Geographical Research - Tectonics

Geographical research

Earthquakes
Northridge
1994
USA Cali- san Fernando valley
6.7 ­ USGS
High frequency
Transform boundary- thrust fault `Pico'
MEDC highly urbanised
Widespread ­ 80 mile radius
$42 billion
DAMAGE-
4000 buildings damaged
8000 moderately damaged
7 bridges collapsed ­ 170 bridges damaged
Widespread liquefaction
60 dead
RESCUE-
Emergency…

Haiti- 2010
In the Dominican republic
Near Port Au Prince
7.0
Aftershocks continued all week
Transform boundary ­ Caribbean and north American
145/ 169th in the human development index
More than 70% of people live on less than $2 a day
Cost $14 billion
DAMAGE-
Liquefaction and landslides
3 million…

Communication systems, Air land and sea transport facilities, hospitals and electrical networks had
been damaged- This hampered rescue efforts
Many people slept in the streets
Kashmir 2005
Pakistan- epicentre in Muzaffarabad (highly populated area)
7.6
Eurasian plate went underneath he Indian plate
It is an LEDC
Affected 30,000 miles2
Cost…

EVACUATION-
People wouldn't leave their homes because of their livestock


Sumatra 2005

Indonesia- island off the coast of Sumatra
8.7
Major aftershocks ­ 5.5 ­ 6.0
High frequency
Thrust fault- caused from stress changes from boxing day tsunami
Australian plate and Eurasian plate
Subduction zone
LEDC
Effects felt 1000 km…

Christchurch
New Zealand
7.1 - Major aftershocks
High frequency but the EQ wasn't expected to occur where it did
Pacific/ Australian subduction zone
MEDC- GDP- $17,000, 2.4 doctors per 1000 people, 100% have access to drinking water, Life expectancy
-81
Cost $10.8 billion
DAMAGE-
50% of buildings collapsed- despite being…

EVACUATION
Dangerous areas were shut off

La Aquila 2009

Italy
6.3
High frequency
Destructive PB ­ African with Eurasian
MEDC
Cost $15 billion
DAMAGE
damage 11,000 buildings
65,000 people homeless
Poor building standards or construction materials further contributed to number of victims.
290 people dead
RESCUE
11,000 volunteers helped with…

Izmit 1999

Turkey
7.4
High frequency
NIC
Caused damage to Istanbul -70 miles away
Damage costs $23 billion
DAMAGE
23,000
1.5 mill homeless
23,000 destroyed
Killed 17000
RESCUE
Rescue teams were dispatched within 24­48 hours of the disaster
assistance to the survivors was channelled through NGOs and the Red Crescent…

Kobe 1995
Japan
7.2- 1300 after shocks
High In japan but not had one for 400 years
Dense Philippine plate sub ducted beneath the lighter continual Eurasian plate
MEDC
Cost $100 billion
DAMAGE
collapse of building bridges and roads
fires broke out across the city
congestion on the roads
closure…

VOLCANOES
Monserrat 1995

small island in the Caribbean
has been dormant for 300 years
1995-1997 eruptions occurred getting more and more violent ­ Remained active for 5 years
Destructive plate boundary
LEDC
DAMAGE
Volcanic eruptions and lahars destroyed large areas of Montserrat
The capital Plymouth covered in layers of ash…

two hours after the eruption pumice and ash were raining down on Armero
Molten rock was released by the volcano
hot pyroclastic flows ran down the mountain
this melted the summit- causing hot lahars- (40kph)
Most of the town was swept away or buried in only a few short minutes,…