Hazard Management

Hazard Management

1. volcanoes

   • prediction (monitoring)
     • measure gas emissions/land swelling/ground water levels
       • correlation spectrometer - before eruption gases(S02) given off - can be used to detect gases
       • tilt meters - detect slight changes in landscape/ground inflation/deformation as a result of magma accumulation
       • GPS - used to detect movements
     • study eruption history
     • thermal imaging cameras (changes in temp indicate vol activity)
     • seismometers - used to detect earthquakes before eruption
   • protection/preparation
     • build artificial barriers to slow down lava
       • Hawaiian Islands
     • during:dig trenches to divert flow - Mt Etna
     • before: hazard assessment - identify areas of greatest risk & set up exclusion zones
       • following assessments - land use planning can be applied: sufficient open space keep people away from aftershock damage from buildings

2. earthquakes

   • prediction
     • study groundwater levels/release of radon gas/animal behaviour/local magnetic fields
     • map activity of previous earthquakes
       • seismometer/tilt meters can be used to predict impact of eqs - produce hazard zone map
     • study earthquake history
   • protection/preparation
     • disaster plan - upgrading homes (fireproof). planning of evacuations, designating public shelters (gov strategies)
       • Education/training: educate people in survival strategies & have regular earthquake drills (individual strategies)
         • assemble earthquake kits (water/food/first aid/torch/fire extinguisher)
     • build hazard resistant structures/strict building regulations
       • concrete counter weights on top
       • steel cross-bracing to hold building
       • rubber shock absorbers in foundation
     • fire prevention - 'smart meters' cut off gas (Tokyo) - network systems inform employees to turn off main pipelines - reducing number of fires
     • modify loss by insurance & aid
       • MEDC - people forced to take out insurance to cover losses
         • LEDC - international emergency aid offered for only short term - long term aid to support long term resettlement of population, restoration of area's economic base & infrastructure is hard to find

3. tsunami

   • construction of sea walls/breakwaters
     • land use planning supported by insurance
       • increase public awareness (safety routes)
       • invest in tech: DART - Deep Ocean Assessment & Reading of Tsunami (2001) - monitoring systems mainly located in Pacific ocean
         • However it's unreliable financial cost of maintaining systems are high - unsustainable long term solution for tsunami warnings