1.2.2 Responses to Tectonic Hazards

• -Primary Hazard

  Tectonic Hazard - Earthquake

  • Buildings and homes destroyed/damaged
  • People injured/killed
  • Transport routes destroyed/damaged
  • Water/gas/electricity supplies cut
• -Primary Effects

  Tectonic Hazard - Volcanic eruption

  • Buildings, homes and farmland destroyed/damaged
  • People injured/killed
  • Transport routes destroyed/damaged
  • Aircraft grounded due to ash in the atmosphere
  • Contaminated water supply
  • Ash fall buries houses/crops
• -Secondary Effects

  Tectonic Hazard - Earthquake

  • Economy slows as businesses take time to re-establish and money is spent on rebuilding
  • Aid struggles to reach those in need due to damaged/destroyed transport routes
  • Fires start due to broken gas and electricity supplies
  • Lack of clean water leads to disease
  • Damaged/destroyed homes lead to homelessness
  • Food prices increase
• -Secondary Effects

  Tectonic Hazard - Volcanic eruption

  • Economy slows as businesses take time to re-establish and money is spent on rebuilding
  • Aid struggles to reach those in need due to damaged/destroyed transport routes
  • Lack of clean water leads to disease
  • Damaged/destroyed homes lead to homelessness
  • Flooding caused by ice/snow melting on the volcano slopes may also cause lahars
  • Food prices increase
• • Primary effects are those which occur as a direct result of the earthquake or volcanic eruption. For example, buildings collapsing is a direct result of the earthquake ground shaking.
  • Secondary effects are those things which result from the primary hazards. For example, fires caused by gas mains which have fractured.
• Immediate & Long Term Responses

  • The responses to any tectonic hazard can be divided into two groups
  • Immediate in the days and weeks after the event
  • Long term in the months and years after the event
• Immediate Response to Tectonic Hazards

  • Rescue teams search for survivors
  • Medical assistance for those injured
  • Shelter provided for homeless
  • Food and water provided
  • Recovery and burial of bodies
  • Warnings issued if possible
  • Evacuation 
  • Clearing ash and debris
• The Long-term Response to Tectonic Hazard

  • Rebuild homes and other buildings
  • Improve building regulations
  • Improve drills, evacuation plans and warning systems
  • Repair water, gas and electricity supplies
  • Money given to farms for seed and new livestock
  • Data from eruptions used to improve future predictions
  • Government planning improved
  • Transport routes rebuilt
• Example Case Study: Nepal

  • Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of under $1000 in 2015
  • Located between China and India, Nepal is a landlocked country
  • In 2015 80% of the population lived in rural, often remote, communities
  • In April 2015 at 11.26 am Nepal was struck by an earthquake, magnitude 7.8
  • The epicentre was 80 km northwest of Kathmandu in the Gorka district
  • The focus was shallow at only 15 km beneath the surface
  • Over 300 aftershocks followed the main earthquake
• Cause (of Nepal earthquake)

  • Nepal is located on a collision boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates
• Effects (of Nepal earthquake)

  • Approximately 9000 deaths 
  • Over 20,000 people injured
  • Electricity and water supplies cut
  • 7000 schools and 1000 health facilities were damaged or destroyed
  • Almost 3.5 million people were made homeless
  • Offices, shops and factories were destroyed meaning people were unable to make a living
  • UNESCO world heritage sites destroyed as well as many temples
  • Loss of tourist income which Nepal is reliant on
  • Avalanches on Mount Everest and in the Langtang Valley
  • Landslides which blocked roads and rivers
  • Damages estimated at between $7 and $10 billion about 35% of the GDP
• Immediate responses (of Nepal earthquake)

  • Donations of money and aid from around the world totally $3 billion including $3.3 million from China and $51 million from the UK 
  • Many countries sent aid in the form of:
  • Temporary shelters
  • Medicines
  • Food
  • Water
  • Clothing
  • Search and rescue teams
  • Medical staff
  • 90% of the Nepalese army were mobilised 
  • Tent cities were set up in Kathmandu for those made homeless
  • GIS crisis mapping tool was used to co-ordinate the response
  • $3 million grant was provided by the Asian Development Bank for emergency relief.
• Long term response (of Nepal earthquake)

  • Landslides were cleared and roads repaired to restore access to remote rural communities
  • Schools were rebuilt
  • Earthquake drills were introduced to provide people with education about what to do in the event of an earthquake
  • Stricter building codes with more enforcement
  • $200 million was provided by the Asian Development Bank for rebuilding
  • A new government task force was set up to plan for future earthquake events.
• Example Case Study: Italy

  Background

  • Italy is a High-Income Country (HIC) with a GDP per capita of over $31,000
  • It is located in Europe 
  • On 24 August 2016 central Italy was struck by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake
  • The epicentre was 100 miles to the north-east of Rome
  • The focus was shallow at only 4.4km
  • Over 200 aftershocks followed the main earthquake over the next couple of days
• Cause (of Italy earthquake)

  • Italy is located along the plate boundary where the Africa plate meets the Eurasian plate
  • The two fault lines running through Italy are the North-South Fault and the East-West Fault.
• Effects (of Italy earthquake)

  • Severe damage to buildings
  • 80% of buildings in Amatrice old town were affected
  • Over 50% of all buildings in Amatrice were damaged and destroyed
  • The school in Amatrice collapsed
  • 296 people died
  • Landslides blocked the roads 
  • Psychological effects on the population
  • Tourism was negatively affected
  • Farmers were affected as 90% of barns and stalls for livestock in the immediate area were destroyed
  • Amatrice hospital was badly damaged.
• Immediate responses (of Italy earthquake)

  • Rescue workers sent to the worst hit areas with hours.
  • Soldiers, Red Cross, Firefighters, Rescue dogs and Helicopters.
  • Patients from Amatrice were transferred to nearby hospital in Rieti, with a temporary hospital set up for the injured.
  • Tents were supplied to 10,000 people
  • Shelters were provided in sports halls and community buildings.
  • Communication was restored, with emergency lines set up.
  • Residents were asked to remove Wi-Fi passwords for better communication.
  • Mobile kitchens served 1,000 meals daily, and extra blood donations arranged.
• Long term responses (of Italy earthquake)

  • The Italian government promised relocate those made homeless into temporary accommodation within 6 months
  • €42 million initiative called 'Home Italy' which would rebuild homes in the same style as they had been before the earthquake
  • Fundraising by the community and Italian Red Cross 
  • Children attended classes in towns near to Amatrice to ensure they didn't miss education
  • A temporary school was built in Amatrice