Impacts of Seismic Hazards (AQA A Level Geography)
Revision Note
Written by: Rhiannon Molyneux
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Primary & Secondary Effects of Earthquakes
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
| 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 | Loss of vegetation and damage to natural environment through landslides and liquefaction Contamination of water supplies Tsunamis can cause flooding, erosion and damage to coastal ecosytems
| Pollution as a result of the release of hazardous materials e.g. 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan caused the release of radioactive material from the Fukushima nuclear power plant |
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 – Gorka earthquake, Nepal
Name - Gorkha
Location - Nepal
Date - 25th April 2015
Epicentre - Barpak village, 60km north-west of Kathmandu (capital)
Depth - 15km
Magnitude - 7.8
Plate boundary - Collision plate where Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate
Impacts of the 2015 Gorka earthquake, Nepal
| Primary impacts | Secondary impacts |
|---|---|---|
Social | Approximately 9000 deaths and 20,000 injuries Over 600,000 houses destroyed and leaving approximately 3.5 million people homeless 7000 schools and 1000 health centres damaged or destroyed Electricity and water supplies cut
| Mental health issues e.g. around a third of survivors experienced symptoms of PTSD six months after the disaster More than 1 million children were unable to attend school, affecting future social and economic development Cultural buildings were damaged or destroyed interfering with cultural practices e.g. Changu Narayan Temple and Dharahara Tower Two years later 70% of displaced people still in temporary shelters |
Economic | Agriculture, which employs over 75% of Nepalese population was badly affected with almost a third of crops destroyed Loss of tourism which accounts for 8% of Nepal’s GDP due to damage to popular tourist sites like the Everest Base Camp trek Damage estimated between $7-10 billion, about 35% of GDP | Offices, shops and factories were destroyed meaning over 1 million people were unemployed and unable to make a living Destruction of roads and bridges impacted trade and economic activity Number of tourists visiting Nepal dropped by a third in 2016
|
Environmental | The earthquake triggered more than 3000 avalanches and landslides causing damage to the fragile environment Large areas (12,000 hectares) of forest and vegetation were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake Rivers and water sources were contaminated | Landslides blocked rivers causing flooding and increased risk of soil erosion and loss of fertile land 10 million people were affected by reduced access to clean water causing water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid |
Political | The government struggled to co-ordinate the relief effort and distribute adequate aid in a timely fashion The government deployed security forces to maintain order and prevent looting and violence In the weeks following the earthquake, there were protests by people who were unhappy with the government’s response | The Nepalese government was criticised for its handling of the relief effort due to inadequate supplies and slow response times Longstanding political were exacerbated leading to political instability and the resignation of the Prime Minister Pressure on the government to address issues relating to corruption and governance |
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