Earthquakes - Causes and Effects of Earthquakes - GCSE Geography

Summary

This video explores the effects of earthquakes on people and strategies for mitigation. It explains how earthquakes occur due to plate tectonics and the resulting primary and secondary impacts, such as building collapses and tsunamis. The video also discusses the unpredictability of earthquakes and emphasizes the importance of building design, planning, and education to reduce their effects. It contrasts the challenges faced by LEDCs and MEDCs, highlighting the greater impact on LEDCs due to poor infrastructure and healthcare.

Takeaways

• 🌏 Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates, leading to the buildup of pressure and eventual release in the form of vibrations.
• 🏗️ The primary impacts of earthquakes include immediate destruction such as building and bridge collapses, which can lead to fatalities and injuries.
• 🚧 Secondary impacts occur after the earthquake and can include landslides, tsunamis, and further infrastructure damage exacerbating the situation.
• 💧 Damage to utilities like water, electricity, and sewage systems can lead to shortages, leaks, and health hazards post-earthquake.
• 🏠 Homes and businesses are often damaged, leading to homelessness and unemployment, which can have long-term societal and economic effects.
• 🏞️ Despite the risks, people continue to live in earthquake-prone areas due to historical habitation, government support expectations, and economic ties to the region.
• 🏘️ In LEDCs (Less Economically Developed Countries), the quality of housing and infrastructure is often poorer, leading to more severe consequences during earthquakes.
• 🏥 The healthcare systems in LEDCs may be overwhelmed, leading to higher death rates from secondary diseases and infections due to limited capacity.
• 🏛️ Building construction that can withstand earthquakes can reduce damage and subsequent impacts, though it may require higher initial investment.
• ⛑️ Education and preparedness, including planning for evacuation routes and having survival kits, can mitigate the effects of earthquakes on individuals and communities.

Q & A

What causes earthquakes?

Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. When two plates meet, pressure builds up and eventually, the plates jerk past each other, sending out shock waves or vibrations that we feel as earthquakes.

What is the difference between the focus and the epicenter of an earthquake?

The focus is the point within the Earth where the earthquake starts, while the epicenter is the point on the ground directly above the focus, where the shock waves are typically strongest.

What are the primary impacts of an earthquake?

Primary impacts of an earthquake include building and bridge collapses, fatalities and injuries due to these collapses, damage to electricity cables, roads, railways, and airports, and breaks in water and sewage pipes leading to leaks and supply cuts.

Can you explain the secondary impacts of earthquakes?

Secondary impacts of earthquakes are those felt after the initial event. They can include landslides, tsunamis, additional building collapses, increased death toll, homelessness, shortage of clean water and sanitation leading to diseases, and unemployment due to business damages.

Why do earthquakes lead to unemployment and economic problems?

Earthquakes can cause significant damage to infrastructure and businesses, leading to unemployment. Additionally, the funds required for recovery and rebuilding can't be allocated to other developments, leading to long-lasting economic issues.

How can the impacts of earthquakes be reduced?

Impacts can be reduced by designing buildings to withstand earthquakes, proper planning and development away from earthquake-prone areas, having evacuation routes, and educating people about what to do during an earthquake, including preparing survival kits.

Why is it difficult to predict earthquakes?

Predicting earthquakes is challenging because they are quite random events. While some attempt to predict them by looking at historical eruption patterns, this method is not effective or sustainable.

Why do people continue to live in earthquake-prone areas?

People continue to live in earthquake-prone areas due to historical habitation, belief in government support, a lack of education about the risks, and employment opportunities that make relocation undesirable.

How do the impacts of earthquakes differ between LEDCs and MEDCs?

The impacts of earthquakes are generally worse in LEDCs due to poorer quality housing, weaker infrastructure, slower emergency responses, and inadequate healthcare facilities, leading to higher death tolls and more homelessness.

What are some reasons for the higher death toll and homelessness in LEDCs during earthquakes?

In LEDCs, the death toll and homelessness are higher due to the collapse of poorly constructed buildings, inadequate infrastructure leading to slower rescue efforts, and insufficient healthcare facilities that can't handle the influx of injured people.