NATURE CONSERVATION

BFC 10202
Part 7 : Natural disaster : Learning to
manage (causes, impact, management)
Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering
INTRODUCTION Part 7
Disasters : Learning to manage
1. Natural disasters
2. Causes (plate tectonics : components,
processes & effects; climate, global changes)
3. Impacts (earthquakes, volcanic activities,
tsunamies, land slides, hurricane, tornadoes,
typhoons, floods)
4. Disaster management (physical, people)
1. NATURAL DISASTERS
A VIDEO SHOW 10MINS
DISASTER (NATURAL OR
MAN-MADE)
DEFINITION
Incident that occurs in a sudden manner,
complex in nature, resulting in the loss of
lives, damages to properties or the
environment as well as affecting the daily
activities of local community
Recent Natural Disasters
Asian Tsunami December 2004
Hurricane Katrina, August/Sept. 2005
Samoa Tsunami Sept. 2009
Haiti Earthquake January 2010
Indonesian Flood October 2010
Christchurch Earthq. Sept 2010, Feb,June 2011
Philippines Volcanic Eruption, February 2011
Japan Earthquake & Tsunami March 2011
Thailand flood Oct, Nov. 2011
NOW December 2011
FLOOD in several states
Kelantan, Trengganu, Pahang
Johor
2: CAUSES
a. Earth components
b. Earth Processes
c. Effects
a. Earth components
Earth (~4.6bill yrs old) is made of several
layers
Core : inner and upper core
Mantle : lower and outer mantle
Lithosphere (thin crust) : + PLATES :
oceanic and continental plates
Crust
Mantle
(upper &
lower)
Core
(inner &
outer)
All components in dynamics
Theory of PLATE TECTONIC
Lithosphere is cool enough to harden
and solidify to form plates
Plates are in dynamics moving,
emerging, submerging, converging,
melting, solidifying
Movement due to energy from molten
core and semi hardened mantle
16 (7 major) plates
Main plates - oceanic
Pacific plate
Cocos plate
Caribbean plate
Antarctic plate
Indian plate
Philippine plate
Main plates - continental
North American Plate
South American Plate
African plate
Arabian plate
Eurasian plate
b. Earth processes
Movements of crustal plates is called
plate tectonics
Any area where two plates meet plate
boundary is a site of intense geological
activity
Earthquakes and volcanoes common
along these plate boundaries
At one time eastern S America
was attached to west Africa
Now it looks like this with all
oceanic and continental plates
Along meeting points of plates
are active geological areas
Processes meeting of two
continental plates India &
Eurasian plate
Two continental plates (with land
masses) on top meet and merge Indian
plate and Eurasian plate - Himalaya
Once upon a time India linked
to other continents
Then Indian
plate move
towards Eurasia
plate and
crashed and
formed Himalaya
range
Processes
Sometimes when two plates meet and
grind against each other, one subdued
(usually more dense) process called
subduction subduction zone
When two plates pull apart a ridge of
molten rocks from mantle wells up in
between may solidify to form plate eg
Atlantic Ocean
Weak points along oceanic-continental
plate boundaries subduction zone
Lower density continental plates tend to
ride over more dense oceanic plate eg.
Pacific Ocean subduction zones
Remelting of oceanic (subdued) plate
Process of subduction leads to much
friction and fracturing of the crust causing
earthquakes and volcanic activity in the
vicinity of the subduction zones eg Ring of
Fire in Pacific Ocean
Weak points along oceanic-continental
boundaris-spreading zone
Some plate move away from one
another
Eg. Pacific Plate moving northward
relative to N American Plate spreading
causing new molten materials to spread
into transform zone may also produce
earthquakes and volcanic activities
Plates separate apart, filled with
water and form oceanic plates
Atlantic
plate
formed
when
S. America
moved
away from
Africa
So plates can move away from one
another, move towards one another
or moves sideways
Moving apart eg
Atlantic plate
Crashed into one
another eg Himalaya
Moved sideways
Summary
CONTINENTAL AND OCEANIC
PLATES ARE CONSTANTLY MOVING
ON EARTH ALL THE TIME
AT ALL BOUNDARIES OF PLATES
THERE ARE ACTIVE GEOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES ESPECIALLY
EARTHQUAKES
Today the world looks like this
50 million yrs to come the world
will look like this
c. Effects
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions
Tsunami
Cyclones
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
Land slides
Earthquakes
Forces inside earth push and stretch the
crust some rock plasticity (absorbing
the energy)
As energy accumulates, rock suddenly
shift or break released seismic waves
vibrations that spread among the rocks
rapidly in all direction causes
earthquakes
Areas with active geologic
activities especially earthquakes
Most earthquakes occur along faults,
fractures in the crust in which rocks
moves forward and backward up and
down from side to side
Fault zones are often found at crust
boundaries
Site where earthquake begins often
below surface is called FOCUS
Directly above on earth surface
EARTH EPICENTRE
Cause earth to shake buildings and
bridges collapse, roads twisted
Seismograph used to measure
earthquake - Richter scale
Richter scale
2 tremor or none
4.3 ~ I Hiroshima atomic Bomb
(20kilotonne of TNT)
8 - flatten a city (Lisbon 1755, Turkey
1999, Iran 2003)
9.5 ~ 66,000,000 Hiroshima atomic
bomb
12 will release energy sufficient to split
the earth!!!
Earthquakes
Estimated 30,000 earthqukaes annually
mostly minor and do not cause
damage geological earth process to
stabilize and maintain earth equilibrium
Define : vibration of earth produced by
rapid release of energy
Energy radiates in all directions from
focus (epicenter)
If earthquakes causes tsunami it
will take time to travel
Volcanoes
At faults (fractures or weak areas along a
line of oceanic-continental plates or
within) due to subsidences or collision or
spreading of plates
Formation of volcanoes
Mostly when crustal plates move onto
the hot, soft rock of the outer mantle
In places rock reaches melting point,
forming pockets of molten rocks
magma.
When one plate slides under or away
from an adjacent plate, magma may rise
to the surface, often forming volcanoes
Magma reaching surface - lava
Formation of
volcanoes
along weak
points
i
Volcanic eruption
Volcanoes occur at three locations :
subduction zone, spreading centres, and
above hot spots
Volcanic island : As plate move over a
hot spot (area where a rising magma
flowed out from opening of crust)
Events
1991 Eruption of Mt Pinatubo
(Philippines) largest in 20
th
century
Evacuation of 200,000 people 338
deaths occur due to collapsed buildings
under the thick layer of wet ash.
Volcanic cloud produced ~ 30km
Significant reduction in temperature due
to sun cos of thick ash and magma
Tsunami
From Japanese word means Harbour
waves
One of the side effect of mostly
earthquake when there is a lift or drop in
a segment of ocean floor
A giant wave caused by an underwater
earthquake or volcanic eruption
Can move >750km/hr
Maybe 1m in ocean but wells up 30.5m
on approaching land
May also be due to submarine landslides
or volcanic eruptions
Tsunami builds up as it approaches
shorelines
Events
Asian Tsunami Acheh, Malaysia, India,
Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand
270,000 people died
Japan 2011
New Zealand (Christchurch) 2010
Land slides
Landslide mainly transfer of rock and soil
from higher to lower elevation as a part
of country to the sea
Landslide also due to slopes
oversteepened by erosion or by human
intervention
Also can be caused by liquifaction when
intense shaking of land mass turn water
saturated surface material into fluidlike
quicksand eg Anchoragege, Alaska 1964
Tornadoes
Tornadoes :powerful rotating funnel of air
associated with severe thunderstorm
Formed :mass of cool dry air collides with warm
humid air produce a strong updraft of spinning
air un the underside of a cloud
May reach 480km/hr
Range from 1m to 3.2km (width)
Last from several seconds to as long as
7hrs, travel from several meters to
320km
Tornadoes most destructive
Destroy buildings, bridges, freight train,
blowing water out of river/lake, kill people
US prone to tornadoes in spring months
Typically about 1000/yr
Cyclones, Typhoons or Hurricane
Tropical cyclones destructive as they hit
land due to strong wind and storm
surges (waves rise as much as 7.5m
above oceans)
Known as hurricane in Atlantic, typhoons
in Pacific and cyclones in Indian Ocean
Mainly in summer and autumn months
ocean warmest
Easy to recognize in satellite photos spiral
of clouds 800km diameter.
Floods
When water overflow river/drainage
system due to rainfall
May occur even when there is no rain
downstream but heavy rain upstream
Flash-flood normally lasted few hours
Normally related to rainfall pattern which
is associated with the monsoon periods
Eg. SW monsoon affecting north and
eastern coast of peninsula Malaysia
Malaysia is outside ring of fire
Major natural disasters are :
Earth tremor, flood, land-slides, drought,
coastal erosion
Many man-made disasters :
Land-slides, oil spill, chemical accidents,
epidemics
3. IMPACTS
Incident that occurs in a sudden manner,
complex in nature, resulting in the
loss of lives, damages to
properties or the environment
as well as affecting the daily
activities of local community

Associated dangers during

natural disasters
Fire breakout eg during earthquakes
when gas mains and water pipes rise to
surface and rupture
Accidents on roads and highways
When radioactive materials leaked out
Oil spills
Loss of properties and life
Impacts structural damage
Houses and residences
Bridges, towers,
Transportation eg train/tram systems,
roads and highways, ports, airports
Public amenities schools, hospitals,
churches, mosques, community centres
Impacts environmental damages
Pollution to environment eg. Water, air, soil
Due to chemical/oil spill
Impacts human welfare
Trauma management
Children welfare
Psychological matters (stress
management)
Enhancement of impact or
escalating phenomena
When earthquake, volcanic eruption
enhances eg landslide
Summary
Impacts of natural disasters can be on
structures, environment, people
Associated disasters or dangers due to
main natural or man-made disasters
maybe even more damaging ef fire break
outs, radioactivity etc
4: DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Two types of disasters ;
NATURAL flood, landslide (tsunami,
earthquake)
MAN-MADE fire, chemical/oil spill, land
slides
(Enhancement of natural disaster due to
mens activity)
Definition : disaster management
(UNISDR, 2004)
It is the systematic process of using
administrative decisions, organizations,
operational skills & capacities to implement
policies, as well as the strategies & coping
capacities of the society & communities to
lessen the impacts of natural hazards & related
environmental & technological disasters. This
comprises all forms of activities, including
structural & non-structural measures to avoid or
limit the adverse effects of hazards.
Principles of disaster
management (Colin 2011)
Know your hazards and their
consequences
Reduce (mitigate) hazards
Plan for responding to the consequences
Respond to events
Recover to be in abetter position to face
the hazards in the future
The 4 Rs
Reduction/
Mitigation
Recovery Preparedness
/Readiness
Response
R1 : REDUCTION/MITIGATION
Defn :
Identifying and analyzing long term risks to
human life and property from natural
and/or man-made disasters; taking steps
to eliminate these risks if practicable, an
if not, reducing the magnitude of their
impact and the likelihood of their
reccuring
REDUCTION/MITIGATION,
PREVENTION
Know your hazards and their potential impacts
(mapping out areas and analyzing potentials)
Identify methods to reduce impacts
Build reduction into long term planning
(infrastructure, build environment &
communities)
Support research and work closely with the
science community (local and international)
RISK REDUCTION/MITIGATION
Early warning signs or signal clearly
known and made aware to public
Cear signage to evacuation centres
Sensitive monitoring tools and systems
Excellent rapid communication system
SOP for equipment use clear and simple
RISK REDUCTION/MITIGATION
Mitigation options :
Physical (eg flood protection bunds,
pumps)
Legislation (approval process for
development in hazards areas, building,
health & safety)
Community (onwership and responsibility)
Reducing impact 1.earthquakes
Sensitive and precise monitoring system,
early warning signs/signals/ good
communication system
In Japan : Earthquake prone areas
buildings with buffering system and
structure built on moveable system
sideway rolling effect by ball bearings
Reducing effect 2. land slide
Strict legislation for building on slopes or hill
sides:<10
o
ok; >20
o
-worry; 55-60
o
-risky
Stringent monitoring system for slope
management eg tools for monitoring
signs/signal of slope faults
Thorough EIAs
Good monitoring systems, early warning
signs/signals and good communication
system
New guideline for slope
management
Lowland : <150m Hills : 150-300m
Highlands : 300-1000m Mountains : >1000m
<15
o
Class I slope
15-25
o
Class II slope
25-35
o
Class III slope
>35
o
Class IV slope (no earthwork is
allowed)
Reducing impact 3. flood
Well equipped and managed evacuation
centres with well trained team/volunteers
Improve drainage systems eg SMART Tunnel
Precise forecasting tools for signs of floods,
early warning systems and good
communicating system
Proper town and urban planning for flood
prone areas
Reduce deforestation
Reducing impact
4. fire/chemical spill
Trained personnels to deal with fires and
chemical spills
SOP and rescue procedures clear
Good management system of fire
fighting equipment (eg extinguishers, fire
hydrants)
Reducing effect 5. tsunami
Wave breakers mangrove/beach forest
Early warning signs/signals & good
communication system
Time to reach a destination from
epicentre :
Local cause tsunami < 1h travel time
Distant source tsunami - >3h risk
Regional surce tsunami 1-3h level
Reducing impact 6. epidemics
Early warning system and good
communicating system
Rigorous and good monitoring system
Well equipped and maintained evacuation
and isolation centres (Sg. Buluh Hospital
center for infectious diseases)
Good supply and maintenance of medication
and vaccine
R2. PREPAREDNESS/READINESS
How prepared/ready people are to face a
particular hazard, contains elements
such as Planning, Communicating,
Education, Training, Resource
acquisition and Testing (people, facility,
drillings)
Planning and communication
Involve all partners or stakeholders
Clear roles and responsibilities
Capable of responding to all hazards
Information gathering and analysis process
Define operation centers with supporting
resources
Training and testing
Authorities & Ministries (egs)
First responder (Fire, Police, JPAM,
RELA etc)
Electric power
Water sources
Communication and IT (telephones, net)
Resources, environment, meteorology
Work, transport and infrastructure
R3. RESPONSE
Defn :
The act to address a disaster through a
coordinated effort and contains elements
such as Warning, Activation,
Communications, Situational awareness,
Reporting, Aid and Donations management
Warning
Be decisive
Better to warn than delay
Ensure resources / facilities available for
evacuees
Be quick others may communicate eg
media
Communicate when danger has pass
Activation
Structure procedure/organizational
structure eg ; Coordinated Incident
Management System (CIMS)
Roles and responsibilities first line
responder (eg police or fire brigade) to
Voluntary NGOs
Communications
Facilities evacuation centre, fire
fighting eqipment etc
Clear command and control
Authority
Decision making capabiolity
Must know the big picture
Must know the full facts
Set expectation : reporting, meetings
Communications
Be emphathetic; embody sincere caring
Coordinated and consistent, make sure
all responder are giving core message
Be first : speedy communication
Be right; accurate contend
Be credible, be honest and build trust
Reporting
Regular situation reports
Updates fact and figures
Actions completed and outstanding
Any potential escalation
Basis for communication
Media message
Public information
Basis for future planning in multiagency
respond
Aids and donations management
From many sources local, regional,
international
Clearly identify what is needed
Search & rescue
Money
Specific resources
One central point for coordination eg
Red Cross, Wisma Putra (Malaysia, int.)
Transparency of aid distribution
R4: RECOVERY
Assessment will be made of impact of a
disaster
Structure, power/resources availability,
transportation/communication system,
health system, education system, properties
Life, debilitating activity (man-hr, effort)
Disruption of daily activities
Disruption of economic activities
Elements
Assessment of damage
Enhancing community resilience to
disaster
Community resilience
Defn :
The ability of that group of people to
bounce back from an adverse
experience (natural or man-made)
Benefits :
Faster : readiness, response, recovery
Factors that enhance comm.
resilience
Cohesiveness of community
Sharing common belief; behaviour (norms); and
environment
Self reliance and sustainability
Viable and sustainable livelihoods from comm
and indiv perspective (higher quality of life, less
vulnerable)
Self and community awareness ability of local
organizations to make themselves aware
Response system in Malaysia
The DIRECTIVE 20
Police
Fire and Rescue
Volunteers (RELA, JPAM)
NGOs
Readiness (Preparedness)
personal level
Trained and made aware of nature and
impact of disaster
Protocol/SOP clear/training eg fire drill
(at home)
Community participation build
resilience
Grab bag (individual level)
Summary
Impact of disaster (natural, man-made)
can be reduced
Disaster management cycle has 4
components :Reduction/mitigation;
Readiness; Response; Recovery
Always be ready to face disaster : it can
happen anyway, anytime to anybody
Final note
We hope this course NATURE
CONSERVATION has raised your
awareness on environmental issues
We hope you have learnt some basic
principles and understand nature ways of
responding
Able to practise conservation
professionally as engineers
We hope we have gain access to your
subconscious mind and implant a reminder
THAT WE ALL ARE KHALIFAH/
STEWARTS OF GODS
CREATIONS AND IT IS OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE
CARE OF WHAT IS THERE
BETWEEN THE SKY AND THE
SEA WALLAHU ALAM
Terima kasih