Structure of the earth Why do people live in hazardous How do countries respond to the Why do earthquakes affect areas in

The earth is made up of several layers: areas? threat of hazards? different ways?
• Core • Volcanic soil good for farming • USA - advice in phone book • Distance - from the epicentre
• Mantle • Increases jobs in tourism • Japan - disaster day on 1st September • Type of land - the Mexico City earthquake was
• Crust. • Heat used for geothermal power • Give early warnings made worse because the city was built on a dry clay
The theory of plate tectonics suggests that the • Volcanic rock is a useful resource • Plans in place lake bed.
Earth is divided into 7 large and 12 smaller • Reluctance to move • Buildings and transport structures can • When the earthquake happens - in an urban area like
crustal plates, which ‘float’ on the mantle.
• Can't afford to move (LEDCs) be built to withstand earthquakes by Kobe, if an earthquake happens at night, fewer
• In MEDCs - money spent on hazard reinforcing them with steel or people will be on the streets. If an earthquake
There are two types of crustal plate: building them with rubber shock happens in winter, the secondary impacts on
prediction and preparation, making it
• Oceanic (heavy) absorbers. homeless people are greater, especially in LEDCs.
safe to live in hazardous areas.
• Continental (lighter). • Services such as gas, water and • How well prepared an area is - if buildings have
The places where plates meet are called plate electricity can be laid in more flexible been constructed to withstand earthquakes and the
margins/boundaries. The majority of pipes to stop them breaking. population is prepared, the effects will be reduced.
earthquakes and volcanoes occur along these • Better instruments to detect earthquakes
plate boundaries.
MEDCs are able to afford the prediction and preparation
techniques that reduce the number of deaths and injuries.
In LEDCs, few buildings are constructed to withstand
earthquakes, and services are poor. Consequently the
number of deaths and injuries is often greater.
Plate boundaries
There are 4 types of plate boundary. You should look up in
your notes how to draw each type. All four case studies have Primary and secondary effects
occurred at DESTRUCTIVE plate boundaries.
• Collision margin: where 2 continental plates collide and
Unstable Plate Primary effects: the immediate effects caused by the
earthquake. This includes death, injury, and damage to
push together to form fold mountains. The Himalayas are
being created in this way.
Margins buildings.
Secondary effects: indirect effects e.g.. fires from
• Destructive margin: where an oceanic plate is moving broken gas mains. Area losing money because
towards a continental plate. The heavier oceanic plate businesses are demolished
sinks below the lighter continental plate. As this happens
the heat from the mantle and friction from contact
between the plates melts the edge of the oceanic plate.
The melting plate creates magma that rises to the surface Keywords
to form volcanoes. At the same time friction between the Earthquakes Volcanoes • Richter scale - scale used to
two plates can trigger earthquakes. MEDC example - Kobe. Japan 1995 MEDC example - Mount Etna. Sicily, measure the strength of
• Constructive: where 2 plates move away from each • Measured 7.2 on the Richter Scale Italy. 1991 earthquakes.
other, magma rises into the gap and cools, creating new • Occurred at 5.46 am (people in bed) • Most active volcano in the world • Seismograph - instrument used to
rock e.g.. the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. • Deaths and injuries • Over 1 million people live on the slopes measure the strength of
• Conservative: plates move alongside each other. In • Buildings destroyed of Mt Etna earthquakes.
some areas the plates "stick" together. Pressure builds up • Supplies of gas, water and electricity • Area has rich soil and good weather • Infrastructure - communications
until a sudden movement sends shockwaves through the disrupted • Area attracts large number of tourists and services in an area, such as
Earth e.g.. the San Andreas Fault in California, USA. LEDC example - Mexico City 1985 LEDC example - Nevada del Ruiz, roads, railways, gas, electricity,
• Built on unstable dry lakebeds Columbia 1985 water, drains, sewerage, and
• When earthquake occurred air • Volcano showed signs of activity telephones.
This module looks at why earthquakes and pockets from the dry lake bed came emitting gas and steam • Epicentre - point in the earth's
to the surface causing subsidence. • Started to melt glacier at top causing surface directly above the focus.
volcanoes occur and the problems they cause. • Focus - point in the earth's crust
You will also need to know how MEDCs can • Buildings destroyed/fires mud flow (Lahar)
• Death toll was 21,000 mainly due to where an earthquake starts.
• People killed
deal with earthquakes and volcanoes better lahar sweeping through villages like
than LEDCs Armero.