Impacts and Responses of Volcanic Activity (AQA A Level Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Rhiannon Molyneux
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Primary & Secondary Impacts of Eruptions
Primary impacts are the immediate effects of the hazard such as injuries and deaths, and damage to property and infrastructure
Secondary impacts are the longer-term effects of the hazard such as economic losses, social and psychological consequences
Examples of Impacts of Volcanic Hazards
| Primary impacts | Secondary impacts |
|---|---|---|
Social | Deaths and injuries Displacement of people Damage to properties and infrastructure causing disruption to people’s lives
| Mental health issues e.g. stress, anxiety, depression Homelessness Disruption to services such as healthcare and education Loss of cultural heritage sites |
Economic | Destruction of property and infrastructure leading to significant costs for repair and reconstruction Disruption of trade and economic activity Loss of income and employment Costs of immediate responses e.g. food aid, temporary shelter, medical treatment | Slower economic growth and development Increased economic inequality as impacts are more severe for most vulnerable people Increased costs of insurance and hazard management strategies |
Environmental | Poor air and water quality Loss of biodiversity Destruction of habitats and ecosystems
| Acid rain can damage ecosystems Release of greenhouse gases can lead to a rise in global temperatures Ash clouds can lead to a fall in global temperatures due to solar energy being reflected back into space |
Political | Pressure on governments to co-ordinate emergency response Social unrest and political instability | Conflicts over government response and food shortage Changes in government policy and regulations to reduce future risk |
Case Study - Mount Merapi, Indonesia
Name - Mount Merapi
Location - Java, Indonesia
Date - 25th October -30th November 2010
Magnitude - VEI 4
Plate boundary - Destructive plate boundary where the Indo-Australian plate is subducting below the Eurasian plate
Type of volcano - Stratovolcano or composite
Impacts of the 2010 Eruption of Mount Merapi, Indonesia
| Primary impacts | Secondary impacts |
|---|---|---|
Social |
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Economic |
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Environmental |
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Political |
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Long & Short-Term Responses to Volcanic Hazards
Long-term responses to volcanic hazards are measures taken to reduce the impacts of future eruptions
Short-term responses usually happen immediately before, during or after a volcanic eruption
Examples of Long and Short-term Responses
Long-term responses | Short-term responses |
|---|---|
Hazard mapping and land use zoning – identifying areas at most risk and limiting the activities that can take place there Building codes – creating a set of building codes to increase the resilience of buildings to volcanic hazards Education and training – preparing communities to improve evacuation and response | Evacuation – moving people out of the danger zone around a volcano when it shows signs of erupting Search and rescue – using sniffer dogs and heat sensors to locate survivors and rescue them Emergency aid - providing food, water, medical aid to affected communities
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Responses can also be categorised as prevention, preparedness, mitigation and adaptation
Case Study - Mount Merapi, Indonesia
Short-term responses included:
Evacuation of over 350,000 people
Over 200 temporary shelters were set up to provide shelter to displaced people
Police and military were mobilised to provide emergency assistance such as food, shelter and medical care
Aid agencies such as the Indonesian Red Cross distributed emergency aid e.g. blankets and food
Long-term responses included:
Financial assistance was provided to help people rebuild their homes
16,000 new homes were built by the government to replace those lost
Damaged infrastructure such as roads and schools were repaired or replaced
A new volcano monitoring centre was established to improve prediction and warnings
An early warning system was created to alert people in high-risk areas
Evacuation plans were improved with signposted routes and shelter locations
Marketing campaigns were used to promote tourism and aid economic recovery
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