Tectonic gateway 3 Flashcards
Preparedness measures
5
- Land use regulation
- Improvements to infrastructure
- Emergency drills
- Earthquake warning and monitoring system
- Tsunami warning and monitoring system
Land use regulation elab
-rules implemented to restrict developments in certain areas
(eg California, buildings are not built across fault lines or places at risk of liquefaction)
-prohibition of constructing new building materials on low-lying areas which are vulnerable to tsunamis. Protective barriers like sea walls are built
(eg Japan)
LIMITATIONS
-Costly as the government may need to carry out land use regulation in areas already built up or previously owned. The government has to buy land from private owners who may be reluctant to move as they believe that another hazard will not happen. The government will have to compensate those who move and put up protective barriers
Improvements to infrastructure elab (what it is about)
-adds to the cost of construction and maintenance. It reduces the number of lives lost and there is more time for search and rescue and evacuation. This will reduce the amount of money spent on recovery
Emergency drills elab
-practicing steps to take when an earthquake occurs. This creates awareness among the population so reduce panic and irrational behaviour. People move to safe locations, listen to instructions, and practice first aid. They also become members of the local response team to assist people during a disaster
eg Japan conducts emergency drills on 1 Sept, where an earthquake of a high magnitude is simulated. This prepares people mentally. Main roads are blocked to simulate possible road conditions. Emergency vehicles have to seek alternative routes
LIMITATIONS
- It is based on the highest magnitude earthquake recorded. 2011 Tohoku earthquake was of a magnitude never before experiences and the drills were inadequate to prevent the devastation of areas
- it is only effective if there is sufficient time to evacuate. There is usually insufficient time as earthquakes are difficult to predict
SUCCESSES
-Japan 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Millions of people were alerted minute before it occured. Schoolchildren and office workers behaved calmly and went to designated emergency buildings and shelters. There was no wild stampede and queue cutting which speeded up the evacuation process and is believed to have saved uneccessary loss of life.,
Earthquake warning and monitoring system elab
- study the history and time of previous earthquakes to estimate the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes at particular fault lines
- seismic risk maps shows the likelihood of locations at risk. However, it only gives a general indication of frequency and magnitude and no precise information on the time, location and magnitude
- earthquake sensors monitor the frequency of vibrations to detect the possible developments of an earthquake
- earthquake monitoring data is installed on bridges and roads to monitor ground conditions and enable the occurrence of an earthquake. (eg Japan)
- This can quickly estimate the damage to infrastructure
DISADVANTAGES
- expensive to obtain, install, and use
- earthquakes tend to occur seconds after a warning so there is insufficient time to evacuate
- noise, lightning, and device failure interferes with the seismograph and can lead to false warnings.
- it is difficult to give accurate warnings when multiple earthquakes occur near to each other
Tsunami warning and monitoring system elab
-linked to warning systems to warn people of the occurrence of a tsunami. Pressure sensors, seismographs, and deep ocean tsunami detectors are used to monitor and forecast the path of tsunamis
How deep ocean tsunami detectors work:
- A surface buoy is connected to a pressure sensor
- The temperature and pressure is measured and relayed to a buoy every 15s
- The information is sent via satellite to land-based tsunami stations
DISADVANTAGES
- prone to giving false warnings when waves are high
- little time to evacuate once a warning is given
Short-term responses
- Search and Rescue
2. Emergency food and medical supplies
Search and Rescue elab
-people trapped are quickly found and freed
SUCCESSES
-Survivors are found after being trapped for weeks without food
eg Tohoku earthquake. Sniffer dogs and heat sensors were deployed and this helped to rescue many people
LIMITATIONS
-there is a limited time of 72h as survivors are unlikely to survive for more than 72h without food and water
eg Tohoku earthquake. Emergency services had to search through 2 towns in 72h
Emergency food and medical supplies elab
-survivors are treated with clean drinking water to prevent dehydration and the spread of diseases
SUCCESSES
-survivors can continue with their lives
LIMITATIONS
-supplies may be insufficient and this can cause social unrest
eg Haiti, 2010. There was looting and fighting for food and medical supplies
Long-term respoonses
- Rebuilding of infrastructure
2. Provision of healthcare
Rebuilding of infrastructure elab
-infrastructure and amenities are rebuilt and improved on
SUCCESSES
-can develop stricter building codes and restore buildings at a higher safety level
eg Kobe spent billions of dollars on developing technology to build more earthquake-resistant buildings
LIMITATIONS
-buildings are built to protect against earthquakes no tsunamis so coastal protection is still needed
eg Chile. Buildings were earthquake-resistant but coastal areas were damaged from the tsunami
Provision of healthcare elab
-health options are provided
eg long-term counselling for the loss of a loved one, homes, or jobs. This can cause long-lasting trauma
SUCCESSES
-problems are identified and addressed early
eg Christchurch earthquake. Anxiety and Depression was identified so more healthcare workers were deployed
LIMITATIONS
-improving the health options and restore the resilience of people is challenging
eg Haiti. Survivors lacked basic necessities so it took importance over their mental health
Improvements to infrastructure elab (what needs to be done)
- Infrastructure needs to withstand vibrations. Done by:
1. Having effective building design which reduces the chances of the building collapsing, thus minimising infrastructural damage
2. Roads, bridges, and damns have to resist the shaking of the ground so that it does not collapse and is easily repaired
3. Factories have trip switches to ensure that all electrical appliances are switched off. This prevents fires from breaking out (eg Japan. Machines in factories automatically shut down when they sense earthquake vibrations)
eg Taipei 101 has:
- Reinforced concrete and steel are better at withstanding earthquakes
- Damping devices act as a counterweight and moves in the direction opposite to the motion of the earthquake. The building will sway less and there is a lower chance of it collapsing. It also acts as shock absorbers for some seismic energy released
- Wide and heavy base decreases the chances of the building collapsing
- Base isolation bearing (eg rubber) between the ground and the building acts as a buffer and prevents the building from shaking too much . It absorbs the force of the earthquake, reducing the movement of the building
Improvements to infrastructure elab (successful example and ineffective example)
successful:
-buildings meant to sway but not collapse. If the building sways, it gives the people inside more time to evacuate
(eg 2013, 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Taipei. A 12 storey department store shook violently but did not collapse)
ineffecttive:
-2008 Sichuan Earthquake. There was immense destruction with reconstruction costs of over US$150 million. This was due to lax building codes and insufficient revenue. Schools and hospitals collapsed due to shoddy work and corruption among officials and contractors who used non-earthquake resistant materials
