Tectonics EQ 2

Question 1

Define hazard

Answer 1

The potential for a process to cause loss of life or property.

Question 2

Define disaster

Answer 2

It is the realisation of a hazard when it causes significant impact on a population. A disaster is classified when a series of quantitative and qualitative levels have been reach.

Question 3

Define risk and what is the equations for it

Answer 3

The probability of harmful consequences

Risk= Hazard x vulnerability

Question 4

Define vulnerability

Answer 4

It is the ability to anticipate, cope, resist and recover from a natural hazard. Conditions are determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors.

Question 5

Define threshold

Answer 5

A set limit when a population has to adjust when the limit is broken.

Question 6

What is the PAR model

Answer 6

It is a model that shows that a disaster is an interaction of two processes:

• Vulnerability
• Natural Hazards

Question 7

What are the three parts of the PAR model

Answer 7

Root causes
Unsafe conditions
Dynamic pressures

These factors can be political, social or environmental

Question 8

Give examples of root causes

Answer 8

• A corrupt government who lack commitment to improve infrastructure and standard of living. (Political)
• A lack of recourses (economic)

Root causes, cause unsafe conditions

Question 9

Give examples of unsafe conditions

Answer 9

• Illegal housing built on unsafe land (social)
• Low GDP per capita so buildings were constructed cheaply and quickly (economic)

These unsafe conditions cause dynamic pressures

Question 10

Examples of dynamic pressures

Answer 10

• A lack of disaster preparation, meaning that people or emergency services don’t know what to do (political/social)
• People still living in poverty so they don’t have resources to cope with hazards (social)
• A high population density so more people are affected (social)

Dynamic pressures increase the chance of a hazard happening

Question 11

Japan earthquake/tsunami case study figures

Answer 11

Deaths- 15,000
Economic cost- $240bn
Magnitude- 9
Type of economy- developed

Question 12

PAR model for Japan

Answer 12

Root cause- A nuclear power plant along the coast

Unsafe condition- Wasn’t built to withstand a tsunami

Dynamic pressure- A lack of basic safety procedures, planning, preparation at Fukushima power station
There was a high population density in cities

Question 13

China earthquake case study figures

Answer 13

Deaths - 70,000
Economic cost - $125bn
Magnitude- 8
Economy- developing

Question 14

PAR model for china

Answer 14

Root causes- corrupt government who ignored building codes and accepted bribes to allowed builders to make short cuts

Unsafe conditions- poorly built buildings

Dynamic conditions- Rapid urbanisation and rapid population growth

Question 15

Haiti earthquake case study figures

Answer 15

Deaths- 220,000
Economic cost- $14bn
Magnitude- 7
Economy- undeveloped

Question 16

Haiti PAR model

Answer 16

Root causes:

• Heavily in debt to US, German and French banks
• Corruption

Unsafe conditions:

• Houses built on unstable soil, a lot of illegal housing which was built on hill sides and was built cheaply and quickly
• Poor infrastructure

Dynamic pressures:

• High population density due to rapid urbanisation
• Lack of disaster management and preparedness

Question 17

What does the moment magnitude scale measure

Answer 17

• Total amount of energy released
• Amplitude of seismic waves
• Amount of slippage
• Area of fault surface broken
• Resistance of affected rock

Question 18

What does the Mercalli measure

Answer 18

Observations of people’s lived experiences of the disaster ranking them from 1 (hardly noticed) to 12 (catastrophic).

Question 19

What does volcanic explosively index measure

Answer 19

Volume of ejecta (gas, rock, tephra, lava) and how high it is thrown into the atmosphere. Ranking from 0-8, where 0-4 is common and 4-8 high.

Question 20

What is a hazard profile and examples

Answer 20

An analysis of different types of hazard, based in a range of criteria.

Bi-polar model

Question 21

Which type of hazard is most severe as shown I hazard profiles

Answer 21

Tsunamis are the most severe having the highest magnitude, damage costs, highest average deaths, spatial area and slowest recovery rate.

Earthquakes have the fastest onset and coming second in deaths, magnitude, costs.

Then volcanoes having the longest duration but fewest deaths, cost onset.

Question 22

What does the bi polar model measure

Answer 22

Magnitude
Onset speed 
Duration
Spatial area 
Frequency

Question 23

Comparing hazard impacts in developing/emerging countries

Answer 23

Hazards in Developing countries are more severe as there vulnerability is higher due to dynamic pressure and don’t have resilience and coping capacity. This could be because of economic factors or natural hazards such as location .

Question 24

Why is magnitude an important factor

Answer 24

Because even MEDC that have heavily invested into management strategies cannot cope with mega disasters.
However low magnitude earthquakes can be managed easily.

Question 25

Why is areal extent an important factor

Answer 25

It affects the number of people affected also the large the area the more spread out your resources are such as emergency services. However small areas allow you resources to be concentrated

Question 26

Why is frequency an important factor

Answer 26

The greater the frequency the more people are aware and educated on the hazard. If it is less frequent they might want to educate people as a management strategy.