TECTONICS CASE STUDIES Flashcards
Nepal 2015 Earthquake : LIC
(Richter - 7.8, 8632 dead, 19009 casualties)
Response and recovery:
- Young people in Nepal mobilised to collect relief items and travelled long distances across difficult terrain to help their fellow citizens recover
- Local NGOs used their extensive networks to provide critical information to the military and humanitarian actors
- In order to ‘build - back - better’, the people of Nepal benefitted from school buildings, roads and facilities built to disaster-resilient standards.
Pre disaster:
- High population density, poverty, old and poorly constructed buildings and extensive corruption
- Money donated couldn’t be distributed in the country unless they went directly into a Nepali government fund. This made some donors sceptical about the destination of these funds.
Responses:
- A $3 million grant was provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for immediate relief efforts and up to $200 million for the right phase of rehabilitation
- India and China provided over $1 billion of international aid
Afghanistan Earthquake 2022: LIC
(Richter - 6.2, 1163 deaths, 2976 injured)
Pre-disaster: Unstable government, Earthquakes are infrequent in some areas so some communities may not be prepared or Know what to do, traditional mud brick houses are susceptible to collapse from shaking, populations are clustered.
Responses: The government of Afghanistan launched rescue operations, rescue teams arrived via helicopters. $11 million was allocated to the needs of the affected population. Rescue efforts were challenged by heavy rains, landslides and the remote setting of many villages. Inadequate food and shelter for survivors. Many nations induced sanctions following the Taliban’s takeover cutting the country from international aid.
Post-disaster: Cholera outbreak in the affected area. Struggled to rebuild.
Haiti Earthquake 2010: LIC
(Richter - 7.0, 316000 dead or missing, 300000 casualties, 1.3 million homeless)
Primary effects: As of February 12th 2010, an estimated three million people were affected by the quake; the Haitian Government reports that between 217,000 and 230,000 people died, an estimated 300,000 were injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 were made homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.
Secondary effects: Two million people were left without water and food. Regular power cuts occurred. Crime increased – looting became a problem and sexual violence escalated. People moved into temporary shelters. By November 2010 there were outbreaks of cholera.
Immediate response: Due to the port being damaged, aid was slow to arrive. The USA sent rescue teams and 10,000 troops. Bottled water and purification tablets were provided. 235,000 people were moved away from Port-au-Prince to less-damaged cities. £20 million was donated by The UK government.
Nyriagongo, DR. Congo Volcano Eruption 2002 - LIC
(200 deaths, 400000 evacuations)
Pre-disaster: Funding cuts at Goma volcano observatory hindered monitoring efforts. Researchers worked in risky conditions, with limited security support this led to researchers not being able to accurately observe and predict the eruption. Evacuation plans were very limited and many residents had not been educated on what to do when there is a volcano eruption.
Response: The UN sent 260 tonnes of food to the affected area. Families received 26kg of rations each. UK Oxfam sent 33 tonnes of water-cleansing equipment for 50,000 people in refugee camps.
Post-disaster: There are now more accurate predictions up to 3 weeks earlier. The community has not been educated on what to in case of an eruption.
Boxing Day Tsunami 2004 - affected 14 countries across Asia
(Richter - 9, 250000 people killed, thousands made homeless)
Pre-disaster: No warning systems in place. Evacuation plans were very limited. Public was uneducated on what do to in case of a tsunami. Limited understanding of the potential impacts of such a large scale tsunami.
Responses: International aid was provided to the affected areas. $6.25 billion donated to a central UN relief assisting 14 countries. Involved coordination between organisations between governments, humanitarian organisations, and volunteers around the world. Shelters were provided as thousands of buildings were destroyed. Lack of rebuilding as many fishing boats were destroyed so a huge loss of jobs.
Post-disaster: Providing long term help and relief to the affected regions. Efforts were made to rebuild schools and healthcare facilities. Long term community rehabilitation projects. Re-building, the DEC has spent more than £40 million on projects in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Japan Earthquake 2011: HIC
(Richter - 9.0, 18000 deaths, 6000 injured)
Pre-disaster: Japan had strict building engineering standards to ensure buildings were designed to withstand hazards. Early warning systems were put in place to detect Earthquake waves allowing for evacuation and preparedness methods.
Responses: Field hospitals were set up in affected areas to treat trauma victims, injuries and provide critical medical support. The Japanese government initiated temporary housing to accommodate displaced families. Local residents volunteered resources to assist in recovery efforts.
Post-disaster: Agricultural areas impacted by the tsunami were rehabilitated and programmes to restore soil fertility and offer agricultural training and offer agricultural training were launched. Investments to upgrading monitoring technologies and communication infrastructure to enhance the accuracy of alerts related to tsunami threats were made.
Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland Eruption 2010 - HIC
Pre-disaster: The area around the volcano was evacuated, preparedness by the Icelandic government ensured no fatalities with residents being alerted with a text 30 minutes before the disaster.
Responses: Iceland declared a state of emergency and European airspace was closed as a safety precaution. In order to re-open airspace, the Nations Centre was called in to map the volcano plume.
Post-disaster: Researchers continued to watch Iceland’s volcanic activity and monitor gases. Implementing evacuation plans and providing support to those affected.
New Zealand 2011 Earthquake - HIC
(Richter - 6.3, 181 dead, 2000 injured)
Pre-disaster: Effective warning systems, evacuation plans in place, earthquake resilient buildings.
Response: 300 Australian police officers were flown in to help, pop up hospitals were set up. Over $6 million received through international aid, 50% of the city Christchurch’s buildings were destroyed, temporary housing was set up for those who’s homes were destroyed.
Post-disaster: Disruption to industrial production was short-lived , financial markets largely ignored the earthquake, business activity was resilient. Earthquake drills are now mandatory in schools. A Canterbury earthquake recovery authority was set up as a government department to lead governments response to earthquakes in Canterbury.
Sichuan, China 2008 Earthquake - NEE
(Richter - 7.9, 70000 deaths)
Pre-disaster: The Chinese people were not prepared as there were not accessible emergency drugs and equipment as they were stored by the Health and Civil Affairs Bureau.
Responses: Land was flattened so tents could be built. One million emergency temporary homes were built to accommodate the homeless.
Post-disaster: The government made considerable efforts to reduce disaster risk by enforcing new building codes, introducing extensive emergency drills in schools and strengthening early warning systems.
Türkiye-Syria Earthquake 2023 - NEE
(Richter - 7.8, 41000 deaths)
Responses: Hatay’s airport runway was severely damaged challenging rescue efforts. Search and rescue teams were immediately dispatched. 25,000 search and rescue personnel were dispatched and at least 70 countries offered to aid the search. More than 8,000 were rescued from rubble. The World Bank provided $1.78 billion in aid for Türkiye.
Post-disaster: More than 2800 containers have been installed in affected areas to provide temporary shelter. The government was focussed on moving people out of informal settlements into their homes.
