1. HAZARD #1: EARTHQUAKES
7.1 Araucania earthquake (Chile, 2011)
Earthquake: result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic
waves, followed by smaller aftershocks and potential secondary hazards (ex: tsunamis, industrial
leaks, etc)

2. SAN ANDREAS FAULT
1. Describe the crustal movement of
the San Andreas fault
2. Explain how this tectonic plate
boundary different from the one
near Seattle in its movement and
geographical manifestation

3. EARTHQUAKE CHARACTERISTICS: PLATE BOUNDARY TYPES – Find regional examples for each type
Oceanic-Continental convergence

4. EARTHQUAKE CHARACTERISTICS: FOCUS, EPICENTER, DEPTH, SHOCKWAVES
Shallow focus = ~100 km depth or less
Deep focus = 100-700 km depth
P-waves (primary / push-pull) = felt first (5-8 km/s): feels like a shock wave rattling windows
S-waves (secondary / shake) = felt a few seconds later (3-5 km/s): can be very destructive
Ex 1: Loma Prieta (California 1989): 6.7 magnitude at 18 km depth (inland)
Ex 2: Sendai (Japan 2011): 9.0 magnitude at 32 km depth (70 km the coast)

6. SOIL LIQUEFACTION DUE TO EARTHQUAKES

7. Explain factors linked to the high soil liquefaction risk

8. SECONDARY HAZARDS DUE TO EARTHQUAKES
Tsunami in Japan (2011) Mudslide in Taiwan (2010)
Fire in San Francisco (1906)

9. EARTHQUAKE CHARACTERISTICS: DAMAGE FACTORS
Explain how each of the following factor can affect the outcome of an earthquake:
• Strength and depth of earthquake
• Number of aftershocks
• Population density
• Type of buildings
• Time of day
• Distance from epicenter
• Types of rocks -> risk of liquefaction
• Secondary hazards: tsunami, fire, mudslides, famine, epidemic
• Development level (linked to preparedness and response)
3 most destructive recent earthquakes
1. Indonesia 2004 (9.1) 250,000 victims (tsunami)
2. Haiti 2010 (7.0) 230,000 victims
3. Pakistan 2005 (7.6) 86,000 victims

10. EARTHQUAKE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION: TECTONIC PLATE BOUNDARIES
Most destructive recent earthquakes
CASE STUDIES IN TEXTBOOK:
Comparable strength earthquakes with different outcomes (p.201):
• Kobe (Japan, 1995, 7.2): 5,000 victims
• Kashmir (Pakistan, 2005, 7.6): 86,000 victims
1. Suggest reasons why the Kobe earthquake was so devastating
2. Explain why the Kashmir earthquake was more devastating than the one in Kobe

11. EARTHQUAKE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION: THE “RING OF FIRE” ON THE PACIFIC RIM
Convergence (subduction) zones:
1. Name large four large cities located on the “ring of fire”
2. Explain why some regions located on the “ring of fire” are more vulnerable to
earthquake hazards than others

12. EARTHQUAKE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION: SEISMIC HAZARD
1. Name a megacity exposed to a high seismic hazard resulting from:
• Lateral sliding
• Subduction
2. For one named vulnerable region, explain what factors may increase the seismic hazard