Reducing Impacts of Earthquakes

Prediction

• Currently impossible to predict when an earthquake will happen. But if you can, it would give people time to evacuate which would reduce the number of injuries and deaths.
• There can be clues that an earthquake is about to happen, such as lots of small tremors, cracks appearing in rocks and strange animal behaviour (e.g. rats abandoning nests). 
• It's possible to predict where future earthquakes may happen using data from past earthquakes e.g. mapping where earthquakes have happened shows which places are likely to be affected again,  or where there is a gap where there haven't been major EQs along a fault line there is a probability of an earthquake occurring there-these places can prepare themselves for the impacts of an earthquake. 

Building techniques

• Buildings can be designed to withstand earthquakes. e.g. by using materials like reinforced concrete or building special foundations that absorb an earthquake's energy. 
• Constructing earthquake-resistant buildings reduces the number of buildings destroyed by an earthquake, so fewer people will be killed, injured, made homeless and made unemployed. See post on 'Earthquake-resistance Building Design'.  

Planning

• Future developments, e.g. new shopping malls, can be planned to avoid the areas most at risk from earthquakes. This reduces the number of buildings destroyed by an earthquake. 
• Firebreaks can be made to reduce the spread of fires. http://www.ehow.com/facts_6857140_firebreak-made_.html
• Emergency services can train and prepare for disasters, e.g. by practising rescuing people from collapsed buildings and by stockpiling medicine and other equipment. This reduces the number of people killed.
• Governments can plan evacuation routes to get people out of dangerous areas quickly and safely after an earthquake. This reduces the number of people killed/injured by things like fires. 

Education

• Governments and other organisations can educate people on what to do in the case of an earthquake. (e.g. stand in a doorway) and how to evacuate. This reduces deaths. --Schools and companies should practise earthquake drills regularly. 
• People can be told how to make a survival kit containing things like food, water, a torch, a radio and batteries. The kits reduce the chance of people dying if they're stuck in the area. 

Aid

• Poorer countries that have been affected by earthquakes can receive aid from governments or organisations-it can be things like food, water, money or service people (e.g. doctors/rescuers)
• Aid helps to reduce the impacts, e.g. money-aid is used to rebuild homes, reducing homelessness. 

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Shanty Town Model Answer

For a named city in an LIC, explain the management strategies being used to minimise the problems of its shanty towns (squatter communities)                                                                                                         (9m)

This answer should get 8-9 marks, and is based on my own research and what I wrote in a unit test. Please refer to a previous post 'Shanty Towns' and 'Shanty Town Case Study: Sao Paulo's Favelas' for more information to help you develop your own answer. :) 

Name of city: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Sao Paulo has around 2500 favelas including Jaguare, Heliopolis and Paraisopolis. Many improvements have been made to these shanty towns. There are site-and-service schemes where government or non-governmental organisations (NGOs) provide building materials for the locals to build a better home on their land. Once built, city authorities would help install basic amenities like electricity, running water and sanitation. This reduces the number of people illegally hooking up to overhead electricity lines and improves health as people have access to clean water for cooking and washing. With sewage systems the chances of diseases spread is also minimised. There are microlending schemes where locals can apply for small loans to finance their businesses or to start a business. In Heliopolis a microcredit scheme was developed by a non-profit US organisation and the Brazilian government where locals with small businesses can apply for loans between $100-$1500. Tenure is used where help has been given to locals so they have legal rights over their homes and land, so they are more secure. In Jaguare for example, there is a strong neighbourhood association where people in the favela have worked together to persuade the government to reduce crime and offer people, especially children, a wide range of sport or other activities. They also helped provide better infrastrcuture with better roads, more recreational facilities, especially for children. There are charity projects so other wealthier people volunteer to teach the shanty locals basic hygiene. Through medical associations healthcare has also been made more accessible so there is more of a chance of diseases cured and longer life expectancy.Sao Paulo also has edge cities developing like Jardines which may encourage rural-urban migrants to live away from the main city, so there is less pressure in the shanty towns.

The full notes for Shanty Town Case Study: São Paulo Favelas is in my IGCSE Geo Notes Set which is up for sale! 
Contact: michelle.lim205@gmail.com

Urbanisation Processes

I will discuss this according to the Urban Process Timeline, so that it is orderly. The timeline is as follows:

1. Agglomeration
2. Suburbanisation
3. Commuting
4. Urban regeneration
5. Counter-urbanisation
6. Urban re-imaging
7. Urbanisation of suburbs

Urbanisation: Process of change that converts rural areas, regions and countries into urban ones. It is also the growth of towns and cities which leads to an increasing percentage of a country's population living in urban settlements. 

1. Agglomeration: This is how urban settlements first appear. It is the concentration of people and economic activities at favourable locations. E.g. at river crossing points so there is a supply of water, near a mineral resource such as coal, iron or oil. Long ago, defence was important so people were able to protect themselves. E.g. hilltops made good defensive sites, there were good views but it was hard to reach, and would not be sheltered from strong winds. 

2. Suburbanisation: Definition: The outward spread of the urban area, often at lower densities compared with the older parts of a town or city. 

• As towns grow, they expand outwards through suburbanisation. 
• Adds to built-up area, but building densities lower than in older parts of town. 

3. Commuting: People start to move out of the town/city to live in smaller more rural areas. These are often called dormitory settlements because many new residents only sleep there. They commute to work and still make use of urban service like shops and hospitals. Commuting definition: Travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis. 

4. Urban regeneration: involves re-using areas in old parts of the city where businesses and people have moved out into the suburbs or beyond. (Expanded upon in another post 'Urban regeneration and re-imaging)

5. Counter-urbanisation: the movement of people and businesses (employment) from major cities to smaller towns/cities and rural areas. 

6. Urban re-imaging: changing the image and look of an area to attract people.  (Expanded upon in another post 'Urban regeneration and re-imaging)

7. Urbanisation of suburbs: suburbs are generally areas of low-density development, so instead of using rural areas governments want to use suburban areas--suburban areas become more dense, raised to an urban level--. Empty spaces are being developed and large detached houses are replaced by flats. The suburbs are no longer just residential areas anymore, shops and other services start to locate there too.

If you need further details/clarification, just comment and let me know. :)