Tectonic hazards human impacts

Tectonic hazards human impacts

1. Disaster loss recovery cycle

   • Continual event because of the socio-economic factors; it becomes chronic.

2. Why do people live in tectonically active areas?

   • Choices
     • Climate
       • Pleasant climate which includes hot summers and mild winters. People still want to live in that location.
     • Jobs
       • The opportunity of a job influences people to live in an a location.
     • California, USA
       • Benefits
         • Prospects and diverse range of jobs.
         • Mega cities such as Hollywood and LA.
         • Pleasant climate.
         • Diversity of culture.
       • Costs
         • Earthquake prone area but a large volume is below the magnitude 3.
         • Fault lines run through the area: Cascadia and San Andreas are the most popular.
     • Inertia
       • Traditional, historical or cultural reasons to living with a tectonic hazard. This is when a population has been established.
     • Education
       • High level of education is often associated with areas of high economic development. The ability to prepare residents.
       • California, USA
         • Earthquake Country Alliance prepares people for a tectonic hazard: drop, cover and hold on campaign. The Great Shake Out drill occurs every October.
       • Many assume that tectonic hazards only occur on plate boundaries, whereas, in actual fact tectonic hazards occur anywhere on the Earth's surface.
   • Benefits
     • Natural resources
       • Mt Etna, Sicily, Italy
         • Basaltic lava causes mineral-rich soil is perfect for cultivating vine yards, olive graves and orchards.
         • Europe's most active and tallest volcano.
         • UNESCO world heritage site.
       • Establishment of mines because of ore deposit circulation. They are created as a result of the heat generated causing ore-bearing fluids to be circulated. E.g. copper, zinc and gold.
       • 500 million people live near a historically active volcano.
     • Geothermal energy
       • Water running through the Earth's crust is heated, bringing geothermal energy to the surface, where it emerges as hot springs and fumaroles.
       • 85% of all houses in Iceland are heated with geothermal energy.
     • Tourism
       • Modern cultures especially Western find volcanoes beautiful as well as threatening.
   • By 2025, 600 million people will be living in tectonically active areas and so there is an increased probability of an increase in disasters.

3. Trends of hazards over time

   • Frequency
     • Volcanoes
       • No increase but there is fluxuation.
     • Earthquakes
       • General increase in the number of recorded earthquakes in the world. This is because of the increase in the number of seismograph stations and increased global communications. More lower intensity earthquakes have been detected in the past.
   • Impacts
     • Number of fatalities have increased because of the increasing global population.