T 1.1-1.4 Flashcards
Hazard vs disaster differences
Hazard is an event that is a potential threat
Disaster is where losses are actually experienced
Hazard risk equation
Risk = (event x vulnerability)/ capacity to cope
What is the essence of capacity to cope?
- about governance
- empowerment of individuals
- drills/ faith in government
Garman - resilience in Japan
How can magnitude be measured?
- use Richter scales
- use p&s scales
- use moment magnitude scale (MMS) - measure of an earthquakes magnitude based on its seismic moment
- volcanic explosivity index (VEI) - a relative measure of explosiveness of volcanic eruptions
Different forms of vulnerability
Physical - where they live
Economic - lost jobs, incomes and assets
Social - disadvantaged groups
Knowledge - training and education
Environment - population growth into risky areas
At what point is a hazard event classed as a disaster?
Any one of: 2000 deaths 200000 homeless 5% gdp drop 1+ year of aid
What is urban resilience made up of?
- metabolic flows - production, supply and consumption chains
- governance networks - institutional structures and organisations
- social dynamics - demographics, human capital and inequity
- built environment
Stats of actual tohoku earthquake
- struck 80 miles from the coast
- epicentre 43 miles to east - 9 moment magnitude
- caused a 133ft tsunami that swept through miles of land
- 20 ft high wall of water
- 500mph
- overwhelmed best tsunami defences in the world
- 2.5 minutes of tectonic activity caused all of this
Impacts of tohoku earthquake
- 16000+ dead, 6000 injured, 2500 missing
- 3.5% gdp drop
- vast damage to infrastructure
- damage to oil refineries causing fires(port of Sendai)
- radioactive vapour leaked from Fukushima plant
- 4 of japans 11 nuclear plants shut down
What does the PAR model suggest about vulnerability?
- socio economic context of a hazard is extremely important as even a small hazard can result in a larger risk due to the numerous possible influences on vulnerabiiity
What does context consist of?
- unsafe conditions
- dynamic pressure
- root causes
Unsafe conditions in Kashmir
- poor building practises and code enforcement
- houses built on undesirable steep land
- lack of knowledge on correct seismic construction
- loss of traditional skills ( dhajji dewari)
- increase in modernised concrete construction
- access road blockages due to landslides
Dynamic pressures in Kashmir
- deforestation due to illegal felling and corrupt practises
- population growth over long period (increased resource demand
- cold climate
- high agricultural dependency
- Chinese built Karakoram Highway
root causes of Kashmir disaster
- relations with Indian government meant less aid
- Afghan war
- long term RUM - higher urban pop. Density
Main responses to Kashmir disaster
- army
- US 5.4bn
- Pakistani Britons said aid
- UN provide 2.4m blankets, 1.2m quilts and 170k plastic sheets and 200k tarpaulins to strengthen tents
- Dhajji Dewari - traditional strong house design
Main barriers to help in Kashmir
- unseasonal torrential rain/hail
- harsh Himalayan weather blocked access for 6+ months
- fresh landslides
- corruption, poor literacy and education
- during Ramadan school day, parents sleeping , children inside school
Impact of Kashmir earthquake
100k dead, 138 injured, 3.5m displaced
Pakistan corruption index
31/100 very corrupt
Use of Park’s model
- framework for looking at how quickly an area can recover from disasters and if they can build back their capacity to cope
- it is a curve
Stages of the park model
1 - modifying the cause I’d the event ( pre disaster)
2 - hazardous event (relief hours to days)
3 - search, rescue and care (relief hours to days)
4 - relief and rehabilitation period, modify the loss (rehabilitation days to weeks)
5. Recovery phase, permanent rebuild of physical and social infrastructure to prevent repeat (reconstruction weeks to years)