1 9 ‘To what extent can preparedness and planning mitigate the effects of volcanic hazards?’(40 marks)
A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment. There is a very big difference that helps prepare for a volcanic hazard and that is whether you are in a MEDC or a LEDC. In a MEDC monitoring volcanic zones and potential hazards is an option many LEDC’s don’t have. In Italy at Mt Etna they have Geochemical monitoring programs currently run by INGV which focus on the analysis of temporal changes, chemical changes and seismic activity.
This option open to the Italians is not an option for LEDC who don’t have the wealth or public education to set up these stations. In Montserrat their where no levels of monitoring at all due to Before 1995 there was no record of the volcano on Montserrat erupting so they thought their was no need so it was an unnecessary cost. In 1995 the eruptions of the Soufriere hills began it eruption which berried a town and eventually killed 20 people in an unexpected pyroclastic flow. Before the eruptions there was no preparations no warning. There were many effects of the eruption, one of them being 2/3 of the island was covered in ash, causing devastation and many homes being destroyed. As a result of this 50% of the island has to be evacuated to the north side of the island. Also Plymouth the capital of the island was covered in ash and became a ghost town Farmland was destroyed as well as schools and hospitals, the airport was also closed. This is the devastation caused with no preparation. But not only where their these primary factors but the Acid rain killed much of the islands Vegetation.
MEDC can greatly reduce the hazards of a volcano in lots of ways. One key factor is warning which they can afford this means ample time to set up barriers and evacuate areas. Here are some examples of what you can do:
⎯ creating an exclusion zone around the volcano
⎯ being ready and able to evacuate residents
⎯ having an emergency supply of basic provisions, such as food funds need to be available
This option open to the Italians is not an option for LEDC who don’t have the wealth or public education to set up these stations. In Montserrat their where no levels of monitoring at all due to Before 1995 there was no record of the volcano on Montserrat erupting so they thought their was no need so it was an unnecessary cost. In 1995 the eruptions of the Soufriere hills began it eruption which berried a town and eventually killed 20 people in an unexpected pyroclastic flow. Before the eruptions there was no preparations no warning. There were many effects of the eruption, one of them being 2/3 of the island was covered in ash, causing devastation and many homes being destroyed. As a result of this 50% of the island has to be evacuated to the north side of the island. Also Plymouth the capital of the island was covered in ash and became a ghost town Farmland was destroyed as well as schools and hospitals, the airport was also closed. This is the devastation caused with no preparation. But not only where their these primary factors but the Acid rain killed much of the islands Vegetation.
MEDC can greatly reduce the hazards of a volcano in lots of ways. One key factor is warning which they can afford this means ample time to set up barriers and evacuate areas. Here are some examples of what you can do:
⎯ creating an exclusion zone around the volcano
⎯ being ready and able to evacuate residents
⎯ having an emergency supply of basic provisions, such as food funds need to be available