Unit Overview

Wednesday, December 7, 2022 12:02 PM

1. Geophysical systems Before After

How geological processes give Mechanisms of plate movement including internal heating, convection
rise to geophysical events of currents, plumes, subduction and rifting at plate margins
differing type and magnitude
Characteristics of volcanoes (shield, composite and cinder) formed by varying
types of volcanic eruption; and associated secondary hazards (pyroclastic
Earthquake secondary hazards:
flows, lahars, landslides) Landslides, falling buildings, liquefaction destroying underground infrastructure (pipelines), tsunamis if
in ocean
Characteristics of earthquakes (depth of focus, epicentre and wave types)
caused by varying types of plate margin movement and human triggers (dam
building, resource extraction); and associated secondary hazards (tsunami,
landslides, liquefaction, transverse faults) Mass movement factors:
Classification of mass movement types according to cause (physical and Drainage - more water makes rock and soil unstable, easily flows
human), liquidity, speed of onset, duration, extent and frequency Slope angle - steeper slope has more force from gravity making it less stable
Erosion - cutting trees reduces soil fertility, making it less strengthened, less stability
Human activity - building at base of slope undercuts it, so less rock counteracts the pressure from the
slope

2. Geophysical hazard Before After

risks

How geophysical systems
generate hazard risks for
different places
The distribution of geophysical hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, mass
movements)
The relevance of hazard magnitude and frequency/recurrence for risk
management
Geophysical hazard risk as a product of economic factors (levels of development
and technology), social factors (education, gender), demographic factors
(population density and structure) and political factors (governance)
Geographic factors affecting geophysical hazard event impacts, including
rural/urban location, time of day and degree of isolation

3. Hazard risk and vulnerability Before After

The varying power of geophysical hazards Volcanic Hazards x2
to affect people in different local • geophysical hazard event profiles, including any secondary hazards
• varied impacts of these hazards on different aspects of human well-being
contexts
• why levels of vulnerability varied both between and within communities,
including spatial variations in hazard perception, personal knowledge and
preparedness

Earthquake Hazards x2
• geophysical hazard event profiles, including any secondary hazards
• varied impacts of these hazards on different aspects of human well-being
• why levels of vulnerability varied both between and within communities,
including spatial variations in hazard perception, personal knowledge and
preparedness

Mass Movement Hazard x2

• geophysical hazard event profiles, including any secondary hazards
• varied impacts of these hazards on different aspects of human well-being
• why levels of vulnerability varied both between and within communities,
including spatial variations in hazard perception, personal knowledge and
preparedness

4. Future Before After

resilience and
adaptation
Future possibilities Global geophysical hazard and disaster trends and future projections, including event
for managing frequency and population growth estimates
Geophysical hazard adaptation through increased government planning (land use
zoning) and personal resilience (increased preparedness, use of insurance and adoption
of new technology)
Pre-event management strategies for mass movement (to include slope stabilization),
earthquakes and tsunami (to include building design, tsunami defences), volcanoes (to
include GPS crater monitoring and lava diversions)
Post-event management strategies (rescue, rehabilitation, reconstruction), to include
the enhanced use of communications technologies to map hazards/disasters, locate
survivors and promote continuing human development

Earthquakes Why vulnerable:

Haiti - 2010, Port Au Prince, MM 7 Slums in Port Au Prince, so buildings not resilient and close together
Caribbean sea, between caribbean plate and north american plate - transform boundary Collapse killed lots of people and aid couldn't rescue because roads blocked
Still rebuilding from hurricane gustav when hit by earthquake Lack of emergency plan/education for disaster
Shortage of healthcare workers
Case Studies and Examples Summarised Happened in afternoon - pop spread in risky places - work, home, transportation High population density at epicentre sitew
two earthquake hazard events of similar magnitudes but with contrasting human impacts No foreshocks and no warning was given Poorest country in west, families lost everything in the disaster
Case Study 1:
Case Study 2: Social impacts:
two volcanic hazard events in contrasting plate boundary locations >1 million homeless
Case Study 1: >200,000 deaths caused by collapsing buildings, small tsunami, cholera epidemic, malaria, tuberculosis
Case Study 2: >300,000 injured + not treated because of medical staff displacement + hospital collapse
two mass movement hazard events with contrasting physical characteristics
Economic impacts:
Case Study 1: Deggs model, 'disaster' only happens if population is very vulnerable to it
Case Study 2: 30,000 commercial buildings collapsed - loss of trade + jobs
Damage to main industry of textiles
Airport and port damaged so slow down of imports + exports

Environmental:
Deforestation for temporary camps
Pollution by leaking oil due to liquefaction
Water supply polluted

Political:
Haitian justice in disarray with no proper system or judges, so crime is up
Appeal for international aid by Haitian ambassador but Red Cross ran out of supplies

Alaska - 2018, Anchorage, MM 7

Pacific, between pacific plate and North American plate, convergent boundary
Subduction earthquake

Social impacts:
Damage to buildings including housing
Traffic lights knocked, car collisions
Water got dirty for a while afterwards with bacteria, had to use bottled water
BUT NO DEATHS REPORTED

Economic:
Trans Alaskan oil pipeline shut down temporarily
$30 million infrastructure damage
Why Alaska wasn't so vulnerable:
Environmental: High GDP of 50,000 dollars a year, people insured homes so wasn't big loss
Liquefaction in some areas, causing mass movement Decent healthcare force of 3 doctors per person - injuries treated
Infrastructure was earthquake resistant, so not much collapsing, minor injuries
Political: caused like cuts, sprains
Anchorage mayor requested state and federal assistance Low population density in this state, so wasn't difficult to evacuate
State emergency personnel deployed to rescue people

Mass movement:
Ponzano, Italy - 2017, slow
Village in south italy, small pop of 200

Physical characteristics:
Slope saturated after infiltration of water by snow melt due to increase in temp after winter
Intense rainfalls recorded around that time, 93% of total monthly occurred in a few days
Town close to sea level
Deforestation

Social impacts:
1141 people dead or still missing.
Accessibility between communities was lost due to cutting of communication routes.
3000 people left homeless and moved to emergency camps.

Economic:
Roads, bridges and footpaths blocked or washed away. $1 million loss
Power outages in many communities caused by the deliberate cutting off of supplies in order to avoid
electrical accidents.

Environmental:
Loss of agricultural productivity
Loss of biodiversity
Sedimentation causing water pollution in rivers and streams

Political:
President declared a state of emergency and announced the establishment of a relief center in Regent
The World Food Programme (WFP) provided rations for 7,500 people
The European Union authorized €300,000 for humanitarian aid