
7th November 2013 = made landfall on the Philippines
10-11th= reaches Vietnam and intensity decreases
what were the primary effects of typhoon haiyan
6300 people were killed or drowned
40,000 houses were destroyed
90% of taco ban was destroyed
4.1 million peole displaced
lack of medical and water services
what were the secondary effect of Typhoon haiyan
flooding and landslides
shortages of food and water
looting brok out n taco ban
destruction of sanitaition systems
mass migration
what was the path of typhoon haiyan
typhoon haiyan hit the philipines. It is located in south east asia north of the equator. It is surrounded by the pacific ocean
what were the immediate responses to typhoon haiyan
international government aid agencies responded quickly with supplies
US aircraft carries and helicopters assisted
1200 evacuation center were set up
UK sent shelter kits
what were the long term responses to typhoon haiyan
cash for work programs were introduced
fishng and risce farming was re-established
houses rebuilt away from dangrous areas
where the responses to typhoon haiyan effective
they were both ineffective and effective. Effective Responses:
International aid: $1.5 billion pledged; countries like the US and UK sent rescue teams, supplies, and military support.
Emergency relief: Red Cross provided food, water, and shelter; field hospitals were set up.
Fast logistics: US Navy helped with helicopters and ships to reach remote areas.
Ineffective Responses:
Slow government response: Poor coordination, especially in the first few days.
Poor communication: Warnings were unclear or not understood in rural areas.
Infrastructure damage: Roads and airports destroyed, delaying aid.
how did they apply the Hazard management cycle to typhoon Haiyan
Mitigation poor building standards with very weak buildings and low investment in defences
preparedness=Warnings were issued, and some evacuations took place, Emergency shelters weren’t always strong or well-stocked.
Response Strong international aid: Countries and NGOs sent food, water, medicine, and search teams. Weak government coordination:
Slow to organise relief.
Recovery= Rebuilding homes and infrastructure took years.
“Build Back Better” campaign started to improve resilience.
what is the locaition of christchurch
Locatwd in New zealand south island in canterbury
what were the tectonics of the Christchurch earthquake
Conservative plate margin
indo australina and pacific plate margin
magnitude of 6.3
when was the Christchurch earthquake
in febuary of 2011
what were the primary effect of Christchurch earthquake
collapsed buildings
185 people killed, over 2,000 injured – hospitals worked beyond capacity.
ground liquefaction due to Christchurch’s sandy and waterlogged soil
10,000 homes were decimated and entire sububs were destroyed
what were the secondary effects of the Christchurch earthquake
population declined after as peole moved away from the are
historic buildings were destroyed- loss of heritage and identity and therefor sense of place
what were some long and short term responses to the hati earthquake
search and rescue operaitions
internatinal assistance from japan and auaralia
auastralia sent 300 persopnale
New Zealand Defence Force mobilised over 1,400 personnel to assist.
What are the tectonics of hati
Hati is located on the North American and carbiean plate on a divergent plate boundary
7.0 magnitude
What were the impacts of the hati earthquake
Casualties were estimated 250,000
1.5millon were left homeless
Cholera outbreak which killed 10,000
1 million people displaced
Infrastructure was destroyed
cholera outbreak 10,000 killed
hat were the responses to the hati earthquake
Financial aid was provided which summed up to 13 billion pounds
Termporaray camps were made for those who were displaced
Us military sent 20,000 troops to help
countries pledged over 13 billion dollars for hatis recovery
search and rescue
where is mt merapi located
it is a volcanic mountain located near the center of the island near the ceneter of the island of java in Indonesia
what are the tectonics of mt merapi
it is located on the euraisian and indo Australian plate margin whihc is a destructive plate margin. It is a stratovolcano
it loated on a subduction zone
this volcano has basaltic lava
what were the impacts of the MT Merapi volcano
over 350 people were killed including mbah mardijan who was the traditiona gardian of the volcano
nearly 400,000 people were displaced because of the volacano
pyroclastic flow caused several villages to be destroyed
tourism massivly reduced which had a large econmoic impact
contaminated rivers full of tephra and ash
what were the short and long term responses to the mt merapi erruption
there was mass evacuation of over 350,000 residents ho were within the volcanos danger zone
emergency help centers were built in school and military builings
goveremnet began to rubild the destroyed infastructure which costed in rhe relams of 450 million pounds
rehabilitaition and reconstruction after the eruption subsided the government launched programs to rebuild homes in particular houses
were the responses to MT Merapi earthquake effective
They were geerally effective but they also revealed that there are areasfor improvemnt as despite very few dying 400,000 were effected
when was mt merapi earthquake
2010
where is Eyjafjallajökull located
it is located in iceland
when did Eyjafjallajökull erupt
Th spring of 2010
what are the tectonic features of Eyjafjallajökull
It is on a construction plate margin
It is a shield volcano
It is ridge push which is diverging 2.3 Mm per year
what were the effects Ejafjallajokull eruption
a
Flights across the world were cancelled as ash was out 9km into the atmosphere which had a huge economic impact
There was flooding in the area due the melting of the glacier which was above the volcano
2.8 million tonnes of carbon was emitted
europe lost 2.6 billion in GDP
Lahars
What were the responses to the eyjafjallajokull eruption
Evacuation of 800 people
Airspace was closed
There are no improve regulations and instructions for air travel if this is to happen again where 9 airspace blocks will replace 27 This means that following this event only a few areas will be closed not the whole airspace
what is the capital of the Philippines
it is Manila which has a population of 1.7 million
why are there frequent earthquakes in the Philippines
The Philippines is surrounded by numerous different plate margins and subduction zones these different plate margins all affect the Philippines due to the seismic and volcanic hzards that they can cause. The Philippines has slowly been created by converging and diverging plate margins
why are there so many earthquakes in the Philippines which aren’t caused by tectonic plates
in the philippines, numerous fault lines can often act like plate margins. Fault lines are where there has been a crack in the tectonic plate these can create earthquakes because of the elastic strain it generates
what is an example of an earthquake which has occurred in the Philippines
Bohol earthquake isa an earthquake which occured in 2013 in a place call bohol province whihc is in central visays =. This earthquake was cuased by the now named fault line the north bohol fault. This fault line was undiscovered until this earthquake therfor making ther location of the earthquake a suprise. This earthquake caused over 200 deaths and significant damage to infastructure surrounding the area.
very shallow earthquake
magnitude of 7.2
73,000 structures damaged/ destroyed
how do the philippines remain prepared for earthquakes through several different measures
They have numerous building codes that are set by the national building code of the philippines to ensure that structures are safe. They are designed to promote the use of sesmic technology
Wat are the facts of volcanos in the Philippines
In the philippines there are around 300 volcanos 24 of which are still active there are so many volcao due to the countrys locaition along the pacfic ring of fire
What are the facts about mount pinatumbo eruption
a
This erruption occured in zambales luzon in 1991 this erruption is known as one of that largest volcanic erruptions of the 20th century. This ejected 10 billion tons of magma and ash and 15 million tons of sulfur dioxide casuing global cooling. This erruption caused a caldera o be formed and it displace thousnads of residents. This has led to widespred leahars for years due to heavy rains mixing with ash deposits. this erruption l;ed to 800 deaths
what is typhoon bopha an exmaple of
Typhoon bopah wasa catagory 5 typhoon that made landfall in midanao a reigon less acustomed to strong typhoons. wind speeds reahced 175 mph accopanyoing high rains and floods. This caused 1067 deaths and left over 800 poeple missiong and displaced 6 million. destoyed tens of thounsands of buillindgs aswell as farms. this typhoon troggered the government to imporve warning sytemsn
how are the philippines prepared for natural hazards
the philippines have many ways in whch the remain prepared for natural hazrds for exmaple they do comunoty training and regular drills where they will go to shelterstherfor increasig awenrss of these earthquakes. they have also devloped typhoon resisnt builidngs
how do the philipines respond to natural hazards
in the philippines they have a few rapid response mechanisms for exmaple they have deployment of resources and personnel during disasters vid the national disaster risk reduction and manaement plan
Search and rescue by the military, fire service, and volunteers.
Evacuation centres are set up in schools, gyms, and community halls.
Medical aid provided by local hospitals, the Red Cross, and NGOs.
Relief distribution: food, water, and temporary shelter are distributed (sometimes delayed in rural areas).
🔹 Long-Term Responses
Rebuilding infrastructure: damaged buildings, roads, and utilities repaired or reconstructed.
“Build Back Better” approach encourages more earthquake-resistant structures.
what was the moro gulf earthquake and tsunami
This earthquake occurred on August 17th 1976 in Moro Golf in Midano. This earthquake was caused due to subduction along the Cotabato Trench. This earthquake had a very large impact on its surroundings causing over 8000 deaths including deaths from the tsunami large amounts of water were forced inland. It is known as one the deadliest earthquakes in Philippine history
magnitude 8
what was the U.S.A responses to hurricane Mathew
Evacuations: Over 2 million people were evacuated from Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas before the storm.
FEMA Involvement: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was deployed quickly.
Search & Rescue: The National Guard and emergency services provided immediate rescue and aid.
Shelters & Supplies: Well-prepared shelters provided food, water, and medical support.
Long-Term Responses:
Rapid Infrastructure Repair: Roads, power lines, and homes were quickly rebuilt.
Insurance Payouts: Most victims had insurance to help with rebuilding.
Flood Defenses Improved: Areas hit by flooding had coastal defenses strengthened.
Health Monitoring: Systems were in place to prevent disease outbreaks.
What were Hati’s responses to hurricane Matthew
Emergency Aid: Haiti received international humanitarian aid from NGOs like the Red Cross and countries such as the USA.
Evacuations: Attempts were made to evacuate vulnerable areas, but communication and infrastructure were poor.
Food & Medical Aid: Distribution was delayed due to damaged roads and bridges, slowing the response.
Shelters: Emergency shelters were set up, but many were overcrowded or under-resourced.
Long-Term Responses:
Rebuilding: Very slow due to limited funding and resources.
Disease Outbreaks: A cholera outbreak worsened the humanitarian crisis.
International Support: Ongoing aid from the UN and NGOs helped rebuild some infrastructure.
Limited Government Capacity: Weak governance meant slow recovery and poor coordination.
where did the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami originate from
originated on a destructive plate margin from the island of Sumatra in sir Lanka. This was a magnitude 9.2 tsunami
when was the indian ocean tsunami of 2004
it hit on boxing day
what were the effects caused by the Indian ocean tsunami
there was a death toll of 230,000 across 14 countries, with 130,000 of that being Indonesian
70% of coastline infrastructure was destroyed
there was a total economic cost estimate of around 10 billion
the tsunami left about 1.7 million people homeless
began one of the largest relief efforts in history
lack of food due to the desturtion of shops and farms.
what were the responses to the Indian ocean tsunami
mangroves were replanted 300 million mangroves in ACEH alone
The World Food Program provided food to more than 1.3 million people
We deployed 12,600 personnel as part of Operation Unified Assistance.
By 2009, $7 billion had been invested in Indonesia alone for reconstruction.
there is now an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system, which was completed in 2006 for 125 million dollars
Were the responses to the Indian ocean tsunami effective
The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami led to a massive international aid effort, with over $14 billion pledged to help affected countries. This funding supported emergency relief and the creation of a tsunami warning system to improve future disaster responses. However, despite the generous pledges, the aid distribution faced significant challenges. Many areas experienced delays in receiving assistance due to coordination issues and damaged infrastructure. Some communities, especially remote ones, were underserved, highlighting the need for better planning and infrastructure to ensure timely and equitable aid delivery in future disasters.
