Geography Project Sichuan Earthquake

1. Geography ProjectSichuan Earthquake “China should learn from Japan to minimize earthquakes destruction in China in the future” Group 2 Fiona Kam F.4A(19) Agatha Ng F.4A(30) Vanessa Pang F.4A(31) Joanne Li F.4C ( 22 )

2. “China should learn from Japan to minimize earthquakes destruction in China in the future” • Which plate movement led to Sichuan Earthquake? • What were the physical factors that led to such disastrous impact? • What were the human factors that led to such disastrous impact? • What has the government done to minimize earthquakes destruction in future? • What can we learn from developed countries to minimize earthquake destruction?

4. Which plate movement led to Sichuan Earthquake?

5. Which plate movement led to Sichuan Earthquake? • China is located along the destructive plate boundary( circum-pacific belt). • Because of compression force generated from sinking convection current in the asthenosphere, • The Indo-Australian plate( continental plate) collided with the Eurasian Plate( Continental plate). When the two plates converge, the denser Indo-Australian Plate subducted, • compression force would create friction and stress in the crust.

6. Which plate movement led to Sichuan Earthquake? • Cracks are developed • Faulting occurred due to the cracks. • Earthquake occurred along the Longmenshan fault. • When the accumulated stress was larger then the strength of rock mass, • energy was then released and sent out at seismic waves through the crust causing violent vibration in the crust. • Sichuan Earthquake occurred

7. What were the physical factors that led to such disastrous impact? • High magnitude -Richter scale: 8 • Shallow focus -19km to 20km • Long duration • -80s to 120s • More aftershocks -six aftershocks measured 6 or over on the Richter scale  caused the collapse of weakened structures  led to further loss of life and property • Short distance from epicenter (Wenchuan) -it is 80km away from Chengdu, the capital centre of Sichuan • Large affected regions -over 100000 sq.km

8. What were the physical factors that led to such disastrous impact? • Relief -hilly, mountainous 1) led to landslide the landslide materials blocked roads • the communication links was broken down • there were damages to hospital and utility works  caused difficulties in sending relief supplies to the affected areas  make relief work more difficult slowed down relief work

9. What were the physical factors that led to such disastrous impact? • Time -afternoon 2:28{ lots of indoor activities }e.g. children were learning at schools adults were working • Related hazards are caused1)landslide2) flooding -due to the serious landslides in many hill slopes that cause by the Sichuan earthquake, -The slope materials blocked the rivers, forming dams. -These created 34 huge lakes behind these dams could be breached at any time. and thus flooding occurs.

10. What were the human factors that led to such disastrous impact? • High population density -population: around 84million -area: around 480000km sq.  population density: 84million/480000 = 175 Therefore, the population density of Sichuan is high.

11. What were the human factors that led to such disastrous impact? • Low social awareness 1) education • Sichuan had 42 institutions of high learning schools  • 5000 specialized, regular and coeducational secondary schools with 450 000 students and • 250 000 teachers  • Normal Schools with 250 000 students and 20000 teachers

12. What were the human factors that led to such disastrous impact? -the proportion student who could receive education is low - even if they were sent to school, they might not be taught about what they should do before, during and after a hazard, especially about earthquakes. -regular large-scale earthquake drills for the general public were hardly held

13. What were the human factors that led to such disastrous impact? • Low government efficiency ( but improved compared to 7.28 Tongshan Earthquake) it took 4 days and nights to start the rescue work for Tongshan Earthquake but it took less than an hour for to start the rescue work for the Sichuan Earthquake • No efficient monitoring/ warning system - cannot predict the time and place of occurrence accurately as well as the scale of possible earthquakes.  Therefore, the government can’t immediately take action to warn the people to escape to a safer place

14. What has the government done to minimize earthquakes destruction in future? • Eliminated the tofu-dregs schoolhouses as there were corruptionon the resources allocation on building the schools Implemented laws governing the height and structure of buildings

15. What has the government done to minimize earthquakes destruction in future? • Increased the number of rescue team • Planned to hold more earthquake drills • assigning round-the-clock workers • ensuring open routes of transportation to the areas devastated by the earthquake • asking people to donate money or material supplies

16. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? - Improve the transport network as to improve the relief work: • as rescue helicopters had trouble landing into the epicenter area in Wenchuan, we can propose a landing spot online as the first touchdown place for the helicopters • as the soldiers found it very difficult to get help to the rural regions of the province, gov. can build more roads on the rural region in order to improve the relief work with an evacuation route with adequate road signs should be established at urban-planning stage

17. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • Provide more education to the people and drills to increase the social awareness: • In Japan, students are taught about what they should do before during and after a hazard the teachers in Sichuan and China can teach the students how to do when earthquake occurred

18. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • Education: • Japan provides schemes for the residents to join that provides the information of how to evacuate when earthquake occurred China can also provide schemes For example: • <<To Protect Your Family from Injury>> • <<Discuss Evacuation Plans with Your Family in Advance>> • <<Prepare Items to Take Out in Case of Emergency>>

19. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • Education: • The officials should educate the village heads in Sichuan how to evacuate when earthquake occurred  the village heads can teach the residents (farmers)

20. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • Education: • Put some Big Characters or propaganda with how to prepared for the earthquake on the notice board of the villages • Train the rescue team more frequently • China can learn from Japan that have regular large-scale earthquake drills with the residents in Sichuan for the evacuation of earthquake

21. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • Improve land use planning: -build/reserve for large open spaces for evacuation • For Example: • Build a recreational park for people to relax and play in case of emergency (e.g. earthquake happen), people can evacuate to the park

22. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • Improve land use planning: -build earthquake-proof buildings for school instead of tofu-dregs schoolhouses • In order to avoid to build tofu-dregs schoolhouses • Implement laws governing the height and structure of buildings should be imposed • Each building has to pass tests for hazard such as earthquakes In Japan and USA build earthquake-proof buildings for schools, houses and universities

23. What can we learn from the MDC to minimize the damages of earthquake? • In Japan, - Government buy insurance for the residents that live in a particular area which always happen earthquake China can also buy insurance for the residents in Sichuan

24. Difficulties in implementing the measures • China is a lessdeveloped country - It has to use a large part of capital to develop industries  Government may not put capital on minimizing the damages of earthquakes

25. Reflection Through this project, we had learnt more about earthquakes, especially the Sichuan earthquake. We can know more about why the earthquake happened, the physical and human factors that caused such serious dangers in the earthquake. Besides, we have also thought of some measures that Sichuan and the Chinese government can take to minimize dangers caused by earthquakes. However, Chinese government may not be able to carry out all these solutions since some of them are costly and require a longer time.

26. The End ~Thank You~