Chile and Nepal

• The 2010 Chile earthquake was 8.8 on the Richter scale
• The 2015 Nepal earthquake was 7.9 on the Richter scale
• Chile is wealthier


  Cost of the 2010 earthquake estimated at $30 billion
• Nepal is not as wealthy

  Cost of the 2015 earthquake estimated at $10 billion
• Primary effects of the 2010 Chile earthquake


  • 500 killed, 1200 injured, 56 hospitals destroyed, 220,000 homes destroyed, 4,500 schools damaged, parts lost power and water supplies, communication affected
• Secondary effects of the 2010 Chile earthquake

  • 1,500km of roads damaged, coastal towns destroyed by tsunami, fires began at chemical plant near Santiago
• Immediate responses to the 2010 Chile earthquake

  • Emergency services acted quickly, international help required to supply field hospitals, power and water restored to 90% of homes within 10 days, national appeal raised $60m
• Long-term responses to the 2010 Chile earthquake


  • Chile's government launched a housing reconstruction plan to help nearly 100,000 houses, Chile's strong economy able to rebuild without the need for foreign aid
• Primary effects of the 2015 Nepal earthquake

  • 8,600 died, 20,000 injured, 3 million left homeless, electricity, water supplies, sanitation and communications affected, 1 million in need of food, water and shelter, 7,000 schools destroyed, hospitals overwhelmed
• Secondary effects of the 2015 Nepal earthquake

  • Ground shaking triggered landslides and avalanches blocking roads, avalanche on Mount Everest killed 19 people, avalanche in another region left 250 people missing
• Immediate responses to the 2015 Nepal earthquake


  • Search and rescue teams, water and medical supplies arrived quickly (from China, India), helicopters rescued people and delivered supplies to villages, million tents provided for homeless, field hospitals set up to support overcrowded hospitals
• Long-term responses to the 2015 Nepal earthquake

  • Roads repaired, landslides cleared, thousands of homeless people re-homed, damaged houses repaired, over 7,000 schools rebuilt or repaired, Everest base camp and trekking routes repaired
• Tropical Storms

  A huge storm that develops in the tropics (between the tropic of Capricorn and the tropic of Cancer)
• Hurricanes


  • USA and the Caribbean
• Typhoons


  • Japan and the Philippines
• Cyclones


  • SE Asia and Australia
• Tropical storms occur in the summer months in the northern hemisphere and winter months in the southern hemisphere
• Tropical storms

  • Form over warm oceans (above 27°)
  • Form in summer and autumn (when sea temperatures are at their highest)
  • Most form south of 15° worth and south of the equator
• At the equator, there is not enough spin from the rotation of the Earth
• In tropical regions, the intense heat makes the air unstable causing it to rise rapidly
• How tropical storms form

  1. Strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface

  2. This evaporated air cools as it rises and condenses to form towering thunderstorm clouds

  3. As the air condenses it releases heat which powers the storm and draws up more and more water from the ocean

  4. Several smaller thunderstorms join together to form a giant spinning storm

  5. When surface winds reach an average of 120km per hour (75 miles per hour) the storm officially becomes a tropical storm

  6. The storm now develops an eye at its centre where air descends rapidly. The outer edge of the eye is the eyewall where the most intense weather conditions (strong winds and heavy rain) are found

  7. As the storm is carried across the ocean by the prevailing winds, it continues to gather strength

  8. If the storm reaches warm seas after crossing the land, it may pick up strength again

  9. On reaching land the storm's energy supply (evaporated water) is cut off. Friction with the land slows it down and it begins to weaken
• Tropical Storms


  • Primary effects:
  • People injured or killed
  • Buildings destroyed
  • Debris
  • Electric supplies cut off due to power lines being destroyed
  • Sewage released due to flooding
  • Storm surge
• Tropical Storms


  • Secondary effects:
  • People left homeless
  • Lack of clean water and food
  • Unemployment
  • Crops destroyed, livestock killed
  • Tsunami
• Immediate responses to tropical storms

  1. People evacuated

  2. Temporary shelters provided

  3. Water and food provided

  4. Rescue people trapped

  5. Provide medical support
• Long-term responses to tropical storms

  1. Repairs and rebuild properties

  2. Rehouse people

  3. Repair transport infrastructure

  4. Improve forecasting and early warning systems