Edexcel B-Hazards

do we need multi hazard medc abd ledc?

i'm using the USA for multi hazard you see.

Reply 22

J4ME5

10

blondemoment

do we need multi hazard medc abd ledc?

i'm using the USA for multi hazard you see.

Well my geog teachers keep on about them; I have the USA, New Zeland for MEDC Papuanewguine and India LEDC. I also have a region of natural hazards the ring of fire . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire

Reply 23

J4ME5

I have 14 case studies that cover the three hazards types (mix of MEDC & LEDC) but also have 5 different zones of multiple hazards two MECD and two LEDC each with about 4 different hazards. So I guess/hope that allows me to be flexible lol

How many case studies does every one else have? And how many practise exam papers have people done?

Could you make a list please of the case studies you are using for various areas? That would be great.

Reply 24

J4ME5

10

Climatic
Mississippi USA October 1993 flood - Flooding
Galtur Austrian Alps February 1999 – Avalanche
Hurricane Andrew USA South Florida August 1992 – Hurricane
The dustbowl USA – Drought
Hurricane Katrina USA 2005 (New Orleans) – Hurricane
Forest Fires – General stuff

Tectonic
Pakistan earthquake 2005
Indian earthquake – 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami
San Francisco – San Andreas earthquake 1989

Geomorphic
Mount St Helens March 20th 1980
Pacific ring of fire – (multiple hazard zone)
South Layte Philippines – February 2006 mudslides
Mount Pinatubo – Philippines
Mudslides, Peru – Machu Picchu

Multiple Hazard Zones
India – Drought, Monsoons, flooding and earthquakes
New Zealand – Earthquakes, flooding landslides and volcanoes
Paupanewguine – Volcanoes, Tsunami and earthquakes
USA – Hurricanes, earthquakes, drought and flooding

Please correct me if any of these are wrong :biggrin:

and if any ones got more tectonic stuff post!

Reply 25

J4ME5

Climatic
Mississippi USA October 1993 flood - Flooding
Galtur Austrian Alps February 1999 – Avalanche
Hurricane Andrew USA South Florida August 1992 – Hurricane
The dustbowl USA – Drought
Hurricane Katrina USA 2005 (New Orleans) – Hurricane
Forest Fires – General stuff

Tectonic
Pakistan earthquake 2005
Indian earthquake – 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami
San Francisco – San Andreas earthquake 1989

Geomorphic
Mount St Helens March 20th 1980
Pacific ring of fire – (multiple hazard zone)
South Layte Philippines – February 2006 mudslides
Mount Pinatubo – Philippines
Mudslides, Peru – Machu Picchu

Multiple Hazard Zones
India – Drought, Monsoons, flooding and earthquakes
New Zealand – Earthquakes, flooding landslides and volcanoes
Paupanewguine – Volcanoes, Tsunami and earthquakes
USA – Hurricanes, earthquakes, drought and flooding

Please correct me if any of these are wrong :biggrin:

and if any ones got more tectonic stuff post!

Thanks, this is all useful stuff. Two things though:

1. What is the whole "multiple hazard zones" stuff about? Are we surposed to have researched areas of multiple hazard impact?

2. In what context are Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Pinatubo geomorphic hazards. Are they not tectonic? Are you refering to the lahars present post-erruption of both volcanoes?

Thanks.

Reply 26

J4ME5

10

toto8462

Thanks, this is all useful stuff. Two things though:

1. What is the whole "multiple hazard zones" stuff about? Are we surposed to have researched areas of multiple hazard impact?

2. In what context are Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Pinatubo geomorphic hazards. Are they not tectonic? Are you refering to the lahars present post-erruption of both volcanoes?

Thanks.

Yeah after I re-read my post I was thinking that as some hazards cross over and I had misplaced some hazards. As for zones of multiple hazards I think it’s just a case of seeing the impact that hazards have on different countries economy, environment and social structure. The 2002 hazards exam was on spatial and my teacher was going on about people using zones of multiple hazards scored high…

Reply 27

To be honest, with the list you have got there, you should be able to answer any exam question well. I dont think this is a particularly hard exam paper and remember, its only worth 15% of the A2 mark. Perhaps time is better spent on the synoptic paper (which carries 40%). If im correct, the global challenges paper carries 30%.

The thing to remember is that it is nt quantity, but quality. There are also only so many questions they can ask you, so you should realise that once you have covered LEDCs/MEDCs in tectonic/geomorphic/climatic as well as considering zones of multiple hazard impact, you have your bases pretty well covered.

Good luck everyone.

Reply 28

*Wiggit*

another example for an earthquake in an LEDC is Bam, Iran. Quite a useful one.

Reply 29

Ok, folks. My teacher has said that it is a good idea to try and use some very recent case studies as to show you did truely research on your own and to show you have more depth that the 'overused' Kobe earthquake.

I suggest you research the Indonesian earthquake (measuring 6.2) on the island of Java. It occured yesterday morning and they are already saying there are over 3000 dead and over 200,000 displaced. Huge economic, social and environmental impacts.

The one negative is that it is so recent, you are going to have to do quite a bit of reading from different sources. Not just wikipedia! Try checking the BBC website reguarly at the link below for updates on impacts. The exam is still over two weeks away and so this could be a perfect LEDC case study to show off with. Hope this helps - let me know if it is useful.

More Info: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5022558.stm

Reply 30

-doll

just an idea, but ppl could try putting the different types of hazards in a column in a table, and the different impacts in columns across. make sure ya have a variety of LEDC/MEDC and different types of hazard too!!
thanz for the list tho J4ME5! sweet.

Reply 31

nicko_88

Thanks for all the advise people have put on here. does anyone have any past essay examples they have done that they want to share, im a bit stuck with how to write them. :confused:

Reply 32

Mighty Milly

6

we did this practise question
The frequency and magnitude of natural hazards are the main factors that explain the spatial variation in thier impact. discuss.

and this is the mark scheme guideline for it
definition
definition of the issues could inclue:
-natural hazards
-impact (social, economic, environmental)
-spatial variations and the linkage to hazard events (but all in the context of the issue
-frequency and magnitude

justification of case study selection - e.g. balance of location, scales, hazard types.

Research
Balanced range of hazard types (tectonic, geomorphic and climatic) in a range of locations e.g. Japan, New Zealand, los Angeles, Mexico City, Mt St Helens, Central America, Turkey, Chesilton etc. to reflect the importance of magnitude (details on Richter and hurricane scale) and the frequency of occurrence.

Reward annotated diagrams to show variationsin spatial impact.

understanding
understanding of the range of factors including magnitude and frequency and thier linkage to spatial impacts.

Understanding of spatial variations in their impact variations would likely include a degree of damage and number of people killed/injured.

conclusion
assesment of the degree to which magnitude and frequency are teh main factors and why. Likely to relate back to the case studies and look at other factors as well, such as population density, state of development and availability of technology to manage impacts.

quality of writing
as per generic mark scheme

i will sum up the guidance notes for examiners cos theres a few paragraphs:
A general essay title focussing on teh spatial variations in the impact of naturl hazards.
Better candidates will examine a range of natural hazrds (e.g. tectonic, climatic, geomorphic) at a range of scales and in both MEDCs and LEDCs.
Requires consideration of magnitude and frequency as the main factors that explain spatial variation identified.
Contrasting case studies may also reveal that other factors are more or equally important e.g. hazard type, and links to causes such as plate boundaries, spatial distrubution of hazards, economic status, management (including research and education) and levels of population.

I hope this helps - the question is a bit confusing - i made sense of it by leaving out the 'spatial' when i read it..but kept in mind that it was about spatial differences. x

Reply 33

Mighty Milly

6

I have some nice facts that can be thrown into the essay too:

'98% of of all earthquakes occure at tectonic plate boundaries' (the Paleontological Research Institution)

'The 6 most disaster prone countries in the world are India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia and Japan' (US Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance)

Tropical cyclones occur only in the tropics, earthquakes/volcanoes associated with tectonic plate boundaries, fires restricted to where there is seasonal drought whereas flooding, mass movement and disease are widespread.

Impacts can be local e.g. coastal flooding, mass movement, hail; international e.g. drought, insect plague, river flood; or all scales up to global e.g. volcaoe, disease.

Reply 34

has anyone got a figure in $ etc for the damage the avalanche in galtur austria caused? 1999 i can't find it anywhere!

Reply 35

=J4ME5]
USA – Hurricanes, earthquakes, drought and flooding
And volcanoes, Mt St Helens, also the USA also has landslides [small scale] la conchita 2005, california
and tsunamis, the biggest one was in 1964, triggered by 9.2 earhquake [2nd biggest on record] killed 120, originated in Valdez alaska [which is in the US befoer i get berated] and it hit alaska area with a local tsunami but teletsunamis hit oregon, and california and it all cost $84 million at the time, my teacher says meantion that in passing as its old, tho there was one in 1994 killing 1 but that was just due to contruction work causing an underground landslide. they happen quite a lot but they have loads of warnig systems etc since 1964. Actually meantion both in passing but they add to the multi hazard, there are also avalanches in the appalicials and cascades but i cannot find an event where someone has been killed or it did loads of damage, so thats technically not a natural hazard in this sense.

Anyone got an avalanche for the US?

Reply 36

-doll

Yeah i have the 2006 Jan report and one or two mark schemes; i think the 2002 hazard exam was on spatial . . . but the thing I mostly picked up was that people weren’t being ‘flexible’ for the hazards essay. So I think that means learn lots of case studies and I guess it’s down to practising exam/essay questions.

i was just looking back over the thread and saw this.. erm, just wondering, do you have the 2 questions they asked in 2002 for hazard spatial stuff J4ME5? just so we kinda know what they wont ask, if you get me!! thanks in advance!!

Reply 37

bananaboater

i was just looking back over the thread and saw this.. erm, just wondering, do you have the 2 questions they asked in 2002 for hazard spatial stuff J4ME5? just so we kinda know what they wont ask, if you get me!! thanks in advance!!

I dont wish to butt in, but i have that paper. The questions for hazards are...

3. Explain with examples why some regions and countries are zones of multiple hazard impact.

4. Explain why EITHER the environmental OR the economic effects of hazards vary spatially.

Hope this is useful. Depending on how you have done your reasearch, both seem to be good, managable questions.

- Question 3 screams out pacific ring of fire/typhoons/ENSO.
- Question 4 could go in a number of directions depending on your approach. It is quite an open question.

I do think the questions they can ask for impacts are quite limmited. I wouldn't mind making a small wager that a variation of 4 will crop up. Just a hunch :wink:

Reply 38

thats really annoying, those are the two best questions, they're not coming up again are they?! i hate the classifing hazards one.....

Reply 39