Tectonic Hazards.

Tectonic hazards affect wealthy and less wealthy countries differently. The effects of earthquakes and the responses to them are different in different parts of the world. A lot depends on how wealthy the part of the world is.                                                                                                                                                                                

Place: L'Aquila, Italy.                                                                                                                         Date: 6th April, 2009.                                                                                                                        Size: 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale.                                                                                    

Primary effects -    

• Around 300 deaths, mostly from collapsed buildings.              
• 1500 people were injured.
• Tens of thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed.
• 60,000 people were made homeless.
• A bridge near the town of Fossa collapsed, and a water pipe was broken near the town of Paganica.                                                                                       

Place: Kashmir, Pakistan.                                                                                                                 Date: 8th October, 2005.                                                                                                                     Size: 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale. 

Primary effects - 

• Around 80,000 deaths, mostly from collapsed buildings. 
• Tens of thousands of people were injured.                      
• Hundreds of thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed, including whole villages. 
• Around 3 million people were made homeless.
• Water pipelines and electricity lines were broken, cutting off supply.

Place: L'Aquila, Italy.                                                                                                                        Date: 6th April, 2009.                                                                                                                        Size: 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale.        

Secondary effects - 

• Aftershocks hampered rescue efforts and caused more damaged.
• Fires in some collapsed buildings caused more damage.
• The broken water pipe near the town of Paganica caused a landslide.
• Electricity and phone services were interrupted, although most were repaired within a day.         

Place: Kashmir, Pakistan.                                                                                                                 Date: 8th October, 2005.                                                                                                                     Size: 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale. 

Secondary effects -

• Landslides buried buildings and people. They also blocked access roads and cut off water supplies, electricity supplies and telephone supplies. 
• Diarrhoea and other diseases spread sue to little clean water. 
• Freezing winter conditions shortly after the earthquake caused more casualties and meant rescue and rebuild operation was difficult.

Place: L'Aquila, Italy.                                                                                                                       Date: 6th April, 2009.                                                                                                                       Size: 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale.                

Immediate responses -

• Camps were set up for people made homeless, providing water, food and medical care. 
• Ambulances, fire engines and the army were sent into rescue survivors. 
• Cranes and diggers were used to remove rubble. 
• Free mobile phones and SIM cards were provided for people who had lost their phones. 
• Money was provided by the government to pay rent, and gas and electricity bills were suspended.

Place: Kashmir, Pakistan.                                                                                                                 Date: 8th October, 2005.                                                                                                                   Size: 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale. 

Immediate responses - 

• International aid and equipment such as helicopters and rescue dogs were brought in, as well as teams of people from other countries.
• Despite this, help didn't reach many areas for days or weeks, and many people had to be rescued by hand without any equipment or help from emergency services.
• Tents, blankets and medical supplies were distributed, although it took up to a month for them to reach most areas. 

Place: L'Aquila, Italy.                                                                                                                    Date: 6th April, 2009.                                                                                                                     Size: 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale.

Long-Term Responses - 

• New settlements were built to accommodate over 20,000 residents who used to live in the damaged city centre.
• Most of the city centre is being rebuilt, but there have been criticisms over delays. 
• An investigation was set up into why modern buildings weren't built to withstand earthquakes. 

Place: Kashmir, Pakistan.                                                                                                                  Date: 8th October, 2005.                                                                                                                Size: 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale.

Long-term responses - 

• 40,000 people from one destroyed town have been relocated to a new settlement. 
• Aid was given to rebuild schools, and government money was given to people to rebuild their homes.
• However, many people had to use the government money to buy food. After 3 years, thousands of people were still living in temporary tents. Some schools were still not rebuilt 10 years after the earthquake, with pupils being taught outside.