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Fatalistic Approach :

adopted by people who accept earthquake as unavoidable events

resist evacuation in the face of the treat of an earthquake

approach is common in less developed countries which have limited access to other places

Acceptance Approach :

accept the risk of living in earthquake-prone areas outweigh the costs of moving away

acceptance approach is common in developed countries

Adaptation Approach :

emphasis that people can successfully live in earthquake-prone areas when they are well prepared

preparation measures : earthquake monitoring devices , risk assessments , planning structures and technology

used to make the areas more earthquake-resistant

earthquake- prone areas are also supported by well-equipped rescue teams although the adaptation approach is a costly approach , it can be the most effective approach to saving lives and property

Land Use Regulations : Pt 1

set of rules implemented to restrict developments in certain areas .

Examples : in california , united sates of america , all new building developments are not built across fault lines or areas at risk of liquefaction

liquefactions occurs when vibrations from an earthquake cause saturated soil to flow like liquid

grounds becomes unstable and buildings should not be constructed in these areas as it is unsafe

Another land use regulations :

prohibition of constructing new buildings on low lying land

vulnerable to tsunami

developments may be allow only when protective barriers such as seawalls facing the ocean are constructed

regulations are commonly implemented along the coasts of japan and north america where the pacific ring of fire is located

Concern :

need to be carried out in areas which may already be built-up or are privately owned

in some cases , government authorities would buy land from the private owners

compensate those who have to move

and put into places effective protection measures

however , these strategies are costly

moreover , private owners may be reluctant to move as they often believe that another hazard would not happen

Building Design : Pt 2

Effective building design can reduce the collapse of buildings and minimise the damage cause by an earthquake

Example : Taipei 101 , steel and reinforced concrete are able to withstand earthquakes better than more brittle materials such as non-reinforced concrete . Taipei 101 is made up of steel and reinforced concrete

Example 2 : damping devices act as shock absorbers for some of the seismic energy released during the earthquake . Damping devices also act as counterweights which move in the direction opposite to the motion of an earthquake . They prevent a building from swaying too much and collapsing . A damping device is installed in Taipei 101

Constructing building with wide and heavy bases decreases the likelihood of these buildings from collapsing . For example , the foundation of Taipei 101 is reinforced by heavy metal bars

base isolation bearings made of rubber or cushion can be placed between the ground and the building . These bearings act as a buffer to prevent the building from shacking too much during an earthquake . When an earthquake occurs , base isolation bearings absorb the force of the earthquake and reduces the movement of the building . For example , lead rubber bearings are used at the sahib airport in istanbul

However , constructing buildings that can withstand potential earthquakes add to the cost of construction and maintenance of buildings

it may also be expensive to include earthquake-resistant features .

if the conversion is too expensive , buildings would be demolished and rebuilt

this was a policy adopted by the local government go beijing china in 2011

Infrastructure development :

infrastructure need to be developed with advance engineering to withstand the vibration associated with an earthquake . This includes the following :

roads , bridges and damns can be built to resist the shaking of the ground so that they do not collapse , or can be easily repair if they collapse

homes , office , buildings and factories can be fitted with trip switches that ensure all electrical points are switched off in the event of an earthquake . This measure prevents fire from breaking out . In japan , machines in many factories automatically shut down when they sense earthquake vibrations

large ground water tanks are emergency reservoirs for possible fire fighting after an earthquake Underground water tanks are found in Tokyo , Japan and Kobe in Japan

adherence to strict building codeecify the minimum acceptable level of safety for infrastructure such as houses

Developing infrastructure to resist earthquake is more costly . Although reinforced infrastructure remains untested until an earthquake occurs , past earthquake events chile , Japan and california have demonstrated the benefits or reinforced infrastructure . These benefits include fever lives lost , faster rescue and evacuations , and less money spent on recovery for the affected areas .

Emergency Drills :

Point :

form of preparedness measure where people practise the steps to take when an earthquake occurs. This creates awareness among the population and reduces levels of panic and irrational behaviour during an event . People take part in emergency drills by moving to safe locations, listening to instructions given by trained personnel and practising first aid . They may also become members of local response teams that assist people during a disaster

Example :

every year since 1960 , Japan conducts emergency drills on every 1 September to commemorate Disaster Prevention Day . People from all over japan are involved in the annual Disaster Prevention Day , where an earthquake of high magnitude is stimulated . The intention is to prepare the people mentally on how to react to a disaster . Main roads are blocked to create the possible road conditions in the event of an earthquake . Emergency have to then seek alternative routes to reach affected areas

Negative point :

However , emergency drills are often design based on the most serious earthquake ever recorded in the area in the past . As the earthquake that occur in Tohoku , Japan in 2011 was on a scale never experienced before in japan . The emergency drills and evacuation plan were inadequate to prevent the devastation of the areas affected by the earthquake . moreover , emergency procedures are only effective if there is enough time for people to evacuate . often , there is insufficient time for evacuation as earthquakes are difficult to predict .

Use of technology :

devices such as monitoring and warning system

allow scientist to warn people of potential hazards so that they can evacuate

Earthquake monitoring and warning system :

earthquake can be monitored by studying the history of when and where the earthquakes have occurred .

this provides estimation of the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes at particular fault lines .

this way , earthquakes can be predicted

Seismic Risk Maps :

shows likelihood of locations at risk from earth movements or liquefaction are produced from such studies

however , this can only give a general indication of the frequency and magnitude of earthquakes

the maps do not provide precise information about the time , location and magnitude of future earthquakes

Installing earthquake sensors :

helps monitor the frequency of vibrations and detect possible developments of an earthquake . Earthquake motion data is gathered from hundreds of observation stations installed on bridges and roads in Japan .

these stations monitor ground motion and enable the occurrence of an earthquake to be predicted

earthquake sensors are also used to quickly estimate damage to bridges , railways or other infrastructure

Negative points :

earthquake sensors are expensive to obtain , install and use

earthquake usually occurs after seconds a warning is sounded

therefore , warning may not provide sufficient time for an evacuation

noise , lighting or device failure may interfere with the seismograph and result in false warnings being given

difficult to give accurate warnings when multiple earthquakes occur and close to each other

Tsunami and Warning System :

monitoring devices help predict tsunamis

often linked to warning system

Example :

a network of pressure sensors , seismograph and deep ocean tsunami detectors are located in Hawaii , united staes of america , to monitor and forecast the path of tsunamis

sufrace buoy is connected to a pressure sensor anchored to the sea floor

temperature and pressure are measured and relayed on the buoy every 15 seconds

information is sent via satellite to land-based tsunami warning stations for analysis

Negative points :

prone to giving false alarm when waves are high

little time to evacuate once an approaching tsunami is detected

Tsunami monitoring stations are located in places generally near plate boundaries

Short Term Responses :

Handling the status of the affected areas :

After affected areas are declared as " emergency zones " , a specialised authority is assigned to provide immediate aid to people and restore emergency services to the affected areas

Success :

Basic humanitarian needs of the affected people are taken care of . They are provided with food , water and shelter

Example : In turkey , the crisis management centre led by the ministry of interior mobilised and coordinated relief effectively within the first few hours of the earthquake in afyon , turkey , in 2002

Limitations :

some countries are not experienced in handling the aftermath of an earthquake

Example : the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 was its first major one since 1860 . The emergency relief lacked coordination and proper supervision . This made it difficult to provide aid to the affected population

Searching for and rescuing casualties :

people trapped under collapsed building are quickly located and freed

Success :

some survivors are found after being trapped for a couple of weeks without food

Example : after the earthquake in Tohuku , Japan in 2011 , sniffer dogs and heat sensors were deployed and successfully rescued many who were trapped

Limitations :

rescue workers only have a limited time of 72 hours , or three days , to find trapped survivors .

without food and water , trapped people are unlikely to survive after three days

example : rescue workers only have a limited time to rapidly search through two towns after the earthquake in Tohuku , Japan in 2011

Providing medical aid , food and water :

the injured are treated and clean drinking water are provided to survivors to prevent dehydration and the spread of diseases .

Successes :

the provision of immediate aid helps survivors continue with their lives

Example : after the earthquake in Afyon in 2002 , the turkish red crescent society immediately responded by delivering 20,000 tents , 50,000 blankets and 3,000 heaters to the region

Limitations :

Medical supplies , food and water may not be sufficient and this may cause social unrest

Example : after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 , looting and fighting broke out as people fought for food and medical supplies

Setting up emergency shelters :

Tent cities are set up as temporary housing for those who have lost their homes in the earthquake

Successes :

Temporary shelters provide a place for survivors to carry on with their lives

Example : tents accommodated thousands of homeless people after the major earthquake in Afyon , Turkey , in 2002 . They also helped re-established a sense of community amongst survivors

Limitations :

The living conditions in tent cities may be poor and lead to people dying

Example : the outbreak of the water-borne disease , cholera killed almost 4000 people in the tent cities in Haiti

Calling for humanitarian aid

Foreign and local governments may offer money , medical and food aid to an affected area

Successes :

affected areas can be rebuilt with the aid provided

Example: two months after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 , governments around the whole world donated US$2.5 billion and pledged another US$1.3 billion

non - governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the International red cross and world vision international rapidly moved into affected areas and began their work

Limitations :

Aid may be delivered later than hoped for or may not always be delivered . Problems such as the looting of trucks may also arise while aid is being delivered

Example : after the earthquake in Turkey , in 2011 , trucks delivering aid were looted before they reached the disaster area .

Long term responses :

long term responses to earthquake can stretch over months and years and involve rebuilding an affected region

However , carrying out such measures and responses can be costly

Improving infrastructure

infrastructure and amenities are rebuilt and improved upon after a disaster

Successes :

authorities often develop stricter building codes to ensure infrastructure is restored at a higher safety level than before

Example : after the earthquake in Kobe , Japan , in 2011 , Japan spent billions developing technology to build more earthquake-resistant buildings

Limitations :

reinforced buildings which are build to protect against earthquake are not necessarily protected against tsunamis . Additional protection could be in the form of coastal protection structures such as breakwaters

Example : although many of Chile's buildings are earthquake-resistant , the coastal areas suffered massive damage from a tsunami when an earthquake struck 2010

Compensating people who lose their land and property

compensation is given out through insurance or direct payments to people who have lost their land and property

Successes :

compensation helps people in finding another place to settle down

Example : the japanese insurance plans are authorised by the government to pay massive amounts to compensate people who have lost their land and property

Limitations :

compensation offered are often insufficient .

Example : insurance paid in Japan have an upper limit .

this means that the amount paid to people who have lost their land and property may not cover the cost of damage

Ensuring the affected region recovers economically

steps are taken to ensure that the economy recovers

Successes :

government stimulates the economy by introducing various measures

Example : in order to stimulate the local economy after the earthquake in christchurch , new zealand , in 2011 , direct cash payments were made to individuals to allow them to buy necessities

they also provided income for local traders

in addition , the new zealand government guaranteed bank credit and insurance payments so that reconstruction could start quickly

the repair and building programmes for homes and infrastructure provided employment and income for workers and traders

Limitations :

recovery of the economy may take a long time as a huge sum of money is needed to rebuild infrastructure and services

Example : China took three years to rebuild the area hit by the earthquake in Sichuan , china , in 2008 and provided people with basic living conditions . A huge sum of about US$123 billion was spent on reconstructing schools , hospital and homes

Improving health options

health options such as long term counselling are provided

the loss of love ones , homes or jobs after earthquakes cause long-lasting trauma

Sucesses :

problems can be identified and address early

Example: a year after the earthquake in christchurch , New Zealand , in 2011 , significant problems of anxiety and depression were identified amongst all age groups of the affected population .

This resulted in a greater number of health workers being deployed in the area

Limitations :

improving health options , such as restoring the resilience of people after an earthquake , can be very challenging

Example : many survivors such as those in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010 , continue to lack access to basic necessities

Link:

People respond to earthquakes by preparing for them and putting in place preparedness measures . These measures help reduce the number of lives lost and damage suffered . However , even the best preparation may not be able to minimise the damage caused by the earthquake . When earthquake occur , people deal with the impacts of the earthquake with sort - term and long - term responses