Seismic Hazards: Impacts And Responses

Question 1

What are the primary impacts of a seismic hazard?

Answer 1

The direct result of a hazard. Eg: tsunami kills people when it hits a coast.

Question 2

What are the secondary impacts of a seismic hazard?

Answer 2

Impacts that occur as a result of primary impacts. Eg: earthquakes can break gas pipes, causing fires.

Question 3

What are the social impacts of a seismic hazard?

Answer 3

• Earthquakes can cause buildings to collapse, killing and injuring people
• Earthquakes and liquefaction can cause gas lines to break causing fire.
• Lack of clean water= disease spreads
• Tsunamis can flood large areas and kill people and cause widespread damage.

Question 4

What are the environmental impacts of a seismic hazard?

Answer 4

• Industrial units (power plants) damaged and can cause leaks of chemical material that damage the environment.
• Fires can be started by damaged electrical lines.
• Tsunamis can flood freshwater ecosystems killing plants and animals by salinising water and soil.

Question 5

What are the economic impacts of seismic hazards?

Answer 5

• Earthquakes can destroy business and damage the economy.
• Damage to buildings can be expensive to repair.

Question 6

What are the political impacts of seismic hazards?

Answer 6

• Shortages of food and water can lead to conflict.
• Governments may have to borrow money to afford repairs rather than development.

Question 7

What are the short-term responses of a seismic hazard?

Answer 7

• Rescue and Evacuation

Question 8

Can you prevent seismic hazards?

Answer 8

No but we can prevent them posing a risk to people by modifying buildings or building large sea walls to prevent tsunamis hitting land.

Question 9

How can you be prepared for seismic hazards?

Answer 9

• Authorities can install earthquake warning systems that detect seismic waves.
• Individuals can have plans on how to respond (staying away from buildings and finding shelter)
• Communities can set up search and rescue teams.

Question 10

How can you adapt to seismic hazards?

Answer 10

• Buildings designed to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis.
• Buildings can have easy evacuation routes.

Question 11

Describe the context of the Kashmir earthquake.

Answer 11

Kashmir, North Pakistan 2005
Destructive plate margin (Indian forced under Eurasian plate)
7.6 MMS

Question 12

When was the Kashmir earthquake?

Answer 12

2005

Question 13

How many aftershocks occurred after the Kashmir Earthquake?

Answer 13

1000

Question 14

What were the social impacts of the Kashmir earthquake?

Answer 14

• 80,000 died
• 3 million homeless
• Disease spread due to unclean water.

Question 15

What were the economic impacts of the Kashmir earthquake?

Answer 15

• $5 Billion in damage

Question 16

What were the environmental impacts of the Kashmir Earthquake?

Answer 16

• Landslides affected habitats
• Landslides 1km wide created a dam blocking 2 rivers.

Question 17

What were the responses to the Kashmir Earthquake?

Answer 17

• $5.8 billion aid
• Blocked roads meant access was difficult
• 40,000 relocated

Question 18

What did the Pakistani government do after the Kashmir earthquake?

Answer 18

• Set up the earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority
• Helped rebuild homes
• Offered training so new buildings were resistant to earthquakes.