Unit 4 - Case Studies (Mount Merepi) Flashcards
On what margin is Mount Merepi located on?
Destructive Margin
What ring of fire is the volcano located on?
Pacific Ring of Fire
What years was it most active between?
1992 and 2002 - Its the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted frequently over the last 500 years
What year did the volcano then start the erupt again in?
2006
The volcano is caused by one tectonic plate being subducted under another. What plates are they?
Caused by the Indo-Australian plate subducting beneath the Eurasian plate
Where is Mount Merepi?
Indonesia, South-East Asia
When did the eruption occur?
October 2010
What were some of the primary hazards of the eruption?
Pyroclastic flows and sulpher dioxide being blown across the country
How far away were the villages that were under 30cm of ash?
15km away
What was the death toll?
273 people
How many people were injured?
577 people
Name the only secondary hazard
Lahars created when heavy rainfall mixed with the ash, rock and lava - these were washed into towns
How far away was the danger area extended too?
20km from the mountain
How many people had to evacuate due to the danger zone being extended?
278,000 people
The evacuation centres were overcrowded - what did this lead too?
Poor sanitation
How many people were displaced from their homes?
36,000 people
What transport method was grounded?
Aeroplanes
Why did the price of vegetables increase?
Because of the damage to the crops
What did farmers loose as a result of the eruption?
Homes and livelihoods
When do smaller eruptions normally occur?
Every 2-3 years
When do larger eruptions normally occur?
Every 10-15 years
What did ash lead to in the area in order to benefit the locals?
More fertile soil
Pyroclastic flows, lava flows, lahars and ash caused damage to what?
Homes, buildings and the environment
What preparation strategies did they have in place before the eruption?
Satellites and cameras were placed around the volcano to monitor activity for warnings - sirens sound in villages to alert people, the army also help to move people out of villages
What was set up around the volcano to stop people from entering?
The forbidden zone
How did they modify the event?
The lava flows can be diverted or chilled
How did they modify the vulnerability?
Small earthquakes and swelling of the ground suggests that it was about to erupt. Gas discharges damage wildlife and vegetation, they are trying new monitoring techniques
How did they modify the losses?
Some insurance policies cover for property losses caused by volcanoes
