Management of Hazards (OCR GCSE Geography B)

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Bridgette Barrett

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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Bridgette Barrett

Author: Bridgette Barrett

Expertise: Geography Lead

After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.

Jenna Quinn

Author: Jenna Quinn

Expertise: Head of New Subjects

Jenna studied at Cardiff University before training to become a science teacher at the University of Bath specialising in Biology (although she loves teaching all three sciences at GCSE level!). Teaching is her passion, and with 10 years experience teaching across a wide range of specifications – from GCSE and A Level Biology in the UK to IGCSE and IB Biology internationally – she knows what is required to pass those Biology exams.