Responses to Tectonic Hazards (AQA GCSE Geography): Revision Note

Specification links

The notes on this page cover part of 3.1.1.2 Tectonic hazards on the AQA GCSE specification. (opens in a new tab)

3.1.1.2 - Key idea: The effects of, and responses to, a tectonic hazard vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth.

• Primary and secondary effects of a tectonic hazard.

• Immediate and long-term responses to a tectonic hazard.

• Use named examples to show how the effects and responses to a tectonic hazard vary between two areas of contrasting levels of wealth

Responses to tectonic hazards

• Tectonic hazards have both primary and secondary effects

Earthquake primary and secondary effects

Volcanic eruption primary and secondary effects

Immediate and long term responses

• The responses to any tectonic hazard can be divided into two groups

  • Immediate in the days and weeks after the event

  • Long term in the months and years after the event

Example case study: Nepal, 2015

• Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of under $1000 in 2015

• Located between China and India, Nepal is a landlocked country

• In 2015 80% of the population lived in rural, often remote, communities

• In April 2015 at 11.26 am Nepal was struck by an earthquake, magnitude 7.8

• The epicentre was 80 km northwest of Kathmandu in the Gorkha district

• The focus was shallow at only 15 km beneath the surface

• Over 300 aftershocks followed the main earthquake

Cause 

• Nepal is located on a collision boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates

  • As the plates move towards each other they may get stuck

  • Pressure builds as the plates continue to move

  • Eventually the plates jolt free

  • The pressure that has built up is released as energy

  • The energy moves through the Earth's crust as seismic waves - an earthquake

Effects

• Approximately 9000 deaths 

• Over 20,000 people injured

• Electricity and water supplies cut

• 7000 schools and 1000 health facilities were damaged or destroyed

• Almost 3.5 million people were made homeless

• Offices, shops and factories were destroyed meaning people were unable to make a living

• UNESCO world heritage sites destroyed as well as many temples

• Loss of tourist income which Nepal is reliant on

• Avalanches on Mount Everest and in the Langtang Valley

• Landslides which blocked roads and rivers

• Damages estimated at between $7 and $10 billion about 35% of the GDP

Immediate responses

• Donations of money and aid from around the world totally $3 billion including $3.3 million from China and $51 million from the UK 

• Many countries sent aid in the form of:

  • Temporary shelters

  • Medicines

  • Food

  • Water

  • Clothing

  • Search and rescue teams

  • Medical staff

• 90% of the Nepalese army were mobilised 

• Tent cities were set up in Kathmandu for those made homeless

• GIS crisis mapping tool was used to co-ordinate the response

• $3 million grant was provided by the Asian Development Bank for emergency relief

Long term response

• Landslides were cleared and roads repaired to restore access to remote rural communities

• Schools were rebuilt

• Earthquake drills were introduced to provide people with education about what to do in the event of an earthquake

• Stricter building codes with more enforcement

• $200 million was provided by the Asian Development Bank for rebuilding

• A new government task force was set up to plan for future earthquake events 

Example case study: Italy, 2016

Background

• Italy is a High-Income Country (HIC) with a GDP per capita of over $31,000

  • It is located in Europe 

• On 24 August 2016 central Italy was struck by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake

• The epicentre was 100 miles to the north-east of Rome

• The focus was shallow at only 4.4km

• Over 200 aftershocks followed the main earthquake over the next couple of days

Cause 

• Italy is located along the destructive plate boundary where the Africa plate meets the Eurasian plate

• The two fault lines running through Italy are the North-South Fault and the East-West Fault

  • As there is movement along the fault lines, they may get stuck

  • Pressure builds as the plates continue to move

  • Eventually the plates jolt free

  • The pressure that has built up is released as energy

  • The energy moves through the Earth's crust as seismic waves - an earthquake

Effects

• Severe damage to buildings

  • 80% of buildings in Amatrice old town were affected

  • Over 50% of all buildings in Amatrice were damaged and destroyed

  • The school in Amatrice collapsed

• 296 people died

• Landslides blocked the roads 

• Psychological effects on the population

• Tourism was negatively affected

• Farmers were affected as 90% of barns and stalls for livestock in the immediate area were destroyed

• Amatrice hospital was badly damaged

Immediate responses

• Rescue workers sent to the worst hit areas with hours. They included;

  • Soldiers

  • Red Cross 

  • Firefighters

  • Rescue dogs (70 dog teams)

  • Helicopters

• Patients from Amatrice transferred to nearby hospital in Rieti

  • Temporary hospital set up in Amatrice to treat the injured

• Temporary shelters (tents) were supplied for 10,000 people made homeless

• Shelters at sports halls and other community buildings were provided

• Immediate inspection of communications - telephone and internet

  • Emergency phone lines set up as extra support

  • Local residents were asked to remove their wi-fi passwords to improve rescue team communication

• Mobile kitchens serving 1,000 meals a day 

• Additional blood donation sessions set up to supply additional blood for those people injured

Long term responses

• The Italian government promised relocate those made homeless into temporary accommodation within 6 months

• A €42 million initiative called 'Home Italy' which would rebuild homes in the same style as they had been before the earthquake

• Fundraising by the community and Italian Red Cross 

• Children attended classes in towns near to Amatrice to ensure they didn't miss education

• A temporary school was built in Amatrice