Plate Tectonics KQ3 Flashcards
Land use regulation
In California, USA, all new building developments are not built across fault lines or areas at risk of liquefaction
In Japan and North America where the Pacific Ring of Fire is located, there is the prohibition of constructing new buildings on low-lying land which are vulnerable to tsunamis, unless protective barriers such as sea walls are constructed
May often need to be carried out in areas already built up or privately owned. Government authorities would have to provide compensations and some owners may also be unwilling to move
Infrastructure
A damping device is installed in Taipei 101 to absorb some of the seismic energy released during an earthquake, as well as to act as a counterweight
Adds to the cost of construction and maintenance of the buildings
Emergency drills
Every year since 1960, Japan conducts emergency dills in 1 September to commemorate Disaster Prevention Day, where an earthquake of high magnitude is simulated
Only effective if there is sufficient time for the people to evacuate
Earthquake and tsunami warning systems
Earthquakes can be monitored by studying the history of when and where earthquakes have occured, providing an estimation of the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes at particular fault lines
Installing earthquake sensors in earthquake-prone areas helps monitor the frequency of vibrations and detect possible developments of an earthquake
These sensors are expensive to install
An earthquake usually occurs seconds after a warning is sounded, not providing sufficient time for evacuation
Noise, lighting, or device failure may interfere with the seismograph and result in false warnings
It is difficult to give accurate warnings when multiple earthquakes occur close to each other
Search and rescue
After the earthquake in Tohōku Japan, 2011, sniffer dogs and heat sensors were deployed and successfully rescued many who were trapped
Rescue workers had a limited time of 3 days to search through the two towns after the earthquake
Emergency food and medical supplies
After the earthquake in Afyon, 2002, the Turkish Red Crescent Society immediately responded by delivering 20 000 tents, 50 000 blankets, and 3000 heaters to the region
After the earthquake in Haiti, 2010, looting and fighting broke out as people fought for food and medical supplies
Rebuilding of infrastructure
After the earthquake in Kobe, Japan, 1995, Japan spent billions developing technology to build more earthquake resistant buildings
Reinforces buildings built to protect against earthquakes may not be protective against tsunamis
Although many of Chile’s buildings are earthquake resistance, the coastal areas suffered massive damage form a tsunami in 2010
Provision of healthcare
Health workers were deployed to Christchurch, New Zealand, after the earthquake in 2011 as significant problems of anxiety and depression were identified amongst all age groups of the affected population
