Earthquake hazards

 Ground Rupture

Alaskan pipe after the

Denali quake ruptured
through

Ground rupture from the M8.1

2001 Tibet earthquake
Earthquake hazards (cont.)

 Shaking
 Wave
amplitude
 Wave
frequency
 Duration of
shaking
Earthquake hazards (cont)

 Liquefaction
1964
 Saturated sand Nigata
loses strength Japan
upon shaking
 Tsunami
 Wave wavelength 2004
Sumatra
ocean waves that earthquake
can travel vast
distances
Sumatra Earthquake tsunami
Hazard vs risk
 1989 Macquarie Ridge, New Zealand
 M 8.3
 No losses
 1960 Agadir, Morocco
 M 5.5
 12,000 deaths
Earthquake Risk
 Risk = hazard x vulnerability
 The amount of damage and numbers of
earthquake related deaths do not correlate
to magnitude of the earthquake.
Acceptable Risk
 Level of acceptable
risk depends on the
structure
 Cannot design for
maximum
earthquake with low
probability
 Social question
How would you mitigate
damages from….

 Ground Rupture
 Liquefaction
 Ground Shaking
 Tsunami
Ground Rupture
 Avoid construction
 Relocate sensitive facilities
 Implement low use facilities
 Playing fields
 Green space
Portola Valley California
Liquefaction
 Recognize liquefaction potential
 In-situ remediation
 Avoid construction in liquefaction prone
areas
Tsunami mitigation
 Early warning system
 Broadcast signal to beaches after a major
earthquake anywhere in the ocean basin
 Saftey guidelines
 Go to high ground
 Climb a tree
Ground Shaking
 Recognize the degree of probable ground
shaking in the area
 Improve construction methods to
accommodate shaking without collapse
 Natural Seismic Hazards

Surface rupture

Landslides

Dust & Disease

Tsunamis

Liquefacton & subsidence

Ground shaking
 Surface Rupture
Earth’s surface breaks and shifts at an active fault.

Only affects construction built directly atop the fault.

Affects the smallest area of all the seismic hazards.

Includes creep and earthquakes.

How could you evaluate the level of risk

due to surface rupture?
 Landslides
Downslope movement of Earth materials due to gravity

Most affect soil or loose sediment, but some affect rock.

May be triggered by earthquakes or heavy rainfall.

How could you evaluate the level of risk

due to landslide?
 Tsunami
Destructive sea waves (NOT tidal waves)

Caused by processes that abruptly moves ocean water:

earthquake submarine volcanic eruption

coastal/submarine landslide ET impact

Time of arrival can be predicted—public warnings

How could you evaluate the level of risk

due to tsunami?
Possible tsunami
“run-up” zones
 Liquefaction
Accompanies M6+ EQs.

Water escape often causes

the ground surface to
subside.

Subsidence can damage pipes,

foundations, etc.

How could you evaluate the level of risk

due to liquefaction & subsidence?
 Ground Shaking
Due to passage of P, S, and surface waves

Ground type controls amplitude and duration of shaking:

Bedrock shakes least, shortest

Mud-rich soil shakes most, longest

How could you evaluate the level of risk

due to ground shaking?
 The effects of earthquakes
Primary:
 Collapsed buildings, roads and bridges
which kill many people.

 People are killed by being trapped in their

homes, places of work and cars.

 Those who survive can

suffer from trauma and
shock
 The effects of earthquakes
Secondary
 Fire- caused by fractured gas pipes and electricity wires being
brought down. Fires spread quickly in areas of poor quality housing.

 Tsunamis- giant sea waves caused by a sea floor earthquake and

dangerous for people living in low-lying coasts.

 Landslides- occur on steep slopes and in areas of weak rocks e.g.

sand and clays.

 Disease e.g. typhoid and cholera spread easily when pipes burst and
there is shortage of fresh water and contamination from sewage.

 Famine

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/natural_hazards/eart
hquakes_video.shtml
 Why do some people die in some earthquakes
more than others?
The Power of the Earthquake
The strength of an earthquake is measured on the Richter
scale. Earthquakes more than 6.0 usually result in some
damage.

Geology
The effect of an earthquake is less on solid rock and
greater on weak sands and clays

Depth of earthquake
Generally the closer the earthquake’s focus is to the earth’s
surface, the greater the damage
Location of epicentre
The epicentre is the point on the surface directly above the
focus (start of the earthquake). It is at this point where
the energy from an earthquake is usually at its greatest.

Level of development of the country

Earthquakes which occur in the richer countries of the
world often have fewer fatalities simply due to the
greater state of preparedness which is facilitated by the
greater amount of money available to put into
earthquake research, monitoring and preparation.
Some examples of reasons for an often greater death toll in LEDCs
- Buildings are often not earthquake proof and built out of flimsy
materials
- Emergency services in LEDCs have less training and equipment
- Lack of money for prediction and monitoring systems
- Cities in LEDCs are densely populated with houses packed close
together, resulting in danger from collapsed buildings and spread of
fire

Time of day/ Year

There are seasonal differences in temperature which can exacerbate
the effects of the quake. People can be forced to live in tents with
freezing temperatures. Where conditions are much warmer bodies
will decay more rapidly and spread disease.

Population density
An area of dense population is likely to experience more deaths than a
rural area simply due to a greater likelihood of people being affected
by the quake and more buildings, road networks and bridges which
may collapse.
THE PHILIPPINES
SEISMICITY MAP
THE PHILIPPINES PLATE
SOME OF THE PHILIPPINES’
NOTABLE EARTHQUAKE
EXPERIENCES
AUGUST 16, 1976
JULY 16, 1990
AUGUST 31, 2012
THE MINDANAO
EARTHQUAKE AND GULF OF
MORO TSUNAMI
The Philippines’ Worst
Earthquake/Tsunami Disaster
M7.9
AUGUST 16, 1976
LOCATION
THE EARTHQUAKE
 Occurring at night when schools and
offices were closd, the fatalities were
relatively low (about 800) despite
extensive damage to buildings due to
poor construction and/or inadequate
foundations.
 Bridges and roads in Mindanao and the
city of Cotobato were damaged.
COTOBATO: DAMAGED
BRIDGE
Unfortunately, there was no time for
the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
to issue a warning before a large
local tsunami struck the region just
minutes after the earthquake,
THE GULF OF MORO
TSUNAMI
 The destructive tsunami generated in the
Gulf of Moro and in the Celebes Sea killed
about 90 percent of the estimated 8,000
total fatalities, hitting peope in coastal
communities in North and South
Zamboanga, North and South Lanao, North
Cotabato, Maguindanao and Sultan
Kudarat (Mindanao), and in the neighboring
Sulu Islands.
THE LUZON
EARTHQUAKE

M7.8
JULY 16, 1990
4:26 pm
LOCATION

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19
90_Luzon_earthquake
OCCURRENCE
 The earthquake occurred on the
Philippine fault system, a well-
known strike-slip fault zone.
 The rupture produced a 125 km-
long surface scarp stretching from
Dingalan, Aurora to Cuvapo,
Nueva Eciia.
LESSONS LEARNED FOR
DISASTER RESILIENCE
 ALL NOTABLE
EARTHQUAKES
 PROTECTION OF
BUILDINGS AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
IS ESSENTIAL
FOR COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE.
Baguio City was isolated
from the rest of the
Philippines for 48 hours
after the quake.
BAGUIO CITY: DAMAGE TO
BUILDINGS
 Baguio City, a popular tourist
destination, situated about 1,500 m
(1 mile) above sea level, was among the
areas hardest hit by the earthquake.
 The collapsed and damaged buildings
in Baguio City included hotels,
factories, government and university
buildings, and homes..[
HYATT TERACES HOTEL:
80 DEAD
BAGUIO CITY: DAMAGE TO
LIFELINE SYSTEMS
 Electric, water and communication
lines were destroyed.
 Kennon Road, the main vehicular
route to Baguio, as well as other
access routes to the mountain city,
were shut down by landslides
FATALITIES

 An estimated 1,621 people

were killed in the earthquake,
with most of the fatalities
located in the Central Luzon
and Cord-illera region
M7.6 EARTHQUAKE STRIKES 140 KM
FROM SAMAR PROVINCE ON
EAST COAST OF THE PHILIPPINES

34 KM DEEP
8:47 PM
AUGUST 31, 2012
LOCATION MAP
THE PHILIPPINES’ RENATO
SOLIDUM POINTS TO EPICENTER
LESSONS LEARNED FOR
DISASTER RESILIENCE
 ALL NOTABLE
EARTHQUAKES
 PREPAREDNESS
PLANNING FOR
THE INEVITABLE
GROUND SHAKING
IS ESSENTIAL FOR
COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE.
CAGAYAN DE ORO:
A COLLAPSED HOUSE
DAMAGED ROAD
DAMAGED ROAD
LESSONS LEARNED FOR
DISASTER RESILIENCE
 ALL NATURAL
HAZARDS
 CAPACITY FOR
INTELLIGENT
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE IS
ESSENTIAL FOR
COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE.
SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS
 Wide spread power outages
occurred in Samar Province
 One person was killed when a
landslide engulfed the home in
Cagayan de Oro City.
THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING
CENTER ISSUED A TSUNAMI
WARNING, WHICH WAS LIFTED
AFTER 2 HOURS
What Should I Do Before,
During, And After An
Earthquake?
What to Do Before an Earthquake

 Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, a battery-
powered radio, a flashlight, and extra batteries at home.
 Learn first aid.
 Learn how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity.
 Make up a plan of where to meet your family after an
earthquake.
 Don't leave heavy objects on shelves (they'll fall during a
quake).
 Anchor heavy furniture, cupboards, and appliances to the
walls or floor.
 Learn the earthquake plan at your school or workplace.
What to Do During an Earthquake
 Stay calm! If you're indoors, stay inside. If you're outside, stay
outside.
 If you're indoors, stand against a wall near the center of the
building, stand in a doorway, or crawl under heavy furniture (a desk
or table). Stay away from windows and outside doors.
 If you're outdoors, stay in the open away from power lines or
anything that might fall. Stay away from buildings (stuff might fall off
the building or the building could fall on you).
 Don't use matches, candles, or any flame. Broken gas lines and fire
don't mix.
 If you're in a car, stop the car and stay inside the car until the
earthquake stops.
 Don't use elevators (they'll probably get stuck anyway).
What to Do After an Earthquake
 Check yourself and others for injuries. Provide first aid for anyone who needs
it.
 Check water, gas, and electric lines for damage. If any are damaged, shut off
the valves. Check for the smell of gas. If you smell it, open all the windows
and doors, leave immediately, and report it to the authorities (use someone
else's phone).
 Turn on the radio. Don't use the phone unless it's an emergency.
 Stay out of damaged buildings.
 Be careful around broken glass and debris. Wear boots or sturdy shoes to
keep from cutting your feet.
 Be careful of chimneys (they may fall on you).
 Stay away from beaches. Tsunamis and seiches sometimes hit after the
ground has stopped shaking.
 Stay away from damaged areas.
 If you're at school or work, follow the emergency plan or the instructions of the
person in charge.
 Expect aftershocks.