Unit 4 Notes

Question 1

What is Risk?

Answer 1

The probability of a hazard occurring and creating loss of lives and livelihoods.

Question 2

What is an example of people experiencing increased risk?

Answer 2

People perceiving an area to be safe, as they haven’t had a crisis in a long time. Lack of alternative locations to live.

Question 3

What is Vulnerability?

Answer 3

The conditions which increase susceptibly of an individual of an individual or community, to the impacts of hazards.

Question 4

What is the risk equation?

Answer 4

Risk = Frequency and/or magnitude of hazard x level of vulnerability/capacity of population to cope.

Question 5

What makes an area more likely to experience hazards?

Answer 5

Being on a plate boundary, living in a coastal area. Being an LEDC.

Question 6

What does the Pressure and Release model of vulnerability show?

Answer 6

It explains how levels of vulnerability can be increased and decreased through causes, pressure, and conditions.

Question 7

What are the root causes of increased pressure of Hazards?

Answer 7

Limited access to power, structure, and resources. The political and economic system.

Question 8

Which dynamic pressures affect vulnerability?

Answer 8

Lack of local institutions, training, local investment, local investment, population change, debt repayment, productivity.

Question 9

How do unsafe conditions affect vulnerability in the pressure model?

Answer 9

Dangerous locations, unprotected infrastructure, low income. Lack of public preparedness, endemic disease.

Question 10

What hazards can be caused by these pressures?

Answer 10

Storm surge, flooding, sea level rise, heat, drought.

Question 11

How can we address the root causes of hazards, according to the pressure model?

Answer 11

Favourable distribution of power, wealth, resources. Challenge ideology in a country.

Question 12

How can we reduce pressures which are likely to cause hazards?

Answer 12

Develop training and education centres, ethical standards. Develop health programmes, urban development. Scheduling debt repayment.

Question 13

How can we achieve safe physical conditions, according to the PAR model?

Answer 13

Access to land and water, hazard-resistant buildings, protect biodiversity. Diversify rural income. Social inclusion, resilient economy.

Question 14

How can we mitigate against hazards, according to the PAR model?

Answer 14

Flood defences, sea walls, wind breaks. Irrigation. Afforestation, soil conservation.

Question 15

How are hazards exacerbated by economic factors?

Answer 15

One where disasters are exacerbated by poverty, where the poorest countries lack the money to invest in education, social services and infrastructure. Poorer countries lack effective infrastructure.

Question 16

How are hazards exacerbated by Social factors?

Answer 16

Where populations are growing rapidly, risk is increased. Areas with ageing populations are vulnerable. Housing conditions and quality of buildings have a major impact on the scale of deaths.

Question 17

How are hazards exacerbated by Quality of governance?

Answer 17

Lack of strong central government produces a weak organisational structure. Lack of financial institutions inhibits disaster mitigation and both emergency and post-disaster recovery.

Question 18

How are hazards exacerbated by Geographical factors?

Answer 18

Increasing urbanisation leads to squatter settlements, creating high risk and exposure. Destruction of rural environments leads to a loss of food supplies. Time of day impacts where people are when hazards occur.

Question 19

Which characteristics are easy to measure in terms of hazard risk?

Answer 19

Magnitude, speed of onset, duration, Ariel extent, predictability, frequency.

Question 20

What is the role of prediction in hazard risk reduction?

Answer 20

They give people time to evacuate, prepare for a hazard event, manage impacts more effectively. Helps insurance companies assess risk.

Question 21

Which factors are used to monitor earthquake prone areas?

Answer 21

Laser reflector, creep meter, gravity meter, tilt meter, strain meter, well levels, magnetometer, seismograph.

Question 22

Why are tactics to monitor earthquakes limited to conservative boundaries?

Answer 22

You can’t go beneath the ocean at other plate boundaries to assess these factors at other plate boundaries.

Question 23

Are techniques to monitor earthquakes applicable to all risk areas?

Answer 23

No, as most earthquakes occur at destructive and constructive boundaries.

Question 24

What is an example of a Conservative plate boundary?

Answer 24

San Andreas fault, California.

Question 25

What is the chance of an earthquake in San Francisco from 2025-2030?

Answer 25

99%.

Question 26

How can we predict earthquakes on the San Andreas fault?

Answer 26

They can assess how the ground will shake, and what the impacts will be.

Question 27

What does the Terra-shake project in California aim to predict?

Answer 27

The areas which are the most vulnerable to earthquakes.

Question 28

How can predictions in these areas reduce vulnerability?

Answer 28

They identify areas of greatest shaking, say where is the most vulnerable, and identifies where government needs to send resources.

Question 29

Which environmental changes occur when monitoring earthquakes?

Answer 29

Seismic activity, ground deformation, gas emissions, thermal changes, lahar monitoring.

Question 30

How can Satellites improve the prediction of eruptions?

Answer 30

Heat emissions occur months ahead of eruption, temperatures increase before eruption, and dropped again after.

Question 31

Which system do they use in Hawaii to monitor wave motions, predicting Tsunamis?

Answer 31

The pacific tsunami warning and mitigation system - Uses a series of buoys to monitor wave motion, following an earthquake.

Question 32

How does the DART II system warn countries around the pacific

Answer 32

The buoy in the water shakes faster than usual, and can work out how fast and how far away a Tsunami is, based on shaking.

Question 33

How do countries at risk reduce their vulnerability, after receiving a warning?

Answer 33

They can go to higher ground, and use more education, and evacuation routes.

Question 34

Which body was formed in response to the Tsunami in 2004?

Answer 34

The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning system - IOWTS.

Question 35

Which factors make some people vulnerable to a Tsunami, following a warning to a country?

Answer 35

Economic development, quality of planning and evacuation routes, quality of governance.

Question 36

What are the three responses to a tectonic event?

Answer 36

Modify the event, modify the vulnerability, modify the loss.

Question 37

How can countries modify an earthquake event?

Answer 37

Aseismic design - high and low tech solutions such as steel frames which sway during earth movements. Automatic window shutters to prevent falling glass. Outer panels attached to steel structure. Fire resistant building materials.

Question 38

Why is strong governance important in modifying events themselves?

Answer 38

In earthquake prone areas, vulnerability can be reduced in countries with Aseismic designs.

Question 39

Which strategies are being used in Pakistan to help modify the event?

Answer 39

More octagonal houses are being built to reduce damage of earthquakes, more cement and mortar are being used, rather than stone and mud.

Question 40

What was the cause of increased effects of Turkey's earthquake in 2023?

Answer 40

Corruption in building standard decisions, where Turkish regulators were bribed to accept planning decisions.

Question 41

How can lava flows be controlled?

Answer 41

In the Eldafell eruption 1973, seawater was sprayed onto the lava flow, to successfully cool and solidify the lava.

Question 42

In which volcanoes were explosives successful in creating artificial channels to divert lava flows away from villages?

Answer 42

Rocca - 1983, 1991, 2001 eruptions. They were digging, which redirected lava flow.

Question 43

What did the Japanese government do after 2011, to repair sea walls?

Answer 43

Set aside $12 Billion to repair and build nearly 400km of sea walls along the Northeast coast, supported by foundations of up to 25 metres.

Question 44

Which strategies could be developed to reduce the effects of a Tsunami wave?

Answer 44

Planning effective evacuation routes, having detectors within oceans to provide more warming. Encouraging people to take out insurance to protect their homes.

Question 45

Why are hard engineering strategies not an option for all countries?

Answer 45

No, as they're too expensive for LEDC's to afford the amount it costs to set these structures up, and to provide upkeep.

Question 46

How can countries modify the vulnerability of an event?

Answer 46

Land use planning and zoning, community preparedness and education.

Question 47

How can countries modify vulnerability through land use planning and zoning?

Answer 47

Tectonic hazard risk maps identifying the most at risk areas. Making sure that key buildings aren't positioned in locations of greatest risk. Volcanic hazard flow maps to prevent building in some areas.

Question 48

How can countries modify vulnerability through community preparedness and education?

Answer 48

Educate communities about precursors of hazards, how to evaluate an area, preparing the community to cope in light of a hazars.

Question 49

What does 'The shake out' suggest people adopt to modify vulnerability?

Answer 49

Removing objects on shelving and higher fixtures, secure possessions to the wall, have an emergency place to meet others, learn how to protect yourself.

Question 50

Why is community preparedness and education easier to implement in high income countries?

Answer 50

It can be expensive to do information campaigns, more infrastructure and technology exists to share information. We have a formal education system. Increased ownership of vehicles, reducing vulnerability.

Question 51

What are the two ways to modify the loss from tectonic events?

Answer 51

Insurance and aid. Insurance is mainly available for wealthier nations. Aid is key for all areas, but particularly in poor nations.

Question 52

How does the UK government co-ordinate international aid?

Answer 52

Through the Disaster emergency committee.

Question 53

What has the DEC done since 1963?

Answer 53

Raised £2.4 Billion, saving lives and rebuilding communities. It brings together 19 other aid charities to raise funds.

Question 54

What are the stages of the hazard disaster management cycle?

Answer 54

Monitoring prediction warning, hazard happens, emergency rescue evacuation, rehabilitation, short term recovery, long term recovery, resilience prevention, disaster free period.

Question 55

Which other model shows impacts of a disaster, from pre-disaster to post-disaster?

Answer 55

Parks disaster response curve.

Question 56

What were the main reasons for vulnerability in the E15 eruption in 2010?

Answer 56

People weren't given enough time to prepare. The environment and economy were heavily impacted.

Question 57

What were the main reasons for vulnerability in the Montserrat eruption in 1995?

Answer 57

The island was reliant on tourism for a lot of its' GDP, the capital city was abandoned as a result of the earthquake.

Question 58

What were the main reasons for vulnerability in the Columbia eruption in 1985?

Answer 58

People weren't prepared for the impacts - evacuation was ordered but then abandoned, as the volcano reduced activity.

Question 59

What were the main reasons for vulnerability in the eruption in the DRC?

Answer 59

It was an LEDC which didn't have the correct funding for evacuation planning, search and rescue of monitoring equipment for earthquakes.

Question 60

What were the main reasons for vulnerability in the eruption in Mount St. Helen's in the USA?

Answer 60

The volcanic landslide spanned 23 square miles, which shows the impact of natural factors on MEDC's.

Question 61

Why was California vulnerable in the 1989 earthquake in Loma Prieta?

Answer 61

It's found on a plate boundary, and buildings built before 1994 weren't earthquake resistant. Most people didn't have earthquake insurance.

Question 62

Why was Haiti vulnerable to the impacts of the 2010 earthquake?

Answer 62

The government structures weren't in place to help people and businesses affected, many government ministers were killed. Damage was more than the GDP of Haiti.

Question 63

Why was Turkey vulnerable to the earthquake in 2023?

Answer 63

There was corruption in the planning system, as planning officials approved decisions which wouldn't have been allowed usually.

Question 64

Why were countries in the Indian Ocean vulnerable to the Boxing day Tsunami?

Answer 64

They were LEDC's, who weren't prepared for the impacts. High population density.

Question 65

Why was Japan vulnerable to the impacts of the earthquake in 2011?

Answer 65

There was a risk of Tsunamis, as Japan is an island nation. There was a high risk to the economy, as Japan is the third wealthiest nation in the world.