coping with hazards

1. 1. Coping With HazardsA2 Geography

2. 2. The varying approaches of individuals andgovernments to coping with tectonichazards in
countries at different stages ofdevelopment
3. 3. What approaches exist?• People cope with natural hazards in very different ways• The
chosen ways are often related to wealth and access to technology• Humans do have a
capacity to ignore or seriously underestimate risk, even when it seems obvious to others•
Often it may seem obvious that people should move out of harms way, but in reality this may
be impossible.
4. 4. Move to aModify Loss safer location ModifyModify the human Event Vulnerability
5. 5. Strategies Modify the event Modify human vulnerability Modify the loss (hazard mitigation)
Coastal defences •Warming and prediction systems Loss modification and engineering
•Coastal zone management and involves immediateTsunami landuse planning rescue
efforts, •Provision of emergency kits followed by relief efforts which focus on food, shelter,
Not possible •Ground shaking and liquefaction risk water and sanitation. mapping Insurance
can helpEarthquakes •A seismic buildings recovery. •Earthquake education and drills Long
term •Prediction not possible reconstruction is needed. Lava diversion •Monitoring, prediction
warning and evacuation systemsVolcanoes •Hazard mapping e.g. lahar risk •Education
•Shelters
6. 6. Modify HumanModify Loss burden Modify hazard event Vulnerability Land Hazard Type
Hazard Resistance Community Forecastin and ExampleAccept Environment Use Aid
Insurance Preparedne g and Loss al Control Plannin ss Warning Design Retrofitting g
VOLCANO LEDC VOLCANO MEDC EARTHQUAK E LEDC EARTHQUAKE MEDC
7. 7. Research• You should already have some good and thorough case studies you may be
expected to use in the exam• The final part of each will be coping with the event.• Mitigation
and Adaptation
8. 8. Mitigation• Attempting to stop the effects of the hazard by trying to planning before hand•
Examples of this will be very few off the ground• Explain why
9. 9. Adaptation• attempting to live with a hazard by altering lifestyles. This is a longer-term
strategy. It assumes hazards will take place but there will be time to adapt before each and
time to hopefully reduce the effects on pop’n• Examples• Land use zoning near the coast•
Lava channels• Removal of debris and steepness of slopes• Monitoring.
10. 10. Hyogo framework for Action 2005• Developed by the World Conference on Disaster
Reduction held in Kobe• Risk reduction to buildings and resilience to damage• Remove
underlying factors to vulnerability• POVERTY• Aim is to exploit the Kyoto mechanisms such
as Special Climate Change Funds to allow developed countries to pay for greenhouse gas
cutting projects in return for carbon credits• This scheme applies at all scales
11. 11. Tectonic hazards human impacts• A surprising number of people live in areas of active
tectonic processes• Major tectonic hazards can strike with devastating force• The 2005
Kashmir Earthquakes killed around 85000, the 2008 Sichuan ‘quake over 65,000 and
200,000+ died in the 2004 Asian Tsunami• It is important to consider why people live, in such
large numbers, in areas of great risk
12. 12. Ignorance of the risks and / or underestimation of riskChoice e.g. Living in fertile areas of
Inertia; always livedfarmland or tourism tectonic there risk? Nowhere else to go / lack of
alternatives
13. 13. Impacts - Remember• Every hazard event is different, and therefore the specific impacts
of disaster vary• When researching case studies, it is important to be able to identify specific
impacts and be able to explain these• Some impacts are tangible and can be given a
financial value. Others are intangible, such as the destruction of a temple or artwork.• Many
losses are direct and immediate such as property damage, but others are indirect – these
come later and are harder to quantify, such as stress and psychological damage.• Impacts
 are often considered as human (death, injury, illness), economic (property loss, loss of
income, cost of relief effort) and physical (changes to landscape and topography).
14. 14. Developed versus developing worldDeath Event Location Date Toll5,115 Mount Kelut
eruption Indonesia 1991 • It is often said that disaster23,000 Nevado del Ruiz eruption
Colombia 1985 impacts in the developed world25,000 Spitak Earthquake Armenia 1988 are
largely economic, whereas in30,000 Bam earthquake Iran 200335,000 Manjil Rudbar Iran
1990 the developing world they are36,000 earthquake Krakatoa eruption Indonesia 1883
human. tsunami66,000 Ancash earthquake Peru 1970 • You should carefully consider
if69,197 Sichuan earthquake China 2008 this generalisation is true.86,000 Kashmir
earthquake Pakistan 2005100,000 Tsunami Messina, Italy 1908 • The 1995 Kobe
earthquake in105,000 Great Kanto earthquake Japan 1923 Japan and 1991 eruption of
Mt230,000 Indian Ocean tsunami Indian Ocean 2004 Pinatubo in the Philippines are245,000
Tangshan earthquake China 1976 useful examples to consider
15. 15. Impacts over time – Parks Model• Different hazard events have different impacts, shown
by the speed of the drop in quality of life, the duration of the decline, and the speed and
nature of recovery.• The differences in the 3 lines might be related to type of hazard, degree
of preparedness, speed of the relief effort and the nature of recovery and rebuilding.
16. 16. The hazard management cycle• Successful hazard management involves a cycle (see
diagram) which focuses on the 3 types of modification from the previous slide.• A focus on
modifying loss only, will not improve survival chances when the next hazard strikes• Long
before a natural hazard event, there needs to be a focus on mitigation and prevention (if
possible) as well as human preparedness.
17. 17. Integrated Response to Risk Management Sustainable Communities Triple Dividends
Climate Disaster Proofing andManagement Adaptation
18. 18. Remember• This report is aimed at several types of disasters and you only need to
concern yourself with the tectonic hazards• There is much generalisation but what is
important is what people and governments are thinking!
19. 19. Finally• KEY PLAYERS in Hazard response• Who are they?• What can they do• What
difference does wealth play in disaster management?
20. 20. The effectiveness of differentapproaches and methods of copingand the way in which
approaches havechanged over time, and possible futurecoping strategies
21. 21. Answer• Much can be found on the internet• What is important is what you find is
relevant and upto date as well as any future methods• Remember future methods will pose a
cost benefit issue for a lot of countries. Have you done this with your case studies?• Can you
apply these to your case studies?