The Restless Earth Case Studies

The Restless Earth Case Studies

1. Mount Saint Helens

   • Earthquake under the mountain caused by magma beginning to move
   • Pacific plate subducted beneath the North American plate, destructive plate boundary
   • 61 deaths
   • US government gave $951 million in aid to rebuild
   • Increased chance of flooding
   • 7000 animals in the forest killed
   • immediately created 3 zones: volcanogists, police then public
   • Lots of mountain rescue helicopters sent up

2. Bam Earthquake

   • Badly built buildings
   • Conflicting plates
   • Between 26,000 and 30,000 dead
   • Big costs for government
   • Destroyed houses and buildings
   • 15,000 pound loans given for new houses
   • China immediately gave $1.8 million
   • Rebuilding of Arg-E-Bam meant increased tourism again

3. California Earthquake

   • Hit at 11:15am
   • 6.5 on the richter scale
   • Only 3 deaths
   • Only 80 buildings were badly damaged
   • Government were rich enough to pay for damages themselves

4. Asian Tsunami

   • Indian and Burma plate slipped
   • Happened at 1 A.M
   • Up to 100m waves
   • 9.2 on the richter scale
   • More than 230,000 dead
   • Massive cholera outbreak
   • Australian government donated $345 million
   • Water-aid helped against cholera outbreak by providing water purification tablets
   • Now have an earthquake/ tsunami warning system

5. Montserrat Volcano

   • Destructive plate boundary
   • carribean plate subducted below the atlantic
   • 23 deaths
   • 5000 people moved to north of the island
   • Over 5000 left the island
   • Residents demanded 20k each
   • 41 million pounds of aid given in total
   • in 1997, 2400 pounds was given to any over 18 wanting to leave the island
   • 20.5 million pounds given to relocate refugees