tectonics EQ2 Flashcards
1.4 What is a natural hazard?
a natural process which has the potential ability to affect people
1.4 What is a natural disaster?
A major natural disaster that causes significant social, environmental, or economic change. Often when a hazardous geophysical event and a vulnerable population interact.
1.4 What is vulnerability?
The degree to which an individual or community is susceptible to harm or damage. This can be due to various factors, such as a lack of resources, poor infrastructure, social inequalities, exposure to environmental risks. or other vulnerabilities that leave them more exposed to harm.
1.4 What is resilience?
The ability of an individual or community to bounce back or recover from adversity. This can involve adapting to change, withstanding shocks, and maintaining functionality.
1.4 Name some governance and political conditions that affect resilience and vulnerability
- enforcement of building codes
- quality of infrastructure
- disaster prep plans
- efficiency of emergency services
- communication services
- public education
- practised hazard response
- corruption
1.4 Name some economic and social conditions that affect vulnerability and resilience
- level of wealth
- access to education affecting awareness
- poor quality housing
- poor healthcare
- lack of income opportunities
1.4 name some physical and environmental conditions which impact vulnerability and resilience
-high pop. densities
- rapid urbanisation
- accessibility of an area
- landlocked
- topography
1.4 what is the hazard risk formula?
Hazard x Vulnerability
risk= ______________________
Capability to cope
1.4 What model shows the complex inter-relationships between the hazard and its wider context
The Pressure and Release model
1.4 what is the PAR model used to work out?
how vulnerable a country is to a hazard event
1.4 what are the three processes that create vulnerability from the PAR model?
root causes
dynamic pressures
unsafe conditions
1.4 explain the three stages of root causes, dynamic pressures, unsafe conditions
Vulnerability is a process that starts with root causes- political and economic systems that control who has power in a society and who has access to resources.
Through a series of processes called dynamic pressures, these root causes lead to unsafe conditions.
For example, a country that is poor (a root cause) will not spend time or money enforcing building codes (a dynamic pressure) which means that buildings will be poorly built (unsafe condition). This process, from root causes to unsafe conditions is called the progression of vulnerability.
1.4 what are some root causes of Haiti’s vulnerability
- heavily indebted to american german and french banks
- extensive corruption
- 80% below poverty line
1.4 what are some dynamic pressures of Haiti’s vulnerability
lack of urban planning in Port Au Prince, lack of disaster preparedness, lack of effective education, rapid urbanisation, significant deforestation and soil degradation so landslides
1.4 what are some unsafe conditions of Haiti’s vulnerability?
- soft soil constructed on
- illegal housing on hills
- low GDP per capita of $1300
- poor infrastructure
- low access to water and sanitation
1.5 What scale measures the total amount of energy released at the epicenter the moment the seismic moment occurs
the Moment Magnitude Scale
1.5 what is the Moment Magnitude Scale?
measures energy released at epicentre based on the size of seismic waves, the amount of rock slippage, the area of fault surface broken, resistance of affected rocks. Scale is 1 to infinity and the scale is logarithmic (2 is ten times worse than 1)
1.5 What scale measures the intensity (effect on people, structures, and the natural environment?
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale
1.5 what is the modified mercali intensity scale
measures the intensity (Effect on people, structures, environment) from I (hardly noticed) to XII (catastrophic)
1.5 What scale is used to describe and compare the size of magnitude of volcanic eruptions?
Volcanic Explosivity Index- 0 (non- explosive) to 8 (extremely large)
1.5 what 6 aspects are part of a hazard profile?
- magnitude
- speed of onset
- duration
- areal extent
- frequency
- spatial predictability
1.5 what is magnitude on a hazard profile
the seismic energy released (Haiti 7.0 compared to Japan 9.0)
1.5 what is the speed of onset on a hazard profile?
the time it takes for the hazard event’s impacts to be felt
1.5 what is the duration on a hazard profile?
how long the event lasts
1.5 what is the areal extent on a hazard profile?
the area in which the hazard is experienced
1.5 what is the spatial predictability on a hazard profile?
the extent to which a hazard’s location could have been predicted in advance
1.5 what is the frequency on a hazard profile?
how often the area experiences hazards
outline a hazard profile of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
magnitude: very high 9.0-9.3
speed of onset: rapid
duration: very short
areal extent: massive
spatial predictability: quite high as on a plate margin
frequency: infrequent
1.6 what factors can influence vulnerability and resilience?
- access to education
- housing
- healthcare
- income opportunities
1.6 what are the roles of the government to influence vulnerability and resilience
MEETING BASIC NEEDS: food, water, healthcare
PLANNING: land use zoning, building regulations
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: forests and mangroves are natural protection
LOW CORRUPTION: bribes and siphoning off money e.g. Sichuan 2008
PREPAREDNESS: education and community preparation programmes to raise awareness.
OPENNESS: with press and media
1.6 what geographical factors influence vulnerability and resilience
POPULATION DENSITY: a high population density is more vulnerable
ISOLATION: rurally
DEGREE OF URBANISATION: more at risk people in an area increase vulnerability
1.6 what are the three contrasting earthquakes
Sichuan China 2008
Tohoku Japan 2011
Haiti 2010
1.6 what were the magnitudes of haiti, tohoku, and sichuan
7.0 Haiti 2010
9.0 Tohoku 2011
7.9 Sichuan 2008
1.6 details of Sichuan earthquake
7.9 magnitude
2008
Corruption meant building codes weren’t enforced so many schools collapsed, killed 5000 kids
Most damage was rural
Government deployed 130,000 soldiers and relief workers
1.6 details of Tohoku earthquake
Magnitude 9.0
2011
tsunami triggered
had well built infrastructure
sea walls were too low
Nuclear reactor in Fukushima very damaged leaking nuclear radiation- 20km exclusion zone still exists today
1.6 details of Haiti earthquake
7.0 magnitude
2010
epicentre 24km from capital Port Au Prince
still recovering from previous hazard
shallow focus 13 km
extremely corrupt govs
cholera outbreak
80% of population earn <$2 a day
1.6 how many deaths in Haiti, Sichuan, Tohoku
Haiti: 220,000
Sichuan: 69500
Japan: 20,000
