Plate Tectonics- Hazard Management

Hazard Management- Earthquakes

Prediction

Currently no reliable way to accurately predict when an earthquake will occur, BUT there are several methods:

Seismic Records

• Studying patterns of earthquakes and using these to predict the next event.

Radon Gas Emission

• Radon is an inert gas that is released from rocks 
• Faster rate when they are fractured by deformation.

Ground Water

• Deformation of the ground water can cause water levels to rise or fall.

Remote sensing

• Electromagnetic disturbances in atmosphere directly above areas about to have an earthquake can be detected.

Surveying movement across a fault line

• Known as levelling. 

Animal behaviour

• Sheep, rats act drunk before earthquake

Prevention

This is almost impossible however there have been suggestions:

• Keep the plates sliding past each other rather than slicking and then releasing suggestions include using water and oil

Protection

Build hazard-resistant structures

• Install a large weight that can move with the aid of a computer program to counteract stress
• Large rubber shock absorbers, Mexico City
  

Educate people in survival strategies

• Regular earthquake drills
• Assembly points
• Water supplies
• First aid
• Fire extinguisher 

Smart metres cut off gas supplies

• Nuclear reactor

Keep emergency services well organised with correct gear
Land use planning

• Avoid building certain buildings in high risk areas

Hazard Management- Volcanoes

Prediction

Volcanoes generally give warning signs, giving people a days, weeks or hundreds of years notice that there will be an eruption. The exact time of the eruption can be monitored by:-

• Study the eruption history of the volcano 
• Measure gas emissions, land swelling and ground water levels 
• Measure shock waves generated by magma travelling upwards 

Protection

The best protection against volcanoes is evacuating the area prior to the eruption, however this will still destroy homes and livelihoods left behind.

• Hazard assessment-trying to determine the areas of the greatest risk which should influence land use planning 
• Dig trenches to divert the lava 
• Build barriers to slow down lava flows 
• Explosive activity to try to divert a lava flow 
• Pour water on the lava front to slow it down