EQ3 tectonic processes and hazards

• There has been no real change in overall deaths due to tectonic hazards since 1960
• Deaths from tectonic hazards vary considerably each year
• In 2012 and 2014 there were fewer than 1,000 worldwide deaths due to tectonic hazards
• In 2004 and 2010 there were over 200,000 deaths due to tectonic hazards
• Mega disasters


  Disasters that are on a large scale economically, socially, etc.
• Mega disasters

  • 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
  • 2011 tsunami in Tohoku, Japan
  • 2010 eruption in Iceland (Eyjafjallajökull)
• The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami affected 14 countries and had economic losses and deaths in several countries
• The 2011 tsunami in Tohoku, Japan had global consequences, including disruption to ports, factories, power supplies, and a nuclear meltdown disaster in Fukushima
• The 2010 eruption in Iceland (Eyjafjallajökull) affected over 20 European countries due to the ash cloud, leading to over 100,000 cancelled flights and over 1 billion pounds worth of losses in the airline industry
• Multiple hazard zone

  An area with complex disasters and multiple tectonic hazards as well as hydro-meteorological disasters
• The Philippines is a good example of a multiple hazard zone, with tectonic hazards like earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and landslides, as well as hydro-meteorological events like flooding, drought, storms, and tropical cyclones
• The Philippines is susceptible to hazards due to being tectonically active, geologically young, on major tropical storm tracks, and affected by global climate change
• The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines was also struck by Typhoon Yunya, creating destructive lahars
• Earthquake prediction

  We can identify patterns in how often they happen, but cannot predict when the next one will occur
• Earthquake early warning systems

  Sensors detect waves and send information to alert centres, which can then warn people
• Volcano prediction

  We can monitor gas, use remote sensing, measure deformation and ground vibrations to predict eruptions
• Tsunami prediction

  We can have tsunami warning systems that detect earthquakes and send alerts, but cannot predict when a tsunami-inducing earthquake will occur
• Hazard management cycle

  Response, recovery, mitigation, preparedness
• Response phase

  Immediate help to rescue lives and provide emergency aid
• Recovery phase

  Rebuilding infrastructure and services, treating the injured, and rehabilitating
• Mitigation phase

  Reducing problems for the next hazard, e.g. land use zoning, hazard-proof buildings, improving infrastructure
• Preparedness phase

  Education, resilient building, evacuation technology and systems
• Recovery time varies depending on the size of the event, development level, governance, and external aid efforts
• Park's disaster model

  Illustrates possible outcomes of a natural disaster based on level of development and response
• Curve A shows average response and recovery, Curve B shows highly developed area with less impact and faster recovery, Curve C shows impoverished area with serious long-term impact and slow recovery
• Ways to modify disasters

  • Modifying the event (land use zoning, earthquake-resistant buildings, tsunami defences, lava diversion)
  • Modifying vulnerability (high-tech monitoring, community preparedness, moving to safer areas)
  • Modifying loss (short-term aid, long-term reconstruction aid, insurance)