Earthquakes in Chile and Nepal PDF

The Challenge of Natural Hazards: Chile and Nepal Chile and Nepal’s Contrasting Levels of Wealth Chile Nepal Gross Domestic Product: ​298.2 billion​ ​USD​. Gross Domestic Product: ​29.04 billion USD​. 3...

The Challenge of Natural Hazards: Chile and Nepal Chile and Nepal’s Contrasting Levels of Wealth Chile Nepal Gross Domestic Product: ​298.2 billion​ ​USD​. Gross Domestic Product: ​29.04 billion USD​. 38​th​ ​in the world (out of 193 countries). 109​th​ ​in the world (out of 193 countries). Human Development Index: ​41​st​ in the Human Development Index: ​145​th​ ​in the world​ (out of 187 countries). world​ (out of 187 countries). Gross Domestic Product (GDP)​ - A measure of the ​total wealth of a country​. Human Development Index (HDI)​ - A measure of the ​development ​of a country. Santiago, Chile (Source:​www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/energysource​) Kathmandu, Nepal (Source:​www.theguardian.com/travel​) This work by PMT Education is licensed under https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu-cc CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc Hazards in Chile and Nepal - Earthquakes Both Chile and Nepal have suffered severe earthquakes​. These countries have dealt with different effects​ and had ​different responses​ to the events. 2010 Chile Earthquake On the ​27​th February 2010​, a huge earthquake measuring ​8.8 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Chile​, lasting for over ​three minutes! The earthquake occurred on a ​destructive plate margin​, where the ​Nazca plate subducts beneath the South American plate​. Smaller aftershocks followed the initial earthquake. As the earthquake occurred in the ​Pacific Ocean​, the plate movement displaced a lot of ​seawater​, triggering a ​tsunami​. (Source:​www.britannica.com/event/Chile-earthquake-of-2010​) 2015 Nepal Earthquake On the ​25​th April 2015​, a ​7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, caused by the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath the ​Eurasian plate (destructive plate margin). The earthquake’s epicentre​ was around ​80km away from Nepal’s capital​, Kathmandu. The earthquake originated only ​15km below the surface​, which meant it was felt ​very strongly on the surface. ​Huge avalanches and landslides ​were triggered in the ​The Himalayas ​which run through Nepal. Damage from the earthquake extended ​hundreds of kilometres into Pakistan, Tibet and India, and severe ​aftershocks ​occurred afterwards. https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc The Effects of Earthquakes in Contrasting Areas Chile Primary effects Around ​500 killed​ and ​12,000 injured​. 800,000 people affected​ overall. Many buildings were destroyed, including ​22,000 homes, 4,500 schools, 53 ports and 56 hospitals​. The ​Santiago airport​ was also badly damaged. (Source: ©Reuters) Water, electricity and communications lost in many places. Many ​well-constructed buildings were left standing after the earthquake. Estimated cost of ​USD$30 billion​. (Source: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images) Secondary effects Landslides triggered by the earthquake damaged ​1500km of roads​. Debris ​blocked roads for weeks, which cut off rural communities​ and slowed relief efforts. A ​tsunami ​was triggered by the earthquake, which devastated coastal towns and destroyed ports. The tsunami also hit other ​Pacific countries​. Fires broke out in buildings due to burst pipes and other complications. A fire in a chemical plant near Santiago meant many people had to be evacuated. ​A landslide near Arauco. (Source:​https://blogs.agu.org/​) The village of Penco after being hit by a tsunami.​ ​Smoke from a fire outside Santiago. (Source: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images) (Source: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images) https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc  Nepal Primary effects 9,000 killed ​and ​20,000 injured​. 8 million people​ affected (⅓ of Nepal’s population) 3 million people left homeless after homes were destroyed. 7,000 schools destroyed​, and ​50% of all shops destroyed​, leading to food and supply shortages. ​(Source: ​ReSurge International​) Power, water and communications​ were severely affected. 1.4 million people​ were urgently in need of food, water and shelter. The cost of damage was estimated at around ​USD$5 billion. Many ​historical sites and landmarks ​were damaged or destroyed. (Source: ​www.ctvnews.ca/world/nepal-earthquake-before-and-after​) Secondary effects Landslides and avalanches triggered by the ground shaking, causing widespread damage to ​infrastructure​, blocking ​roads ​and trapping people under ​snow and rubble​. The avalanches on ​Mount Everest killed at least ​19 people​, and avalanches elsewhere left hundreds missing. Landslides ​blocked rivers​. For example, the Kali Gandaki River ​was blocked by a landslide, and many people had to be evacuated incase of flooding​. There was no tsunami as the earthquake started on ​land​. Base camp on Mount Everest. ​(Source: ​National Geographic​) https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc The Responses to Earthquakes in Contrasting Areas Chile and Nepal had ​different responses to the earthquakes they suffered due to the countries’ different levels of ​preparedness​ and ​wealth​. Immediate Responses Chile Nepal Emergency services ​were deployed quickly. International aid quickly arrived from the ​UK, Search and rescue teams were sent out to ​search India and China​. They brought search and rescue for and help survivors​, and ​emergency field teams, ​medical support and essential supplies​. hospitals​ were set up to help the injured. Over​ £87 million​ was raised in aid by donations. A survivor from a collapsed apartment complex is RAF aircraft loaded with aid sent from Britain. lowered to safety by a cable.​ ​(Source:​ REUTERS​) (Source: ​Steve Lympany/MOD​) Within 24 hours​, temporary repairs were made to Helicopters ​were used for ​search, rescue and the ​Route 5 north-south highway​. This supply distribution​. Those left stranded by reconnected the capital (Santiago) to other areas, avalanches were rescued by helicopter, and and allowed ​response teams to travel to more communities cut off by severe landslides were remote communities. given vital supplies. Temporary shelters ​were set up for the homeless. Half a million tents were provided after the The ​Chilean government immediately distributed earthquake, many from ​UNICEF​. These tents 5,000 ​temporary shelters, and a further 30,000 provided shelter for the ​homeless​, and were also temporary emergency shelters ​were built after used as temporary classrooms and healthcare fundraising. facilities as the strong aftershocks prevented people from using buildings. ​ mergency International aid groups also set up e response units for healthcare and emergency Field hospitals were set up as hospitals were supply distribution. extremely overcrowded with casualties. IRFC Emergency response units. ​(Source:​IFRC​) Tents used as emergency shelters after the Nepal earthquake.​ (​ Source: ​UNICEF​) Power and water was restored to ​90% of homes 300,000 people fled from the capital, Kathmandu, within ​10 days​. to seek shelter elsewhere, e.g. with family. USD$60 million raised in relief funds after a Social media was used as a means of national appeal, which went towards reconstruction communication for those affected. Facebook and emergency aid. introduced a ​safety check feature after the earthquake which allowed people to mark themselves as ‘safe’ to family and friends. https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc  Long-term responses Chile Nepal Chile set up a ​national housing reconstruction In 2019, ​three-quarters of homes that were plan one month after the earthquake, pledging destroyed from the earthquake were either ​fully $USD2.5 billion in housing subsidies for ​196,000 rebuilt or under repair​. Over ​7000 schools households ​affected. needed to be rebuilt or repaired. Thousands of houses and buildings were The government introduced stricter building codes deemed unsafe to stay standing, and had to be with ​better earthquake resistance​. demolished​. Foreign aid was not heavily relied upon as Chile Landslides were cleared and roads were had the funds available for ​reconstruction and repaired. ​Temporary lakes formed by landslides recovery​. The frequency of earthquakes in Chile that blocked rivers had to be ​carefully drained​, meant the country was ​prepared​ for the disaster. such as in the ​Kali Gandaki river​. The president of Chile announced that full In June 2015, Nepal hosted an ​international recovery could take 4 years​, especially to fully conference​ to seek advice and financial support reconstruct ​buildings and ports​. from other countries to help the recovery process. By August 2015, repairs to Everest base camp and mountain routes meant the area could be reopened to mountaineers. Other tourist sites were opened over time, boosting the tourism sector. In September 2015, Nepal suffered severe shortages of ​fuel, medicines and earthquake relief materials ​after India imposed a ​blockade ​at the Nepal-India border, stopping goods from entering Nepal. A newly constructed lagoon designed to help Villagers in the Gorkha district rebuilding flooding after Constitución was damaged by houses, April 2016 the tsunami. (Source:​https://time.com/4305225/nepal-earthquake-anni (Source: ​www.theguardian.com​) versary-disaster/​) https://bit.ly/pmt-cc https://bit.ly/pmt-edu https://bit.ly/pmt-cc