EARTHQUAKES

&
VOLCANOES
THEME 2: NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
EFFORTS BY

E-GeO @ Everything is Geography.

OBJECTIVES:
● Describe the main types and features of volcanoes and earthquakes.
- Types of volcanoes (including stratovolcanoes [composite cone] and shield volcano),
Features of volcanoes (including crater, vent, magma chamber), Features of
earthquakes (including epicentre, focus, magnitude)
● Describe and explain the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes.
- The global pattern of plates and their structure; an awareness of plate movements,
subduction, zones and their effects – constructive/divergent,, destructive/convergent
and conservative plate boundaries
● Describe the causes of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and their effects on people
and the environment
● Demonstrate an understanding that volcanoes present hazards and offer opportunities
for people
● Explain what can be done to reduce the impacts of earthquakes and volcanoes
 LIVE MONITORING OF WORLD_EARTHQUAKES

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=10.66061,-148.44727&exte
nt=58.53959,-41.57227
EARTH IN MOTION….
TYPES OF PLATE BOUNDARIES….
FOLD MOUNTAINS….
Draw the diagrams of three plate boundaries and complete the table-
Let me guess…!
● What is
happening
here?
● Observe and
elaborate!
● What
problems
may this
cause?
Let me guess….!
What has
happened
here?

Observe
and
elaborate.
VOLCANO
TYPES OF VOLCANOES………
COMPOSITE VOLCANO….

Identify different
features.

Replicate the same on a

piece of paper.
FORMATION OF COMPOSITE VOLCANO….
SHIELD (BASIC) CONE VOLCANO….

Identify different
features…

Replicate the same.

FORMATION OF SHIELD VOLCANO….
COMPOSITE V/S SHIELD VOLCANOES….
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF VOLCANOES….
VOLCANOES, RIDGES AND THE RING OF FIRE….
FORMATION OF MID ATLANTIC RIDGE….
Elaborate and
explain the
process…

- VOLCANIC STRENGTH

Strength is
measured by VEI.

A supervolcano is a
volcano with a
VEI8.
FORMATION OF ICELAND….
● Iceland formed by the coincidence of the spreading
boundary of the North American and Eurasian
plates and a hotspot or mantle plume – an upsurge
of abnormally hot rock in the Earth's mantle.
● As the plates moved apart, excessive eruptions of
lava constructed volcanoes and filled rift valleys.
Subsequent movement rifted these later lava fields,
causing long, linear valleys bounded by parallel
faults.
● The divergence of the ridge started in the north
about 150 million years ago and 90 million years ago
in the south.
EARTHQUAKE….
Features of earthquakes:

● Epicentre, Focus, Magnitude,

Fault, Seismic waves
● Sudden, violent shaking of the
Earth’s surface.
● Caused by:
- Tectonic plate movement,
- Nuclear testing,
- Building large dams,
- Drilling for oil/gas
- Heavy mining.
 EARTHQUAKE: MAGNITUDE AND
INTENSITY….
THE RICHTER SCALE

- In 1935, Charles Richter developed.

- It measures the magnitude (strength or
force) of earthquakes.
- Measured on Seismometer.
- Shown on Seismograph.

THE MERCALLI SCALE

- Relates ground movement to things that
you would notice happening around you.
- Allows ordinary eyewitnesses.
CAUSES OF EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES….
● The Caribbean plate is one
of the smaller surface plates
of the Earth.
● Earthquakes occur all
around its periphery and
volcanoes erupt on its
eastern and western sides.
● There are 25 active
volcanoes in the Caribbean.
 Earthquake-
As a hazard
d Label - a,b,c,d,and
e

a c

e
b
Volcano - Hazard and
Impact
HAZARDS : VOLCANOES AND EARTHQUAKES….

VOLCANOES….

EARTHQUAKES….
OPPORTUNITIES….
● Some countries such as Iceland and the
Philippines were created by volcanic activity.
● Volcanic soils are rich, deep and fertile and
allow intensive agriculture to take place.
● Volcanic areas are famous for tourism.
● Some volcanic areas are seen by people as
being symbolic and as a part of the national
identity, such as Mt. Fuji in Japan.
 SOME MORE ADVANTAGES….
1. GEOTHERMAL POWER: In some volcanic countries, such as Iceland, great use is made of the fact that the
rocks beneath the surface are very hot and water in the ground is also hot. Electricity is generated, either directly
from steam in volcanically active areas. Hot water in the ground can also be used directly in central heating systems
and even in swimming pools.
2. FERTILE SOILS: Some types of lava and ash weather rapidly in tropical conditions and form a rich, thick soil
layer, abundant in trace elements. This soil can be extremely fertile.
3. VOLCANOES CREATING LANDMASS: Volcanoes produce new islands and enlarge existing landmasses.
4. TOURISM: When safe, volcanoes tend to attract tourists. This has helped the economy in places such as Iceland
and the Canary islands and create jobs.
5. MINERALS AND MINING: Much of the sulphur mined is from around active volcanoes. Other mineral
deposits were formed by volcanoes that are now extinct.
6. AND LONG IN THE PAST: Volcanoes supply large volumes of gases to the atmosphere, which initially
created the Earth’s atmosphere. All the water now in the oceans originated as volcanic gas in the form of water
vapour.
 TO REDUCE THE RISK….
1. LAVA FLOW DIVERSION: Mechanical excavators can be used to channel lava flows away from buildings.
Lava flows can also be sprayed with water to cool them down and make them solidify and stop flowing.
2. MUDFLOW BARRIERS: These are walls built across valleys to trap mudflows and protect settlements further
down the valley.
3. BUILDING DESIGN: Although little can be done to stop a violent volcano, stronger roofs can be built to stop
them collapsing when covered with ash.
4. VOLCANO MONITORING: This usually involves measuring features that happen before an eruption - such
as small earthquakes, ground deformation, and gas emissions.
5. REMOTE SENSING: Monitoring the location of ash clouds from satellites is useful for warning aircraft.
6. HAZARD MAPPING AND PLANNING: This involves looking at the pattern of past eruptions, in order to
protect future eruptions. It can lead to a ban on building in high-risk areas or simply the preparation of emergency
response plans.

https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/what-we-do/disasters/volcanoes
Practice Questions
Fig. 1 is a map showing plates, plate margins, and the directions and speeds of plate
movement.

1. Five places, 1 – 5, are marked on Fig. 1. For each question write one number in each
box. You may use any of the numbers 1 – 5 once, more than once or not at all.

2. The South Atlantic Ocean is getting wider. Using information from Fig. 1, calculate
how much wider the ocean is getting each year. State the correct units in your answer.
 CASE STUDIES (8)
Earthquakes
1. Causes, 2. Effects, 3. Impacts and 4. Solutions
Volcanoes
1. Causes, 2. Effects, 3. Impacts and 4. Solutions
1. VOLCANOES IN ICELAND….

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o7Kyfkuky3bcO0rKm9-kZV23WQcx321B/view?usp
=sharing

https://www.discover-the-world.com/study-trips/eyjafjallajokull-case-study/?utm_source=time-for-geog&utm_
medium=Eyjafjallajokull

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
nQ52EMOhTQg
2. BHUJ EARTHQUAKE - 26 JANUARY 2001
BHUJ EARTHQUAKE - 26 JANUARY 2001
● DATE: 26 January 2001
● ORIGIN TIME: 8 hrs 46 Min IST
● EPICENTER: Latitude 23.40* N longitude,70.28*E
● MAGNITUDE: 7.7
● FOCAL DEPTH: 25 Km.
- On the morning of January 26, 2001, the Nation's 52nd Republic Day, a devastating
earthquake occurred in the Kutch district of the state of Gujarat.
- The earthquake was felt as far away as Delhi in the North, kolkata in the East and Chennai
in the South.
- Bhuj town and the village Bhachau, 60 km east of Bhuj, were the worst affected and many
other areas of Gujarat including its state headquarters Ahmedabad, were badly affected.
- The earthquake devastated the Bhuj and nearby regions of Gujarat.
BHUJ EARTHQUAKE AND ITS TECTONIC SETTING….
 DAMAGE ASSESSMENT….
● There were more than 20,000 deaths and 1,67,000 people injured.
● Four districts of Gujarat lay in ruin and altogether, 21 districts were affected.
● Around 300,000 families and at least 3 million children aged 14 and under were affected.
● Around 600,000 people were left homeless.
● In the city of Bhuj, more than 3000 inhabitants of the city lost their lives; the main
hospital was crushed and close to 90% of the buildings were destroyed.
● There was significant damage to infrastructure with facilities such as hospitals, schools,
electric power supply, water supply, bridges and roads damaged or destroyed.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT CONT….
LOCAL RESPONSE….
● The response within India was immediate. The national and state governments quickly
provided assistance in many forms including cash, medical supplies, communication
teams, shelters, food, clothing, transport and relief workers.
● There were more than 185 non-government organizations, mostly Indian Charities, which
undertook earthquake-related activities.
 INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE….
● Search and Rescue teams soon arrived from Switzerland, United Kingdom, Russia and
Turkey to find and rescue survivors buried under debris.
● Relief teams and supplies soon followed from 38 countries as well as United Nations
agencies and many international NGOs such as the Red Cross.
RESCUE AND RELIEF….
● The short term rescue and relief operation were being undertaken, medium term
recovery aspects were analyzed.
● Rehabilitation schemes Government of Gujarat tired too, known as packages, were
formulated.
● The World Bank and Asian Development Bank sanction loans in less than three months
after the earthquake.
● Several state governments came forward to participate in the reconstruction work in
different villages.
● The UN system, multilateral and bilateral agencies, NGOs and the corporate sector
participated in the relief and reconstruction work.
● Government of Gujarat provided assistance in the form of materials and cash to about
218000 families.
● NGOs supplemented the efforts by providing shelters to about 7000 families.
RECONSTRUCTION….
● A public private partnership program was started to help in reconstruction, which was
undertaken by GSDMA.
● A number of NGOs like FICCI-CARE venture, Manav Sadhna, Rashtriya Swabhiman, Jai
Prakash Industries etc. came forward to help.
● About 65 NGOs were active in Kutch alone who adopted 211 villages and constructed 32297
houses.
● Gujarat earthquake emergency reconstruction project (GEERP) was started by GSDMA,
with financial help from World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Govt of India and other
donor agencies.
THANK YOU!

E-GeO @ Everything is Geography.