Unit 3 Notes Flashcards
What is a Climatic Hazard?
An extreme climatic event that causes harm and damage to people, property, infrastructure and the environment.
What are the different ways climatic hazards can affect the world?
Primary and secondary, local and regional, short term and long term.
What does Park’s model show?
The effects of a hazard on quality of life over a time period. Can be used to subdivide management strategies in relation to all hazards.
What is Stage 1 of Park’s model?
Occurs prior to the event, shows that quality of life is at a stable level.
What is stage 2 of Park’s model?
A deterioration in the quality of life and a need for immediate emergency response. Extent of deterioration is a function of severity of the hazard.
What is stage 3 of Park’s model?
Relief strategies are underway, an organised programme of help. Can take hours-months to reach this stage. Quality of life improves here, services start to be restored.
What is stage 4 of Park’s model?
The long term human response, rebuilding and restoring normality. Can last from weeks to years - quality of life improves back to normality.
What is stage 5 of Park’s model?
Quality of life returns to normal, can be higher than it was originally.
Is a tropical Cyclone a low pressure or high pressure hazard?
Low pressure.
What is a Tropical Cyclone?
A large low pressure system that forms over tropical oceans. Wind speeds can exceed 150 mph.
Where do Tropical Cyclones occur?
Between 8 degrees - 20 degrees latitude. Move westward, towards poles.
What are Tropical storms called in The NW Pacific?
Typhoons - 26 per year.
What are Tropical Storms called in the Western Atlantic?
Hurricane - 9 per year.
What are Tropical Storms called in the Indian Ocean?
Cyclones - 8 per year.
What are Tropical Storms called in the Eastern Pacific?
Hurricane - 13 per year.
What are Tropical Storms called in the SW Pacific?
10 per year.
What does the Ocean temperature have to be for Tropical storms to fall?
26 degrees.
Which type of clouds form under tropical storms?
Convectional clouds.
How does the Coriolis effect affect Tropical storms?
Winds start to spiral upwards due to the effect. Clockwise in Northern Hemisphere. Anti clockwise in Southern Hemisphere.
What happens as water vapour condenses?
It releases latent heat, which causes additional uplift of air. More warm moist air is drawn into the base of the low pressure, to replace air rising.
How will a tropical cyclone develop, after wind speeds exceed 74 mph?
An eye develops in the centre of the system in which cooled risen air starts to descend back down through the atmosphere.
What is Category 1 of Tropical Cyclones?
74-95mph. Minimal damage, potential flooding.
What is Category 2 of Tropical Cyclones?
96-110mph. Moderate damage, significant flooding.
What is category 3 of Tropical Cyclones?
111-130mph. Extensive damage to structures, trees blown down. Widespread flooding.
What is category 4 of Tropical Cyclones?
131-155mph. Extreme damage, as most trees are blown down. A lot of structural damage to many buildings, roof failure, major flooding.
What is category 5 of Tropical Cyclones?
155mph +. All trees blown down, some complete building failures. Roof failure. Flood damage to lower floors.
What are the hazards of a Tropical Cyclone?
Strong winds, heavy rain, high seas, storm surge.
What is Storm Surge?
A rise in sea level caused by a low pressure system located over the sea.
What was the Storm surge in 2005 Hurricane Katrina?
More than 8 metres in some areas.
How much does sea rise by for every 1mb drop in pressure?
Pulls water level up by 1cm for every 1mb change in pressure.
Why are storm surges the greatest hazard associated with Tropical Cyclones?
They cause water levels to rise several metres above normal tides, and can trap people in their homes.
What are the economic impacts of Tropical Cyclones?
Damage to property, damage to infrastructure, disruption to economic activity, increased insurance costs, cost of clean up.
What are the social impacts of Tropical Cyclones?
Loss of life, injury, homelessness, outward migration, loss of jobs, psychological stress.
What are the environmental impacts of Tropical Cyclones?
Contamination of fresh water bodies, damage to coastal ecosystems, pollution.
What are the political impacts of Tropical Cyclones?
Increased public expenditure, criticism of political leaders.
Which factors determine the impacts of Tropical Cyclones?
Wind Speed, Size of storm, Coastal topography, Ocean temperature, Soil saturation, population density, infrastructure strength, economic development, preparedness, time of day.
What are the key facts about Hurricane Katrina?
The most costly natural disaster to affect the USA, Category 3 hurricane, 80% of New Orleans was submerged underwater.
Why is New Orleans so susceptible to Hurricanes?
There is a combination of salt, sand and clay - the soil compacts and sinks. The Mississippi river flooded, and silt from flood waters replaced sinking ground, keeping land above sea level.
How is New Orleans built to keep river water out?
High walls were erected around the city, to try and keep rising river levels out - they kept out silt and sediment.
How much is New Orleans sinking by?
3 feet every 100 years.
What area of wetlands disappear under the sea every hour?
2 acres.
What were the economic impacts of Hurricane Katrina?
$300 Billion of economic costs. Tourist numbers down 63% in 2006, compared to 2004. Damaged or destroyed 30 oil platforms, caused closure of nine refineries. $40 Billion in insurance claims.
How many people died during Hurricane Katrina?
1833.
How much outward migration was caused as a result of Hurricane Katrina?
1.2 Million people.
What happened to Louisiana’s unemployment rate after the Hurricane?
Rose from 5.6% to 12.1%.
What happened to the population of New Orleans after the Hurricane?
Declined by 44%, compared to 2004.
What were the environmental impacts of Hurricane Katrina?
1.3 Million acres of coastal forest lands were destroyed. 16 national wildlife refuges were closed. Oil spills from 44 facilities. 7 million gallons of oil leaked.
What were the political impacts of Hurricane Katrina?
Blame was put onto the federal government, due to a slow response to the loss of life and economic damage.
What are the two wards with the largest disparities within Louisiana?
Lakeview - A white middle class area. Lower 9th ward - Majority black community, deprived.
What were the effects of Katrina on the Lower 9th ward?
Black homeowners were 3x more likely to lose their homes, only 37% of lower 9th ward have returned.
Where were the disparities largest between the two wards?
Roadhome, by the federal government, was made to bridge the gap between the federal and state governments, but it based payment values off the value of homes, and black homes were cheaper.
Why were Lakeview residents able to rebuild sooner?
They had their own money, and rebuilt independently of the federal government.
What was the first management strategy to respond to the flooding?
Hard Engineering - $15 Billion flood protection strategy.
What did the Hard Engineering involve?
Higher and more resistant flood walls constructed throughout the region, emergency pumps and canal closures, pumps designed to significantly reduce flooding heights, reducing damage and hazard.
How much is this expected to reduce loss of life?
As much as 86%.
What is the second strategy of the response to floods?
Wetlands restoration.
How much Marshland has Louisiana lost between 1930-present?
2000 square miles, loses a football fields’ worth of land every 100 minutes.
What % of wetlands in the US does Louisiana have?
40%.
What % of Wetland losses nationwide have been in Louisiana?
80%.
How will restoring wetlands help protect New Orleans from future flooding?
Natural storm surge barrier - Acts as a buffer against hurricanes and storm surges, absorb wave energy. Floodwater absorption - Soak up excess rainwater, slow down runoff, reducing the burden on levees. Land stabilisation.
Which problems still exist within New Orleans, as a result of the hurricane?
Debris on the streets, population is still smaller than it was before the Hurricane. Rebuild was uneven. Lower 9th ward is 4km lower than French quarter.
What hasn’t management dealt with, within New Orleans?
Concerns of black residents, that their community is being cleaned out.
Have all 5 stages of Park’s model been addressed for all residents?
No - Richer, white areas have. Black areas haven’t.
What is the case study of Tropical Cyclone management in a developing country?
Cyclone Amphan - 2020.
How is the population of Bangladesh becoming less vulnerable to Cyclones?
Population increasing, deaths from Tropical Cyclones decreasing.
How has the government improved management of Cyclones in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh meteorological department issues two types of storm warning, giving people more advice on ways to save their lives. Cyclone shelter centres - Found in coastal areas, protecting people from strong winds.
How could you say Cyclone Amphan was successfully managed?
2.4 Million people were evacuated, only 26 died.
What were the wind speeds in Cyclone Amphan?
260 km/h. 5m storm surge.
How many houses were damaged?
55,667 houses completely damaged, 162,000 partially damaged. 149,000 hectares of agricultural lands damaged.
What is the case study of a Cyclone in a developing country, with no management strategy?
Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar.
What were the wind speeds and storm surge of Cyclone Nargis?
215km per hour, at least 4 metres storm surge.
How many people were died, and how many people were made homeless, as a result of Cyclone Nargis?
At least 138,000 people died. 3.2 Million people left homeless.
What was the economic cost of Cyclone Nargis?
$10 Billion.
What were the responses to Cyclone Nargis?
Went onto the Burmese coast with little notice given to Burmese people.
What aid was received by Cyclone Nargis?
Burma refused initial aid attempts from other countries, for 2 days. Western Countries such as UK, USA, Italy, committed aid and cash to Myanmar.
What is an example of a High pressure hazard?
Drought - more than 15 consecutive days without rainfall.
What are the effects of drought?
Loss of soil moisture, depletion of ground water, reduction of surface water stores.
What are the potential impacts of drought on developed nations?
Infrastructure is affected. Farming hose bans. Economy of water intensive industries is affected, such as agriculture.
How are impacts different for a less developed nation?
Sources of food are more likely to be internal - could cause drought. Water availability is affected, as there is less technology available to extract water. Lower animal welfare.
What is water vulnerability?
How susceptible a community is to water related risks, such as shortages and pollution.
What is water stress?
Demand for water exceeds availability of supply.
What is water scarcity?
Not enough fresh, clean water to meet the demands of a region.
What is physical water scarcity?
Not enough water to meet our needs. Arid regions are generally associated with physical scarcity.
What is economic water scarcity?
Occurs when human institutional and financial capital limit access to water, even though water in nature is available to human needs.
Which areas are experiencing economic water scarcity?
Central Africa, Peru, Chile.
What are the physical impacts of drought?
Falling water table, reduction of river flow, loss of vegetation, wildfires, soil erosion, damage to ecosystems.
What are the human impacts of drought?
Loss of income from agriculture, reduced government income, malnutrition, illness from consumption of contaminated water, increase in food prices.
How can demand be decreased for water during a drought?
Shorter showers, recycle water, virtual water, hose bans, turning lights off.q
How can supply of water be increased, to prevent a drought?
Dams, reservoirs, desalination.
What is the case study of drought?
Ethiopia - Level of precipitation is related to topography. Seasonal monsoon climate.
How does the ITCZ affect Ethiopia?
The drier lowland regions of the north and east are very susceptible to annual variation in the position of the ITCZ.
What happens in Ethiopia when the ITCZ doesn’t move far north enough?
The area remains under high atmospheric pressure, as 2/3 of rain received in the year is when the ITCZ shifts North - Drought.
What were the impacts of the 1984 Ethiopian Drought?
1 million people died, 15 million people faced starvation.
What was the reason for the 2015-19 drought in Ethiopia?
A failure of rains, due to a shift in the Northerly position of the ITCZ. - Strong El Nino event.
How did El Nino affect Northern Ethiopia?
Weakens monsoon rains, severe droughts, vulnerable to crop failures. Rain fed agriculture is affected. Cost of food increases, major economic losses.
How much of its’ usual rainfall did Northern Ethiopia receive in 2015?
Less than 65% of its’ normal rainfall.
What were the social impacts of the 2015-19 drought in Ethiopia?
15 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2016, 9.2 million people need support to access safe drinking water, 300,000 children between 6-59 months old are targeted for severe malnutrition in 2017. 2.1 Million students affected by school closures.
What were the economic impacts of the 2015-19 drought in Ethiopia?
2.25 Million families require livestock support. In some areas, over 75% of Meher crop production have been lost. Over 1 million livestock died.
What was the short term management of the Ethiopian Drought?
UNICEF - Providing food, supporting children at risk, addressing disruption in learning, preventing and responding to disease outbreak, providing financial support.
What is the long term management strategy for Ethiopia?
The grand renaissance dam - the world’s 5th largest dam.
How will the Grand renaissance dam help with future droughts?
Irrigation - Plants are still watered. Stable water supply, reduces dependence on rain.
How will the dam bring economic benefits to Ethiopia?
Will make Ethiopia an energy exporter, provide jobs, increase in electricity production, creating reliable and affordable energy to power homes and businesses.
Why is the Grand renaissance dam controversial with countries such as Egypt?
95% of Egypt’s water is from the Nile. They think it will reduce how much water reaches Egypt. They want a legally binding agreement.
Why are Egypt’s claims hypocritical?
Egypt has has a monopoly on water in this region for a long time, when Egypt and Sudan divided the Nile, and Ethiopia wasn’t consulted.
What is the case study of Drought in the USA?
The Dust Bowl - 1930’s.
What area of land was affected, and where in the USA was it?
100 million acres - Texas, Oklahoma.
How was the Dust Bowl made worse?
By poor farming practices, removing the natural drought tolerant grasses, exposing soil.
How many people abandoned their farms, as a result of the drought?
2.5 Million.
What were the causes of the California Drought of 2011-15?
Low precipitation levels - They were only 54-75% of normal levels during this period. Low snowpack in the Sierra Nevada Mountains - Leading to a loss of supply of meltwater in summer months.
What were the levels of snowpack between 2011-15?
40-90% lower than normal.
What was the reason for a lack of precipitation in California?
Persistent high pressure, caused by La Nina.
What were the impacts of the California drought?
In 2016, all of California was experiencing drier than average conditions - 46% experienced average or exceptional drought. Groundwater levels dropped by over 30 metres.
What were the impacts in the California central valley?
The lack of snowmelt affected water supply, which is vital to the success of farming. This affects crops grown in this area.
What was the economic cost of the drought?
$5 Billion in losses.
What were the environmental impacts of the drought?
More than 100 million trees died, loss of biodiversity in river ecosystems, 473 wildfires in January 2014.
What were the short term management strategies in California?
State of emergency was declared. All users were urged to cut consumption by at least 25%. $1 Million to ‘save our water’ campaign.
What were the long term management strategies of the drought in California?
Increasing the number of desalination plants, using sea water, reducing reliance on precipitation and groundwater. Recharge basins to restore groundwater. Drip irrigation.
What is Spray Irrigation?
Water is sprayed from above onto a crop. Not water efficient, as 50% of water is lost in evaporation in hot climates.
What % of water is used for Agriculture?
75%.
What is Smart drip Irrigation?
Releases water directly to crop roots through drip line pipes. Connected to valves which open and close, controlled by soil moisture.
How effective is smart drip irrigation?
90% efficient, Less than 10% of the water applied is not taken up by the crop.
What is an example of a company reducing the impacts of drought?
Developing drought resistant crops through genetic modification - enhances the tolerance. Drought tolerant rice means greater water use efficiency. Stress resistant crops.
How does genetic modification reduce the impacts of drought?
Increased agricultural productivity for scarce water regions, sustained food production, reduced reliance of irrigation systems, vulnerable to climate extremes such as drought.
What happened to India in 2016?
India faced a severe drought when monsoon rains failed, the ITCZ didn’t move North far enough, during the 2015/16 El Nino.
How many people were affected by the drought in India in 2016?
330 Million.
How is water availability a reflection of income level?
3/4 of the population don’t have drinking water at home, luxury homes do have it. 300,000 farmers have killed themselves in the past 25 years, many more have deserted crops. Villages scramble for water found on a truck.
How could water conflict become an increasing issue if countries can’t meet their water demands?
People may become more irritable if water supply decreases, as seen in India. Late monsoons mean more tension among the population.
