impacts, responses Flashcards
(13 cards)
Primary impacts: earthquakes
- collapsed buildings and people killed or injured by falling masonry
-broken water, gas and sewage pipelines
-downed electric power lines
Secondary impacts: earthquakes
-tsunamis
-aftershocks
-fires due to ruptured gas mains
Primary impacts: volcanoes
-buildings, roads, and crops destroyed by lava flows
-death and injuries resulting directly from the outpourings of lava, ash and gas
-contamination of water supplies by ash falling on them
Secondary impacts: volcanoes
-lahars created by the mixing of volcanic ash and mud with rainwater or melting snow
-fires started by lava and pyroclastic flows
-the psychological trauma of losing family member and friends
Short-term impacts of tropical cyclone
- physical: damage to property caused by high winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges along coasts
-social: the number of people killed or injured; the disruption of communities and their normal way of life; any decline in quality of life - economic: the disruption and destruction of businesses, transport links, and services
-environmental: landslides; soil erosion; upset ecosystems; prolonged flooding
emergency aid responses
- releasing people trapped in collapsed buildings
- using lifting gear to clear away rubble and debri
- restoring basic services such as water, sewage, gas, electricity and communications
- providing medical help and counselling victims
- organising the distribution of emergency rations of food, water and clothing
- setting up temporary shelters for people made homeless
- providing transport for emergency supplies
how do we measure the intensity of a volcanic eruption?
VEI, volcanic explosivity index
-on a logarithmic scale of 1-8
how do we measure earthquakes?
Richter scale - energy and magnitude
-sclae from 2.4 or less to over 8.0
- logarithmic scale
Mercalli scale - people experience and amount of damage done
MMS scale- measures energy released on a lofarithmic scale
factors that affect the amount of damage and destruction caused by a particular natural disaster:
- the size of the area affected.
- population density of the area affected - the more people and economic activities in a disaster area, the greater the potential damage.
- how long the event lasts.
- the degree to which people were warned in advance. - evacuation
- the degree to which the people are prepared - shelters, education on what is done during an emergency,
reasons of living in high risk areas:
- lack of education - people are unaware of the risks
- financial problem - people may be unable to move away from hazardous areas due to lack of money and worrying about not finding a job there.
- family - despite hazards they feel comfortable knowing that they are with their loved ones.
benefits of living in an area close to volcanoes:
minerals - volcanoes bring valuable mineral resources to the surface.
tourism - volcanoes interest many people and attract tourists.
how can construction affect the destruction of buildings?
bricks and concrete blocks
instead we can use lighter materials, build on flexible frames, use earthquake proof materials to absorb earth tremors.
long term planning
- do risks need to be reassessed
- improved warning systems
- valid evacuation procedures, everyone is aware of them
- buildings in the area are made more resistant
5.maps of hazard risk up to date
