Earthquake Case

Studies in a LEDC and

an
MEDC
Objective:
To know the causes, effects and responses to
2 different earthquakes.
To understand that the effects and responses
differ due to development

MEDC VS LEDC
Kobe, Japan

Sichuan, China

Kobe Earthquake

Sichuan Earthquak
e

Where is Sichuan?
Sichuan is in the South East of China.
It is on the boundary between the
Eurasian Plate and the Indian Plate,
on the Longmenshan Fault Line.

 12th May 2008 at 2:28pm

7.9 on the Richter Scale
Tremors lasted 120 seconds
Pressure resulting from
Indian Plate colliding with the
Eurasian Plate along the
Longmenshan Fault.

EFFECTS

Effects
Death toll approx 69,000
18,000 missing
374,000 injured
At least 5 million homeless
In rural areas such as
Beichuan county near the
epicentre 80% of the
buildings collapsed
5 million buildings
collapsed including schools
Communications disrupted,
roads and phone lines
Landslides blocked rivers
leading to fears of flooding
Cost predicted to be $75
million

Responses

So where is Kobe?
This region is the second most
populated and industrialized area
after Tokyo, with a total population of
about 10 million people.
3 crustal plates meet near Japan,
Philippines, Eurasian and the Pacific
Plates.

 Tuesday 17th January 1995 at 5:46am

7.2 on the Richter Scale
The ground shook for only 20
seconds
Subduction zone so therefore a
destructive plate margin.

Effects

Effects

6,434 people died

40,000 seriously injured
300,000 homeless
Gas and water pipes ruptured
Sections of elevated roads collapsed
Only 30% of the main Kobe to Osaka railway line
was useable
2 million homes were without electricity
1 million homes without water for 10 days
Fires spread
People living in tents and make shift shelters
Estimated cost $220 billion

Responses

Factors affecting earthquake effects

Magnitude
Rural or Urban
Size of the population
Quality of buildings
Time of day
MEDC or LEDC
Communication Links
Availability of emergency services
Spread of diseases
Location of the epicentre

Comparing the earthquakes

Feature
Cause
Facts and Figures
Primary Effects
Secondary Effects
Immediate Responses
Long Term responses

Kobe Earthquake

Sichuan
Earthquake

Questions to compare the

earthquakes
Describe and explain why the effects of an
earthquake differ in countries at different
stages of development.
Summarise the responses to the Kobe
earthquake. How do these differ from the
Sichuan earthquake?

Responses what can we

do??

Read the link below the 3 ps

http://goo.gl/ukCCW6

Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Explain the meaning of the 3 ps
2. Give an example of the methods for reducing
the impact of earthquakes from either Kobe or
Sichuan.
3. Give 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage for each
method.
4. Which of the 3 ps do you think in the most
useful in reducing the impact of earthquakes.
Justify your answers.