Chile and Nepal Earthquakes (PDF)

## Tectonic Hazards ### Chile **Primary Effects** (caused by ground shaking) - Around 500 people killed and 12000 injured - 800000 people affected. - 220000 homes, 4500 schools, 53 ports, 56 hospitals and other public buildings destroyed. - Port of Talcahuanao and Santiago airport badly damaged....

## Tectonic Hazards ### Chile **Primary Effects** (caused by ground shaking) - Around 500 people killed and 12000 injured - 800000 people affected. - 220000 homes, 4500 schools, 53 ports, 56 hospitals and other public buildings destroyed. - Port of Talcahuanao and Santiago airport badly damaged. - Much of Chile lost power, water supplies and communications - Cost of the earthquake estimated at US$30 billion. **Secondary Effects** (tsunamis, fires and landslides) - 1500 km of roads damaged, mainly by landslides - remote communities cut off for many days. - Several coastal towns devastated by tsunami waves. - Several Pacific countries struck by tsunami - warnings prevented loss of life. - A fire at a chemical plant near Santiago - the area had to be evacuated. ### Nepal **Primary Effects** - 9000 people died and 20000 injured over 8 million people (a third of Nepal's population) affected. - 3 million people left homeless when homes were destroyed. - Electricity and water supplies, sanitation and communications affected. - 1.4 million people needed food, water and shelter in the days and weeks after the earthquake. - 7000 schools destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed. - International airport became congested as aid arrived. - 50% of shops destroyed, affecting food supplies and people's livelihoods. - Cost of damage estimated at over US$5 billion. **Secondary Effects** - Ground shaking triggered landslides and avalanches, blocking roads and hampering relief efforts. - Avalanches on Mount Everest killed at least 19 people - the greatest loss of life on the mountain in a single incident. - An avalanche in the Langtang region left 250 people missing. - A landslide blocked the Kali Gandaki River, 140km (90 miles) north west of the capital, Kathmandu - many people evacuated in case of flooding. - The earthquake occurred on land so did not cause a tsunami. ### Activities 1. a What is the evidence that Nepal is poorer and less developed than Chile? b Why did the Nepal earthquake affect such a vast area? c Why did the Chile earthquake trigger a tsunami? 2. Describe the primary effects of the Nepal earthquake shown in figure E. 3. To what extent did the levels of wealth and development of the two countries affect the secondary effects of the earthquakes? 4. What were the effects of the tsunami waves caused by the Chilean earthquake? ### Stretch yourself A second powerful earthquake struck Nepal on 12 May 2015. How might this have affected the country's recovery? ### Practice question Discuss the extent to which contrasting levels of wealth influence the impact of tectonic hazards. (9 marks) ## The effects of earthquakes On this spread you will find out about the effects of two earthquakes in contrasting countries - Chile and Nepal. **The earthquakes in Chile and Nepal** Earthquakes can have devastating effects on people's lives and activities. **Primary effects** are caused by ground shaking and can include deaths and injuries, and damage to roads and buildings. **Secondary effects** are the result of primary effects (ground shaking) and include tsunami, fires and landslides. Responses to earthquakes include emergency care and support and help with longer-term reconstruction. | Indicator | Chile | Nepal | UK | |---|---|---|---| | Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - a measure of wealth | 38th out of 193 countries | 109th out of 193 countries | 6th out of 193 countries | | Human Development Index (HDI) - a measure of the level of development | 41st out of 187 countries | 145th out of 187 countries | 14th out of 187 countries | **Contrasting Chile and Nepal** **Chile** Imagine what it would be like if the ground shook underneath you for three minutes! This is what happened on 27 February 2010 when a very powerful earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck just off the coast of central Chile (map B). The earthquake occurred at a destructive plate margin where the Nazca Plate is moving beneath the South American Plate. It was followed by a series of smaller aftershocks. Because the earthquake occurred out to sea, tsunami warnings were issued as waves raced across the Pacific Ocean at speeds of up to 800km per hour. **Nepal** On 25 April 2015 Nepal was struck by an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was about 80 km (50 miles) to the north-west of Nepal's capital Kathmandu in the foothills of the Himalayas (map C). This is a destructive plate margin where the Indo-Australian Plate is colliding with the Eurasian Plate at a rate of 45 mm per year. The collision and pressure at this margin are responsible for the formation of the Himalayas. The earthquake was very shallow, just 15 km below the surface. This resulted in very severe ground shaking and widespread landslides and avalanches. The earthquake caused damage hundreds of kilometres away in India, Tibet and Pakistan. **Key** | Shake Intensity | |---|---| | Light | | Moderate | | Strong | | Very strong | | Severe | **The Chile earthquake** **The Nepal earthquake**