Management of Hazards (OCR GCSE Geography B)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Prediction of Earthquakes
Accurate prediction of earthquakes is not currently possible but monitoring is
Many different methods of monitoring are being used to help research possible prediction methods:
Tiltmeters - which monitors ground changes
Clusters of small earthquakes
Changes in radon gas emissions
Changes in animal behaviour
Remote sensing of ground movement using satellites
Preparation for Earthquakes
Countries can prepare for earthquakes in a number of ways:
Building design and earthquake resistant structures
Land use planning
Earthquake drills
Emergency planning
Building design
In developed countries building design and engineering is commonly used to reduce the impact of earthquakes
Building regulations and codes require new buildings to include earthquake resistant features:
Shutters on windows prevent falling glass
Cross-bracing of steel frames
Foundations sunk deep into the bedrock
Frames which sway with the earthquake tremors
Rubber shock absorbers to reduce tremors moving through the building
Land use planning
Mapping of areas most at risk from earthquakes
Planning can ensure that valuable services such as the fire service and hospitals are not built-in high-risk areas
Densely populated housing can be located away from high-risk areas
Drills and education
In many countries earthquake drills are regularly carried out
The drills help people to prepare for what to do in an earthquake to protect themselves
Education about how to prepare homes means that people are less likely to be injured by falling objects and furniture
Earthquakes, Remote Sensing & GIS
Remote sensing and GIS
Remote sensing of the Earth's surface by satellites such as Sentinel 1 provides data about changes in ground movement
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides layers of data such as:
vulnerable areas
land use
infrastructure such as roads
GIS data is then used to assist with land use planning
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Remember with earthquakes preparation is essential because at the moment they are impossible to predict.
Earthquake Management: Nepal & Japan
Nepal - a developing country
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world
GDP per capita in 2015 was US$3,332
The country is politically unstable with a civil war between 1996 and 2006
Earthquake experts view Kathmandu as one of the most dangerous places in the world in terms of earthquake risk
Earthquake Preparations in Nepal
Preparations Before the Earthquake | Issues with the Preparations |
|---|---|
In 1997 the Nepali government created the Kathmandu Valley Earthquake Risk Management Project (KVERMP) this included; The School Earthquake Safety Programme (SESP) provided funding to schools for earthquake drills Training to make buildings more resistant to earthquakes Earthquake Safety Day | This was mainly in urban areas and so people in rural areas did not have drills or knowledge about what to do when the earthquake struck There are 121 recognised languages as well as Nepali (the official language) which are spoken in Nepal this makes communication of earthquake advice and education difficult |
Allocation of 83 open spaces around Kathmandu to be used to as camps for displaced populations where they would be supplied with shelter, food and medical services | There were not enough supplies to begin with |
Improved 1994 National Building Code and training building inspectors | The building code was often ignored and so many buildings were still not earthquake resistant |
In 2009, the government set up a National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management In 2010 a National Emergency Operations Centre was set up to coordinate the humanitarian response and restoration of the infrastructure | Due to political instability these were not as effective as they should have been |
Nepal Red Cross Society maintained 12 warehouses with stocks of emergency supplies | These were not enough for the scale of the disaster |
Japan - a developed country
Japan is one of the wealthiest countries in the world
GDP per capita in 2011 was US$48,168
Japan is one of the most seismically active places in the world with 20% of earthquakes over magnitude 6.0 happening there
Earthquake Preparation in Japan
Preparations Before the 2011 Earthquake | Issues with the Preparations |
|---|---|
Earthquake drills are practiced regularly so that people know exactly what to do during an earthquake event and immediately afterwards | People did know exactly what to do in the earthquake but were not as prepared for the tsunami |
Households are encouraged to have an emergency survival bag packed and ready at all times | Many people do not have an emergency survival bag |
Many buildings are designed to be earthquake-resistant Building codes were further tightened after the Kobe earthquake in 1995 Over 80% of buildings in Tokyo are earthquake-resistant | Many buildings survived the earthquake but not the tsunami |
Sea walls between 3-10m built in some coastal areas Breakwaters off the coast at Kamaishi and Ofunato Bay | The tsunami overtopped the sea walls |
Trains automatically stop when an earthquake is detected, to avoid derailments Nuclear power stations automatically shut down | There was an issue restoring the cooling system at the Fukushima nuclear power plant leading to radioactive contamination in the surrounding area |
There is a tsunami warning service with 180 seismic stations and 80 water-based sensors Warnings are issued via: - phone - television - sirens - loudspeakers The warning system costs about US$20 million a year | People ignored the tsunami warning as they thought they would be protected by the sea walls |
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