Tectonic Hazards and Processes EQ3

Question 1

What are the main tectonic disaster trends?

Answer 1

• deaths have fallen over time due to better response, management and prediction. (More then 120,000 fallen to 20,000 in 2015
• number of reported disaster have increased then stabilised due to improvements in data coverage (can get data from more rural areas)
• number of people affected by disasters continue to rise as populations grow and more people live in risky locations
• economic looses have increased as more affluent people and more advanced technology

Question 2

Why are data statistics often inaccurate?

Answer 2

• depends what is counted (primary deaths or secondary deaths)
• locations (rural/remote areas tend to under recorded)
• declaration on number of deaths could be ignored or over extracted (deaths of tourists in 2004 Tsunami Thailand were played down to protect there tourist industry
• statistic during disasters are hard to locate
• time trend analysis is difficult to do

Question 3

What is a tectonic mega disaster?

Answer 3

These are large scale disasters that are usually classified as high impact, low probability (HILP) events.
E.g. 2004 Boxing Day Tsunamis and 2010 Haiti

Question 4

What are the main characteristics of mega disasters?

Answer 4

• large scale disasters either spatial and aerial scale, or economic or human
• pose problems fro effective management (short and long term)
• countries will enquire international support in the immediate aftermath and long term recovery.

Question 5

Why was the 2004 Asian Tsunami classified at a HILP?

Answer 5

• 14 counties affected surrounding the Indian Ocean affected
• huge economic losses and deaths toll in Indonesia and Thailand

Question 6

What was the 2011 Japanese tsunami (Tohoku)?

Answer 6

• only Japan was directly affected, but economic impacts had global consequences
• massive disruption to ports, factories and power supplies
• nuclear meltdown at Fukushima catalyses Germany abandoning its nuclear energy programme.

Question 7

Why is the 2010 Eyjafjallokull earthquake classified as a HILP event?

Answer 7

• 20 European countries affected due to the total or partial closure of their airspace
• The ash cloud cancelled 100,000 flight costing £1 billion.

Question 8

What is a multiple hazard zone?

Answer 8

Multiple-hazard zones are places where a number of physical hazards combine to create an increased level of risk for the country and its population. These are disaster hotspots.
E.g. Philippines with 36.4% of population exposed to 5 separate hazards.

Question 9

What are hydro meteorological hazards?

Answer 9

Natural process of a atmospheric nature that may cause loss life and destruction. Examples include floods, droughts, storms and tropical cyclones.

Question 10

What is prediction?

Answer 10

Predictions includes knowing when or where a natural hazard will occur on a spatial and temporal scale. This means communities have time to prepare and evacuate.

Question 11

What is forecasting?

Answer 11

Forecasting is a much less precise prediction which provides a percentage chance of a hazard occur. It is a lot less accurate.

Question 12

How can earthquake be predicted?

Answer 12

It is not possible to make accurate predictions of the occurrence of earthquake. Scientists are using
- animal behaviour
- changes in radon emission
- electromagnetic variation
To attempt to predict earthquake.

Question 13

How are earthquake forecasting?

Answer 13

Earthquake risk can be forecasted since it’s based if the statistical likelihood of an event happening at a particular location. They are based of data and evidence gathered through global seismic monitoring networks and historical networks.

Question 14

Why is forecasting important?

Answer 14

Forecasting is important as it encourages governments to enforce better buildings regulation and no build zones in areas of high stress . As well as develop education and evacuation procedures.

Question 15

Why are earthquake predictions not that helpful?

Answer 15

For predictions to be useful they need to be highly accurate both spatial and temporally to enable evacuation of certain areas they are not meaning the usefulness of them is arguable.

Question 16

How can volcanic eruptions be predicted?

Answer 16

• monitoring equipment on volcanos can measure changes as the magma chambers fill
• tilt meters can record tithe volcanos ‘bulging’ as the mahatma rises
• seismometers can record minor earthquakes including magma movement
• gas spectrometers analyse gas emissions. (Carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide)

Question 17

How useful are volcanic predictions?

Answer 17

Volcanic eruptions are fairly predictable as data is both spatially and temporally accurate. The minimal death rolls from recent volcanic eruption can be mainly attributed to vastly improved prediction.

Question 18

How can Tsunamis be predicted?

Answer 18

Tsunamis can be partially predicted
- earthquake induced ones cannot be predicted
- seismometers can tell an earthquake occurrence and locate it and ocean monitoring equipment can detect tsunamis in the open sea.
- this can be relayed to coastal areas which can be evacuated.

Question 19

What is the hazard management cycle?

Answer 19

The hazard management cycle illustrates the different stages of managing hazards it attempt to reduce the scale of a disaster. It creates a cycle with one hazard event informing the preparation of the next.

Question 20

What are the stages of the hazard management cycle?

Answer 20

1. The Hazard
2. Response (immediate help to save lives through search and rescue and shelter)
3. Recovery (rebuilding infrastructure and services)
4. Mitigation (acting it reduce the scale of the next disaster though land use zoning and hazard buildings)
5. Preparedness ((community education, warning systems and evacuation drills)

Question 21

What are the physical factors the can affect a response?

Answer 21

• geographical accessibility
• type of hazard (scale, magnitude)
• topography of region (mountainous)
• climate (e.g, monsoon rains)

Question 22

What are the human factors that can affect response?

Answer 22

• population density
• degree of community preparedness
• technology and resource abundance
• economic wealth and life, of infrastructure
• level of governance
• ability of services (health, repose teams)

Question 23

What does the recovery stage of the hazard management cycle depend on?

Answer 23

• the magnitude (bigger means longer recovery)
• development level (poorer nations tend to be more severely effected)
• governance (aid money distribution)
• external hero (international aid)

Question 24

What does the hazard management cycle depict?

Answer 24

It shows how the choice of response depends on a complex and interlinked range of physical and human factors. As there are limited resources and time to make decisions the relative importance of each factors has to be considered.

Question 25

What is land use zoning and how does it ‘modify the event’?

Answer 25

Land use zone is areas were buildings are prohibited as they are classed at high risk from tectonic hazards such as on
- low lying coastlines
- close to volcanos
- areas of high intensity shaking or high risk form liquefaction

Question 26

What are the positives and negative of land use zoning?

Answer 26

+ low cost
+ remove people from high risk areas
- prevent economic development of high valued land (coastal tourism)
- requires strict and enforced planning laws so good governance is needed

Question 27

What is aseismic building and how does it ‘modify the event’?

Answer 27

These are buildings that contain re enforcements making them resistant to most earthquakes. It includes
- cross bracing
- counter weights
- deep foundations
- reinforced cement concrete roof
- hollow concrete bricks designed to cause minimal damage

Question 28

What are Tsunami defences and how does it ‘modify the event’?

Answer 28

Tsunami sea walls (mangroves or man made) and breakwaters that try and prevent the waves travelling inland or dissipate some of the wave energy.

Question 29

What are the advantages or disadvantages of tsunami defences?

Answer 29

+ reduced damages as less wave energy
+ provides a sense of security for the community
- can be overtopped (community then might be underprepared)
- very high cost
- can be ugly and restrict coastal tourism

Question 30

What is lava diversion and how does it ‘modify the event’?

Answer 30

These are channels, barriers or water coolers that are used to divert the lava away from areas of high vulnerability or cool it before it gets there.
E.g. 1973 eruption Island of Heimaey, Iceland. The community sprayed sea water on the lava flow preventing it hitting the fishing ports (economic centre of the island)

Question 31

What are the advantages and disadvantages of lava diversion?

Answer 31

+ diverts lava out of harms ways
+ relatively low cost
- only works for basaltic lava
- lava flows aren’t the main killers/destroyers of volcanos

Question 32

What is modifying the vulnerability of a tectonic hazard?

Answer 32

This happens before a hazard strikes. It means increasing the resilience of the community to increase their capacity to cope.

Question 33

What are the different approaches to ‘modifying the vulnerability’?

Answer 33

-prediction, forecasting and warnings
- improvements in community preparedness (evacuation and survival kits)
- working/educating people to change behaviours to reduce disaster risk

Question 34

What is predictions and how does it ‘modify the vulnerability’?

Answer 34

Predictions are used to warn ommunities to a tectonic hazard giving them a chance of evacuate or prepare for the impacts. It includes
- Hi tech monitoring
- prediction
- education and community preparedness
- adaptation

Question 35

How does Japan ‘modify the vulnerability’?

Answer 35

After the 1995 Kobe earthquake NIED deployed 1000 strong motion accelerometers throughout the country. During an earthquake the primary and secondary wave velocity’s are measured at each site and logged. Data is then sent to the local government, where it is used to plan Lao land emergency management and repose.

Question 36

What are the advantage and disadvantages to Hi-tech Scientific Monitoring for prediction?

Answer 36

+ in most cases it is accurate and correct
+ the warnings and evacuation save lives
- costly (most developing worlds can afford
- may not be accurate especially for earthquakes (2009 L’Aquila)
- dosas not prevent property damage

Question 37

What is community preparedness and education and how does it ‘modify the vulnerability’?

Answer 37

This includes education in schools, earthquake kits (with key resources) and evacuation planning.

Question 38

What are the advantages and disadvantages of community preparedness and education?

Answer 38

+ lost cost as often implemented by NGOs
+ can save lives through small actions
- does not prevent property damage
- harder to implement in rural areas

Question 39

What is adaptation and how does it ‘modify the vulnerability’?

Answer 39

This includes moving out of harms way and relocating to a safe area.

Question 40

What are the advantages and disadvantages of adaptation?

Answer 40

+ saves both lives and property’s
- high population density prevent it
- disrupts people traditional homes and traditions

Question 41

What is ‘modifying the loss’?

Answer 41

It’s occurs after a hazard and aims to reduce the short and mong term losses through aid recovery and reconstruction. It includes
- short snd long term aid
- insurance
- community actions

Question 42

What is short term emergency aid and how does it ‘modify the loss’?

Answer 42

This is immediate search and rescue efforts done by NGOs and the community. As well as the provision of food, water and shelter.

Question 43

What are the advantages and disadvantages of short term aid?

Answer 43

+ reduces death toll by saving lives and keeping people alive until long term aid arrives
- high cost
- difficult to distribute in remote areas
- emergency services and limited snd poorly equipped in developing countries

Question 44

What is long term aid and how does it ‘modify the loss’?

Answer 44

This is aid in the form of reconstruction plans to rebuild an area and possibly improve resilience.

Question 45

What are the advantages and disadvantages of long term aid?

Answer 45

+ reconstruction can ‘build in’ resilience through land use planning (Build Back Better was used in the Philippine after Typhoon Haiyan
- very high cost
- needs as quickly forgotten by the media after initial disaster

Question 46

What are the advantages and disadvantages of long term aid?

Answer 46

+ reconstruction can ‘build in’ resilience through land use planning (Build Back Better was used in the Philippine after Typhoon Haiyan
- very high cost
- needs as quickly forgotten by the media after initial disaster

Question 47

What is insurance and how does it ‘modify the loss’?

Answer 47

This is compensation given to the people affected by the hazard to replace what they have lost and help regain a sense of normality.
E.g. In the developed world 25%-30% of economic losses from tectonic hazards are insured

Question 48

What are the advantages and disadvantages of insurance?

Answer 48

+ allows people to recover economically by paying for reconstruction
- does not save lives of buildings
- few people in the developing world have insurance

Question 49

What is included in modifying the event?

Answer 49

• land-use zoning
• Aseismic buildings (Earthquake)
• tsunami defences (Tsunamis)
• lava diversion (volcanic eruption)

Question 50

What is modifying the event?

Answer 50

This happens before the hazard strikes. This is done by mitigating the impacts of the hazard by reducing its areal extent and/or effective magnitude. It’s works but relays on technology and planning systems which are costly so not only available.

Question 51

What are the three ways of modifying a disaster impacts?

Answer 51

1. Modifying the event
2. Modify the vulnerability
3. Modify the loss

Question 52

What is the Swiss cheese model?

Answer 52

The Swiss cheese model suggests that hazard management can be reduced by
- reducing the number of holes in each layer (number of systemic weakness)
- reducing the size of the holes (gaps in the system or scale of the system weaknesses)

Question 53

What are the theoretical frameworks used to understand prediction, impacts and management of tectonic hazards?

Answer 53

• predication and forecasting
• hazard management cycle
• Parks model

Question 54

What are the stages of the Parks model?

Answer 54

Pre - disaster > normal life before disaster strike. People/ government preparing though education and preparing supply
Relief > hazard event has occurred and immediate relief if the priority
Rehabilitation > charity’s/governments try to return to normal by providing food water and shelter
Reconstruction > long time rehabilitation moves unit the reconstruction period (infrastructure, crops and property’

Question 55

What can the Parks model be used for?

Answer 55

The model can be used to help plan and understand risk and resilience, as well as to be better prepared for future event through modification and mitigation.

Question 56

What is the lay out of the Parks model?

Answer 56

Each stage on the X axis shows different stages of time where
- pre-disaster
- relief
- rehabilitation
- reconstruction
And the y axis has
- improvements
- normality
- deterioration

Question 57

What is the parks model?

Answer 57

The parks model is a disaster response curve that provides an illustration of the impacts of a disaster and the resilience. The time taken form the hazard striking and when a counties return to its normal operations can be used to compare different events.