MEDC AND LEDC EARTHQUAKES CASE STUDIES

LEDC

GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE, INDIA, 26TH JANUARY 2001

Causes:

• Earthquake occured in small town of Bhuj, Gujarat.
• Focus of 17km below the earth's surface which measured 7.9 on the Richter Scale.
• Building not developed well, one resident complained, 'ours was not well-designed building, it was built 12 years ago but it just fell to pieces as all the beams and pillars buckled instantly.'

Effects:

• Shock waves could be felt over the border in Pakistan, also felt in Bangladesh and Nepal.
• Death toll: 20,000 however some argue it was 30,000.
• Authorities unable to cope with magnitude of event so there is no accurate toll of injured. It was estimated that 160,000 people were injured in the end.
• Over 1 million made homeless
• 345,000 dwellings were destroyed ranging from blocks of flats to simple mud-built houses.
• More than 800,000 buildings suffered some form of damage.
• Small towns such as Bhuj, Bhachau and Anjar had at least 90% of their dwellings destroyed and many smaller villages were just wiped out.
• In Bhuji there were four hospitals damaged. Made it difficult to help many injured victims. Emergency services had to be brought in from India and from overseas.
• Much of the cultural heritage was destroyed incuding forts, palaces, temples and monuments with many of them being centuries old.
• Communications were damaged and power lines brought down.
• Loss of 20,000 cattle

Responses/ Aftermath:

• Widespread looting occured of…