Hazards Flashcards
1
Q
Layers of the Earth
A
Inner core, outer core, mantle, crust
2
Q
Epicentre
A
The point on the earth’s surface where earthquakes are at their most powerful
3
Q
Characteristics of oceanic crust
A
Dense, newer, thinner
4
Q
Characteristics of continental crust
A
Less dense, older, thicker
5
Q
Constructive boundaries
A
Plate boundaries which move apart from each other and often result in the formation of mid-ocean ridges
6
Q
Modified Mercalli Scale
A
Measures an earthquake’s intensity based on the observed effects of people and structures
7
Q
Shield volcano
A
A type of volcano that is low and wide with a gentle slope. They are found at constructive plate boundaries
8
Q
Composite volcano
A
A cone shaped volcano built from many layers of lava and ash. They are found at destructive plate boundaries
9
Q
Focus
A
the place inside Earth’s crust where an earthquake originates. Energy is released here
10
Q
Feature formed at a collision plate boundary
A
Fold mountains
11
Q
Features formed at a convergent (destructive) plate boundary
A
Deep ocean trenches, island arcs, volcanoes, earthquakes
12
Q
Mid-oceanic ridge location
A
Divergent/constructive plate boundaries
13
Q
Richter scale
A
Measures an earthquake’s magnitude based on ground shaking using a seismometer
Range: 2.4 or less - 8.0
14
Q
Moment magnitude scale
A
Measures the total energy released by an earthquake
15
Q
Volcanic Explosivity Index
A
Measures the intensity of volcanic eruptions on a logarithmic scale of 1-8
16
Q
What type of waves are produced when an earthquake occurs?
A
Seismic waves
17
Q
Where do tropical storms take place?
A
Between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
18
Q
Eye
A
The centre of a tropical storm
19
Q
Low pressure
A
Wet weather
20
Q
High pressure
A
Dry weather
21
Q
Hurricane
A
Tropical storm in the Americas
22
Q
Tropical storm formation requirements
A
- Low pressure weather systems
- Warm seas over 26˚
- 8-20˚N of the equator where trade winds converge
- In the summer and autumn where sea temp is highest
23
Q
Coriolis effect
A
The process that causes tropical cyclones to rotate.
Northern Hemisphere = anticlockwise
Southern Hemisphere = clockwise
24
Q
Saffir-Simpson scale
A
A 1-5 rating based only on a hurricane’s maximum sustained wind speed
25
Economic benefits of living close to volcanoes
Tourism, fertile soils
26
Short-term environmental impacts of tropical storms
Landslides, soil erosion, storm surge, flooding
27
How many people were displaced by Typhoon Haiyan?
600,000
28
Primary impact
A direct impact immediately caused by the hazard
29
Secondary impact
A knock-on effect of a primary impact (indirect)
30
Why do people choose to live near a volcano?
- Fertile soil
- Tourism
- Geothermal energy
- Beautiful landscape
- Where their family live
- Unaware of the risks
31
Why do people choose to live near an earthquake?
- Geothermal energy
- Believe it won't happen to them
- Earthquake proof buildings make people feel safe
- Minerals
32
Social reasons why people chose to live in hazardous environments
- Where family is
- Don't perceive the risk
- Beautiful views
33
Why some places are more vulnerable than others
- Low development level
- Lack of education
- Proximity to hazards
- Hazards are frequent
- Low level of preparedness
- Poor building design
- Poor governance
34
Short-term impact
Something that happens in the days and weeks after an event
35
Long-term impact
Something that continues to impact for months and years after an event
36
What category of the Saffir-Simpson scale was Typhoon Haiyan?
5
37
Short term impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- 6300+ people killed
- 600,000 people displaced
- 30,000 fishing boats destroyed
- 14 million people affected by heavy rain
- power supplies disrupted
- flooding caused landslides
38
Long term impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- Hospitals damaged, shops and schools destroyed
- 90% Tacloban city destroyed
- Shortages of water
- jobs lost
- 40,000 homes destroyed
39
Economic impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- 30,000 fishing boats destroyed
- Crops destroyed
- Airport damaged
40
Social impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- 14 million people affected by heavy rain
- 6300+ people killed
- 600,000 people displaced
41
Environmental impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- Heavy rain
- Flooding caused landslides
- Blocked roads
- Crops destroyed
42
Short term impacts of Eyjafjallajokull
- 700 people evacuated due to glacier melt flood
- Mass grounding of flights
- Roads closed
- 500 local cattle farmers and families evacuated
43
Long term impacts of Eyjafjallajokull
- Plankton bloom due to ash in oceans disrupted food chains
- Kenya's economy lost 2.8 billion pounds due to flight cancellations as goods not exported
- 2.8m tonnes of CO2 not emitted into the atmosphere
44
Economic impacts of Eyjafjallajokull
- Airlines lost a combined £130 million per day in revenues
- Europe's biggest tourism businesses lost between £5 million and £6 million per day
45
Social impacts of Eyjafjallajokull
- 500 local cattle farmers and their families had to be evacuated from the area around the volcano
- Farmers near the volcano were warned not to let their livestock drink from contaminated water sources
46
Environmental impacts of Eyjafjallajokull
- Dissolved iron deposits triggered a plankton bloom
- The eruption on 14 April set off a major flood in Iceland
- The mass-grounding of European flights prevented the emission of 2.8m tonnes of carbon dioxide
47
When was the Eyjafjallajokull eruption?
March 20th 2010
48
Which plate boundaries are Eyjafjallajokull on?
North American and Eurasian
49
Which type of plate margin is Eyjafjallajokull on?
Constructive
50
What VEI was Eyjafjallajokull?
4
51
Short term impacts of the Nepal earthquake
- 8,600 dead and 19,000 injured
- people slept outside due to landslides and shaking destroying homes
- avalanches and landslides triggered
52
Long term impacts of the Nepal earthquake
- Harvests reduced or lost
- Entire villages lost to landslides
- Old buildings and UNESCO heritage sites lost
53
Economic impacts of the Nepal earthquake
- 35-50% of GDP lost
- Short term tourist revenue lost
54
Social impacts of the Nepal earthquake
- 8,600 dead and 19,000 injured
- people slept outside due to landslides and shaking destroying homes
55
Environmental impacts of the Nepal earthquake
- Landslides
- Avalanches
56
Which plate boundaries did the Nepal earthquake happen along?
Indian and Eurasian
57
Which type of plate margin is Nepal on?
Collision
58
What MMS was Nepal Earthquake?
7.8
59
Short term responses of the Italy earthquake
- Homeless were given tents or slept in sports halls
- 250 people rescued from collapsed buildings
- Power banks and generators given out to help communication
60
Long term responses of the Italy earthquake
- Safe Schools drill practices introduced
- 1 billion euros given for rebuilding work
- Casa Italia scheme for earthquake proof housing
61
How Italy was prepared for an earthquake
Emergency services and response teams trained and ready
62
When was the Italy Earthquake?
August 24th 2016
63
Which plate boundaries did the Italy earthquake happen along?
African and Eurasian
64
Which type of plate margin is Italy on?
Collision
65
What MMS was Italy Earthquake?
6.2
66
Ways buildings can be made earthquake proof
- Triangular shape (lightweight on top)
- Pendulum in roof (stabilize)
- Cross bracings (so building can twist)
67
Items in a emergency grab bag
- Flashlight
- Food
- Water
- Radio
- Shelter
68
Explain how GIS can be used for earthquake preparedness
- Mapping the roads
- building age mapping
- population density mapping
69
Explain how warning and evacuation are used to prepare for earthquakes
- People know what to do and where to go in the event of an earthquake
- People can prepare a grab bag in advance
70
Explain the role of remote sensing in earthquake preparedness
Can take images of the ground to monitor movements
71
Short term responses of the Nepal Earthquake
- Over 100 search and rescue responders were provided by The UK
- Temporary housing was provided, including a 'Tent city' in Kathmandu
- India and China provided over $1 billion of international aid
72
Long term responses of the Nepal Earthquake
- Stricter building codes were introduced
- Over 7000 schools were rebuilt
- A blockade at the Indian border was cleared in late 2015 (better transportation of goods)
73
How Nepal was prepared for earthquakes
- Tourists climbing Everest paid premium packages for emergency rescue and earthquake insurance
- Low development = little preparedness
74
Park model
Tells us how quickly a country can return to full quality of life (quality of life against time after disaster)
75
Natural Hazards
Extreme natural events that can cause loss of life, extreme damage to property and disrupt human activities
76
Destructive plate boundary
When two plates are moving towards each other and the edge of one plate margin is being destroyed as it plunges beneath the other plate (subduction).
77
Collision plate boundary
when two plates of equal density and strength move towards each other and meet head on
78
Conservative plate boundary
where two plates are sliding past each other, causing earthquakes
79
Hotspot
locations beneath the Earth's crust where strong currents of magma (plumes) rise. Where the crust above a plume is weak, volcanic activity occurs
80
Earthquake
A sudden and brief period of intense shaking of the ground
81
Pyroclastic flow
a dense, destructive mass of very hot ash, lava fragments, and gases ejected explosively from a volcano and typically flowing at great speed
82
Hazard
An event which has the potential to cause harm to the environment, people or the economy
