1. Contrasting Levels of economic development and the impact of Earthquakes
1.1. Case Study: Japan - Great East Japan Earthquake 2011 (AC)
1.1.1. Stats
1.1.1.1. 350 people per square kilometer population density
1.1.1.1.1. 40,000 GDP per capita
1.1.1.2. 3% employed in primary sector
1.1.1.2.1. 99% literacy rate
1.1.2. Description of Earthquake
1.1.2.1. 9.0MW 4th largest earthquake since 1900
1.1.2.1.1. Quake lasted 6 minutes with aftershocks reaching 8.0MW
1.1.2.1.2. So powerful it impacted the coastline of California causing 10 million USD worth of damage
1.1.2.2. Epicenter was 70KM east of the Honshu coastline
1.1.2.2.1. 30KM focus depth
1.1.2.3. Megathrust earthquake which raised the sea bed by 7 metres
1.1.2.3.1. Resulted in tectonic subsidence with 400km of coastline dropping by 0.5m
1.1.2.4. In lowlying areas like Sendai the tsunami travelled 10km inland
1.1.3. Impact of the Earthquake/tsunami
1.1.3.1. Social
1.1.3.1.1. 16,000 deaths, 90% of which from drowning
1.1.3.1.2. Crematoriums and morgues were destroyed and traditional funerals were lost
1.1.3.1.3. 6000 schools were damaged
1.1.3.1.4. Save the children reported 100,000 children were affected
1.1.3.1.5. 4.4 million households lost electricity caused by shutdown of 11 nuclear reactors
1.1.3.2. Economic
1.1.3.2.1. Cost of the earthquake including reconstruction estimated at £180 billion
1.1.3.2.2. 45,000 buildings destroyed 140,000 damaged
1.1.3.2.3. 15 ports were directly affected impacting trade and exports
1.1.3.2.4. 23 train stations were swept away and transport infrastructure was affected badly
1.1.3.2.5. Multi national corporations such as Sony was hit by shortage of electricity
1.1.3.3. Environmental
1.1.3.3.1. Fukushima Nuclear power plant meltdown released radioactivity
1.1.3.3.2. Farmland flooded by sea water has been contaminated by salt and is uncultivatable
1.1.3.4. Political
1.1.3.4.1. Political fallout from fukushima spread around the world
1.2. Tectonic Settings
1.2.1. Japan
1.2.1.1. Located on convergent plate boundary involving 4 different plates
1.2.1.1.1. Pacific, north american, eurasian and philippine
1.2.1.2. Pacific coastal zone it vulnerable due to it also being densley populated
1.2.2. Nepal
1.2.2.1. Kathmandu is built upon unconsolidated sediment
1.2.2.1.1. These sediments have a high water content due to monsoons
1.2.2.1.2. Prehistoric lakes filled many valleys and left behind metres of unconsolidated sediment
1.2.2.2. Located on a convergent plate boundary collision zone
1.2.2.2.1. Between two continental plates
1.3. Case Study: Nepal 2015 Earthquake (LIDC)
1.3.1. Stats
1.3.1.1. 210 people per square kilometer population density
1.3.1.1.1. 1300 GDP per capita
1.3.1.2. 69% employed in primary sector
1.3.1.2.1. 71% literacy rate
1.3.2. Description of Earthquake
1.3.2.1. 7.8 MW on moment magnitude scale (smaller than japan)
1.3.2.1.1. 15km depth focus (shallower than japan)
1.3.2.2. Over 50 aftershocks, 5 of which above 6MW
1.3.2.3. Landslides and avalanches generated
1.3.2.3.1. Mount everest and tourist climbing it were impacted
1.3.3. Impact of the Earthquake
1.3.3.1. Social
1.3.3.1.1. 8800 fatalities and 22,000 injured in Nepal
1.3.3.1.2. Avalanches on Everest killed 20 people
1.3.3.1.3. 2.8 million displaced from Kathmandu valley
1.3.3.1.4. Tibeto Burman were the hardest hit as they live on higher slopes in the himalayas
1.3.3.1.5. Increase in trafficking women and girls from the poorest families to south asian brothels
1.3.3.1.6. Several culturally important locations were damaged by the quake
1.3.3.2. Economic
1.3.3.2.1. Cost to national economy was at 10 billion USD
1.3.3.2.2. Nepals government and businesses lacked financial reserves to cope with the damage caused
1.3.3.2.3. Asian development bank provided 200 million USD aid for reconstruction
1.3.3.3. Environmental
1.3.3.3.1. Timing of the earthquake disrupted planting season ahead of arrival of the monsoon
1.3.3.4. Political
1.3.3.4.1. Nepal was politically unstable before the earthquake
1.4. Social scale
1.4.1. Nepal affected more than Japan
1.5. Economic Scale
1.5.1. Japan affected more than Nepal
1.6. Environmental Scale
1.6.1. Japan affected more than Nepal
1.7. Political Scale
1.7.1. Similarily affected
2. Contrasting Levels of economic development and and the impact of Volcanic eruptions
2.1. Case Study: Japan - Mount Ontake (AC) - 27/09/14
2.1.1. Stats
2.1.1.1. 350 people per square kilometer population density
2.1.1.1.1. 40,000 GDP per capita
2.1.1.2. 2.9% employed in primary sector
2.1.1.2.1. 99% literacy rate
2.1.2. Description of eruption
2.1.2.1. 2014 eruption was steam driven phreatic one
2.1.2.1.1. This meant that the eruption couldnt be predicted - so warning levels werent raised
2.1.2.2. Pyroclastic flows recorded 14km away from the summit
2.1.3. Impacts of Eruption
2.1.3.1. Social
2.1.3.1.1. 63 deaths, most were climbers on the volcano slopes
2.1.3.2. Economic
2.1.3.2.1. Fear of eruptions impacted the tourist industry
2.1.3.2.2. Ski resorts and other businesses like hotels could not operate
2.1.3.2.3. Combined cost of the eruption was estimated at 124 million USD
2.1.3.2.4. Water emitted from the eruption mixed with volcanic ash generating a 5km lahar
2.1.3.2.5. Flights at tokyo international airport were delayed as planes rerouted to avoid volcano
2.1.3.3. Environmental
2.1.3.3.1. 30 nearby cabbage farms experienced damage affecting crop yields
2.1.3.4. Political
2.1.3.4.1. Local government sued by bereaving families for 1.2 million USD for not raising warning level
2.2. Tectonic Settings
2.2.1. Similarities
2.2.1.1. Both Japan and Indonesia are located in subduction zones
2.2.1.1.1. High number of volcanoes associated with explosive eruptions
2.2.2. Differences
2.2.2.1. Indonesia has 58 active volcanoes since 1950 compared to 44 in japan
2.2.2.1.1. The country has also had a high number of eruptions higher than 5 on the VEI
2.2.2.2. Historically Indonesia has also suffered more eruptions causing fatalities (114) more than any country in the world
2.3. Why do people live in tectonically active areas
2.3.1. Japan
2.3.1.1. Agricultural benefits
2.3.1.1.1. Agricultural sector uses 13% of countries land area
2.3.1.2. Extraction of Sulphur historically in japan
2.3.1.2.1. Useful as it can be used for batteries
2.3.1.3. Mount Ontake
2.3.1.3.1. Popular with trekkers
2.3.2. Indonesia
2.3.2.1. Agricultural benefits
2.3.2.1.1. Possible to grow two or three crops a year on volcanic soild
2.3.2.2. Energy
2.3.2.2.1. 3% of total energy comes from geothermal sources
2.4. Case Study - Indonesia - Mount Merapi (EDC) - 26/10/10
2.4.1. Stats
2.4.1.1. 140 people per square kilometer population density (1000 in Java)
2.4.1.1.1. 4000 GDP per capita
2.4.1.2. 32% employed in primary sector
2.4.1.2.1. 96% literacy rate
2.4.2. Description of eruption
2.4.2.1. 3 Eruptions occured with the last one being 4 on the VEI
2.4.2.2. Pyroclastic flows stretched 15km southwards
2.4.2.2.1. Eruptions occured during rainy season generating lahars that had devastating economic consequences
2.4.2.3. Lava bombs occured 4 km from the summit
2.4.3. Impacts of Eruption
2.4.3.1. Social
2.4.3.1.1. 367 fatalities, 277 injured with most dying in pyroclastic flows
2.4.3.1.2. 200,000 made homeless by the eruption
2.4.3.1.3. Danger area extended to 20km from the mountain the 278,000 people living here had to flee
2.4.3.1.4. Schools were closed within 120km of the eruptions
2.4.3.2. Economic
2.4.3.2.1. Many farmers lost livestock and livelihoods due to the eruption
2.4.3.2.2. Ash falls and pyroclastic flows produced 130 million metres cubed of material
2.4.3.2.3. International and domestic flights across the whole of Java were disrupted
2.4.3.2.4. Total economic cost from disruption to tourism, agriculture and manufacturing was 500 million USD
2.4.3.3. Environmental
2.4.3.3.1. Water supplies in the local areas contamineated with acidic volcanic ash
2.4.3.4. Political
2.4.3.4.1. Government introduced 10 million USD programme to buy cows on the mountain