Sichuan Earthquake (May 2008) Flashcards
Magnitude? Focus?
=> 7.9 magnitude.
=> 19km focus.
Level of Development?
=> $3,500 GDP in 2008.
=> Less developed than other areas like Beijing.
Tectonic Setting?
=> Caused by collision of Indian and Eurasian plate.
Extent of hazard?
=> Caused local landslides, clogged/blocked rivers. —-> 30 quake lakes, flooding in Beichuan.
=> Thailand felt tremors after 6 mins.
Primary Effects?
=> 87,000 deaths.
=> 370,000 injured.
Secondary Effects?
=> $86 billion damage.
=> Investigations launched into corruption by CCP as senior officials questioned over construction of buildings, especially schools and their EQ resistance.
Responses?
Immediate:
=> Government quickly deployed 130,000 soldiers and other relief workers. BUT lack of modern rescue equipment and remote villages caused delays.
=> 1 week: Asked for help - Teams from Japan, Russia, and South Korea joined effort, and over £100 million donated to Red Cross to help run camps.
Long-Term:
=> Entire town of Beichuan rebuilt in 3 years with EQ-resistant buildings.
Why in a tectonic area?
=> Fertile soils for agriculture.
=> Huge trust in government/ fear of government if they leave.
Economic Impacts?
=> 3,500 km of roads damaged.
=> Reconstruction costs $135 bn.
=> CCP National Development and Reform Commission pledged $147 BN as part of a reconstruction plan, prioritising reconstruction of public services. Plans to make them more EQ- resistant.
=> BUT Sichuan’s GDP has doubled in 2011.
Environmental Impacts?
=> Geological hazards include avalanches and quake lakes covering over 100km2.
=> Rivers running through Beichuan were blocked. —> 30 lakes leading to serious flood risk to those downstream.
Political Impacts?
=> China requested international assistance for the first time, admitting it needed assistance and ‘opening’ up to aid.
=> Had faced criticism over previous efforts to restrict journalist access —-> Allowed journalists to document EQ zones leading to unprecedented coverage and much international support.
=> Importance of political intervention is legislative enforcement for changes made —-> Congress amended law ensuring the public were educated and buildings built to a higher standard.
Mitigating/ Modifying against Vulnerability?
=> Key success of PLA who were dispatched by the government within 14 mins, providing help to affected areas.
=> Law amendments: A) Established national disaster prevention system. B) Data collection from 100,000 new monitoring stations on nation-wide scale. C) Natural disaster reduction is now a primary task in technology development.
Mitigating/ Modifying against Losses?
=> Police and military roadblocks and surveillance prevented non-essential personnel. Use of disinfectant to stop disease spread.
—-> Helped to reduce secondary disaster of disease, flooding, and damage from aftershocks.
=> 2010 Tort Liability Law makes developers and contractors liable for construction collapse.
=> Local government encouraged families to have more children. E.g providing free medical services, fertility treatments and financial support.
Effect on Sense of Place?
=> Beichuan place meaning —> Sense of intense loss, grief, and injustice (corruption of local officials and construction industry).
=> Beichuan now framed as dark tourism —> Commercialisation of ruins.
=> Gov built new Beichuan town 19 miles away, framed by government as signifying hope.
