PRACTICAL WAYS OF COPING

GEOLOGICAL HAZARDS CAUSED BY

EARTHQUAKE, VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS
AND LAND SLIDE
A geologic hazard is
an extreme natural
events in the crust of
the earth that pose a
threat to life and loss
of property.
Geologic Hazards
•Earthquakes – Liquefaction (soils),
Tsunamis.
•Volcanic Eruptions – Lava Flows, Ash Fall,
Lahars.
•Landslides – Rock Falls or Slides, Debris
Flows, Mud Flows.
What Is An Earthquake?
The earth is composed of slices of
earth called tectonic plates. These
plates are in constant motion, moving
only inches per day. The most
common form of earthquake happens
when two of these plates push so
hard they grind against each other.
The plates have no place to go and
the forces behind them make the
surface of the earth slide from side to
side, or rise and drop suddenly. The
fault line is the area where stressed
plates meet.
 Here are some guidelines to follow during your
earthquake preparedness.
- For protection from falling objects, get under a table or desk
- If you do not have a table or desk near, cover your head and
face.You also need to do one of two things: either stand or
crouch in a sturdy doorway or find an inside corner of the
house and brace yourself there.
- Stay away from windows and other glass objects that might
shatter.
- If you are inside a house or building, stay there. Many deaths
occur when people rush out of the house or building as
debris is falling all around.
-If you should have to leave the house,
decide what you can carry with you.
-Create an evacuation plan and take your
family through it step by step, discussing
the details of each room and what needs
to be done.
-Always have a plan B and a secondary
means of escape, should the first route fail.
-Draw a map and note where you keep
emergency supplies, extra food, water, first
aid kits and fire extinguishers.
Other Important Information for Coping with an Earthquake

Aside from getting you and your family to safety, you will need a list of emergency numbers and
other important information kept in a safe place. Telephone numbers of the police department, fire
department and utility companies. Write down specific medical information, and hospitals
should top the list. You will also need the numbers of your various insurance ding allergies to specific
medications or other existing medical conditions of your family member might have.

Invest in a fireproof box or safe to store birth certificates, vehicle and property titles, social security
cards, wills and insurance policies. If you have a video or digital camera, make a visual inventory of
everything in your house for insurance purposes later on. If you cannot do this, write out the inventory
and be sure to include serial numbers from appliances and items such as stereos, televisions and
other media.
After The Damage Is Done

After the initial tremors are over, you might still experience aftershocks. Aftershocks are
smaller earthquakes as the earth begins to settle. These aftershocks may be small in
comparison to the main tremor, but the aftershocks can still cause a lot of damage.
Structures weaken during the earthquake, and an aftershock might be enough to bring
the building or house tumbling down.
 After Shock
-Check yourself and your family for
injuries.
_ If a person is unconscious or
severely injured, try not to move the
person unless he or she is in danger
from live wires, flooding, another
building collapse or other danger.
- Stay away from downed power lines and report any electrical
hazards immediately.
- Clean up any flammable liquids or other potentially dangerous
materials including medicine and drugs.
- Only use the phone for emergency purposes. Many other
people will be using the phone too, and the lines could get
jammed.
- Let the professionals do their job. You may want to help the
police or the rescue teams, but your help could also impede
these people from doing their job. Stay clear of damaged areas.
- Give these same officials complete cooperation.
-If the firefighters or police ask for assistance, they will tell you
exactly what they need and how they need you to do it.
VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS

Volcanic Hazards fall under Geological and

Geomorphological Hazards. Although volcanic
eruptions are more predictable than
earthquakes, there is very little if anything that
man can do to prevent or alter the hazardous
events happening. The only events people can
occasionally have control over are the diversion
of lava flows, ahars and lake gas. Ash
fall,pyroclastic flows, fountaining,lava eruptions
and lahars cannot be prevented from
happening. It is how the risk is decreased to
people that is the main strategy of volcanic
hazard management.
Practical Stategies
The main Strategy for preserving lives in
the event of an eruption is Public
Information.
1.Public Preperation: making sure the
public are prepared and know what to do
before,during and after and eruption.
2.Establish evacuation centres,routes and
logistics
3.Put out information on TV,radio or if
need be personal contact
4.Drills and Sirens
5.Clear up teams
6.Co-ordination of emergency Services
7.Exclusion Zones
8.Hazard and risk maps and land use
planning.
1.Keep yourself alert and awake. Landslides can
occur quite suddenly, so you need to be ready to take
action at a moment’s notice. Many landslide-related
deaths occur while people are asleep.[2]If you are with
other people, work together to keep one another awake.
•Watch and listen for warning signs of nearby landslide,
including sounds of falling debris or changes in water
clarity or flow. It is imperative that you familiarize
yourself with landslide warning signs, especially if you
live in an at-risk area. Keep reading to learn more about
landslide warning signs in detail.
2.Listen to a local news station for
updates. Using a battery-powered radio
or television, listen to your local news
station for updates about the weather.
Be alert to warnings about intense
rainfall, which can trigger landslides.[3]
3.Evacuate if it is safe to do so. Sometimes, your
local law enforcement will order an evacuation, but
other times, they may not be aware of a landslide
until it is too late. If you think a landslide is imminent
and it is safe to leave, evacuate immediately.
Contact your neighbors and your local police or fire
department to warn them of danger.[4]Be sure to
bring your animals with you.
•Don't forget to bring your emergency kit, which
contains essential items like food, water, and
medication. You'll learn how to make one in a later
section.
4.Be cautious and alert while
driving. If you need to drive to leave a
dangerous area, proceed with caution.
Beware of flooded roads, collapsed
pavement, fallen debris, and washed-out
bridges. DO NOT cross flooded streams-
-instead, turn around and try to find an
alternative route.
5.Move to a second story, if
possible. If it isn’t safe to leave the
building, but you believe a landslide
is imminent, move to the building’s
second story, if possible.
6.Move out of the path of the landslide
as quickly as you can. Landslides move
very quickly--much faster than you can run
or walk. Trying to outrun a landslide is futile.
Instead, remove yourself as fast as you can
from the path of the landslide.Before
crossing any bridges, always look upstream
to see if a landslide is approaching. If this is
the case, do not cross the bridge and move
out of the path of the landslide.
7.Avoid river valleys and
other low areas. These areas
are especially dangerous when
landslides are imminent, so
stay away.
8.Curl into a ball if you cannot
escape. In some cases, you may not
be able escape. If you are trapped in
the path of a landslide, curl up into a
tight ball and protect your
AFTER LANDSLIDE

1,Go to a public shelter. Your

local community should have a
designated public shelter. Go to
the shelter if your home is
unsafe or the authorities have
called for an evacuation.
2.Avoid the area
where the
landslide
occurred. Landslid
es may recur in the
same location.
Avoid this area and
seek shelter
3.Check for trapped and
injured people. You should
not enter the area where
the landslide occurred.
However, if you can see
people who are trapped or
injured in the area, notify
the authorities immediately
4.Help neighbors who need
special assistance. Infants, the
disabled, and the elderly may
experience extra difficulty in
emergency situations. If it is safe to
do so, help your neighbors with
special needs. Remember that
neighbors with large families may
require additional assistance as well
5.Assess the area for
damage and safety. Report
any damaged utility lines,
roadways, and railways to
the authorities. If you are in
a building, examine its
foundation, chimney and
surrounding land to
determine if the structure is
stable. If the area appears
unsafe, leave immediately.
Replant the affected
area. Landslides often
destroy vegetation. Without
vegetation, the area is more
susceptible to erosion and
flash flooding, which can
lead to another landslide.
Replanting the affected area
helps prevent future landslid.
Talk to a geotechnical
expert. If your property
was damaged in the
landslide, consider
talking to a geotechnical
expert to reduce
landslide risk. The
expert can evaluate your
property and determine
what modifications, if
any, should be made to
ensure your safety.
Look for new
areas of
moisture. If you
see springs or
puddles in areas of
the ground that are
usually dry, this
could be a sign of
an imminent
landslide.
•
Look for warping in your
home. Take note if your deck, patio,
or concrete floors are tilting, pulling
away from the building, or cracking.
Sticking doors and windows could
also indicate warping that precedes a
landslide.Broken water lines or other
utilities may also be a warning sign.
Look for warping
and movement in the
surrounding
area. Sunken
roadbeds and leaning
fences, telephone
poles, and trees can
signal an imminent
landslide.
Notice unusual
sounds. A faint
rumbling sound that
gets louder and
louder could indicate
an approaching
landslide. Sounds like
cracking trees or
scraping rocks may
signal moving debris
from a landslide.
•Monitor changing
water levels. A sudden
increase in creek water
levels is a warning sign,
as is a sudden decrease
in water levels despite
recent rain.If you live
near a waterway, check
the water’s clarity. A
change from clear to
muddy could mean a
landslide is imminent.
5ready at a moment’s notice. Your kit should
contain enough food and water to last for at least
72 hours, as well as supplies like medications,
flashlights, batteries, cell phones, copies of
personal documents, and cash.Remember that
landslides can cut off services like electricity,
sewage treatment, gas, water, and telephones.
Pack supplies in your kit that will allow you to deal
with these outages.
•Choose food that is non-perishable and can be
prepared during power outages.
Pack any important items that would be difficult or
impossible to replac
•Make an emergency kit. An emergency kit
contains the essentials that your household will
need during an emergency. Make your kit in
advance so it is