QU: How do we define natural hazards? AIM: To explain community vulnerability and resilience using established geographical models. ST: Account for the difference in eruption height and explosivity of each volcano. Account for the shape of each volcano. Height of eruption column Shield volcano Shape of volcano Strato volcano 1
2
A natural hazard is when extreme natural events or processes occur in an area of human settlement with the potential to cause loss of life and damage to existing constructed resources and infrastructure' (Frampton) A perceived natural event that has the potential to threaten both life and property. (Whittow) Disasters are extreme events which cause great loss of life and/or damage to property and create severe disruption to human activities. They can be created by human actions or natural processes. ( Frampton) 'A Disaster is the realisation of a hazard, when it causes a significant impact on a vulnerable population. (Degg) TASK: a - Look at the above definitions of a hazard and disaster. Pick out a couple of words which really exemplify the difference between the two. b - Write your own definition of a hazard and disaster. EXT: What does Degg mean by 'significant impact'? What would you say this is? 3
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters CRED defines a disaster as a situation or event which overwhelms local capacity, necessitating a request to a national or international level for external assistance; an unforeseen and often sudden event that causes great damage, destruction and human suffering. 10 or more people are killed and/or 100 or more people are affected. SIGNIFICANT IMPACT If a natural tectonic event occurs away from populations was there ever a hazard or risk from it? Disasters can only occur if there is a human vulnerability to a hazard. Degg's model below attempts to demonstrate this. Degg's Model 4
Coastal tourist resort, key contributor to GNI. Tsunami Vulnerability, why the area is populated. Earthquake Christchurch, NZ Capital EQ 2011 Climate is good. Quality of life is high. Banda Aceh, Thailand 2004 Disaster event Population densities. Benefits outweigh risks. Fertile soils provide an income in LIC's Volcano Pinatubo eruption 1991 Los Angeles, EQ 1994 TASK: On your copy of Degg's model, add the above vulnerability factors, hazards and disasters. Link them up as exampled below. Please note that there are two earthquake events. Then complete the activities on the sheet. Tectonic hazard Fishing/trading port Economic advantages Volcano Vesuvius pyroclastic flow Pompeii 79AD Degg's Model 5
Group discussion first then add using copy of pg.s 24-25 Lizard book. Teacher note Political/Governance Economic Social Human factors that affect a communities threshold of vulnerability and resilience. Physical/Environmental Task: a - Complete the mind map with ideas from pg. 25. b - Copy the 'Risk equation' pg. 24. In a paragraph only consider why this equation would have a different outcome of resiliance threshold for the USA and Haiti when comparing EQ hazards USE language and ideas from the mind map. Ext: Synopticity - Can you identify the elements in the equation involved at Happisburgh, Norfolk? 6
Disasters come about from complex inter-relationships of human and physical factors in a wider context. Primarily, Vulnerability, Resilience and Magnitude of event. These variables can change for better or worse over time, vulnerability especially so. The PRESSURE RELEASE MODEL as shown below attempts to recognise these interrelationships in a wider context. Progression of vulnerability Meaning changeable 7
A NEE nation (Newly Emerging Economy) has seen rapid population growth in the last 30 years. It has an increasing demographic of working age population. Alongside this the government has taken advantage of an increasingly globalised world to attract foreign investment. It has been a stated aim of the government to achieve HIC (high income country) within the next 25 years. So far economic strategies are proving successful attracting many investors. This investment has been along the countries coastline where a number of rias make excellent sheltered ports. One of these has become a major Free Trade Zone. TNC's have located depots here to take advantage of the countries position between Asia and the USA. Access to growing markets is excellent in this respect. Internal migration to these areas has been rapid and uncontrolled as people arrive seeking work and a better standard of living. Slum areas have developed around the ports and occupy low lying areas. As these areas expand mangrove swamps have been removed as a source of fuel and building material. This habitat has reduced by 70% in the last 20 years leaving large stretches of coast open to the Indian Ocean. The forces of commercialism have not been slow to capitalise and a fledgling tourist industry is developing, promoting the regions warm climate and sandy beaches. The area is not on a plate boundary and does not suffer greatly from tropical storms so the associated hazards are not really part of the national psyche and are not considered at a national or local level in terms of structures or procedures, should a state of emergency ever be called. It is Christmas day, 2004. TASK: On the other side of the Degg' model sheet you have a copy of the Pressure Release model and the scenario outlined above. With coloured pens pencils highlight the following in the text. Root Causes, Limited strucures/ ideologies Dynamic Pressures, what is lacking, Macro-forces Unsafe conditions. In this case - What was the event or pressure release which created the disaster? EXT: So why is this called the pressure release model? 8
Answers? A NEE nation (Newly Emerging Economy) has seen rapid population growth in the last 30 years. It has an increasing demographic of working age population. Alongside this the government has taken advantage of an increasingly globalised world to attract foreign investment. It has been a stated aim of the government to achieve HIC (high income country) within the next 25 years. So far economic strategies are proving successful attracting many investors. This investment has been along the countries coastline where a number of rias make excellent sheltered ports. One of these has become a major Free Trade Zone. TNC's have located depots here to take advantage of the countries position between Asia and the USA. Access to growing markets is excellent in this respect. Internal migration to these areas has been rapid and uncontrolled as people arrive seeking work and a better standard of living. Slum areas have developed around the ports and occupy low lying areas. As these areas expand mangrove swamps have been removed as a source of fuel and building material. This habitat has reduced by 70% in the last 20 years leaving large stretches of coast open to the Indian Ocean. The forces of commercialism have not been slow to capitalise and a fledgling tourist industry is developing, promoting the regions warm climate and sandy beaches. The area is not on a plate boundary and does not suffer greatly from tropical storms so the associated hazards are not really part of the national psyche and are not considered at a national or local level in terms of structures or procedures, should a state of emergency ever be called. It is Christmas day, 2004. With coloured pens pencils highlight the following in the text. Root Causes, Limited strucures/economic, political ideologies Dynamic Pressures, what is lacking, Macro-forces Unsafe conditions. The pressure release to create the disaster was the 2004 Boxing day Tsunami. There is of course some overlap with these. 9
Plenary Where would you allocate the above images to the Pressure release model? 10