Table of Contents
How do natural disasters affect the poor?
The impact of disasters on the poor can, in addition to loss of life, injury and damage, cause a total loss of livelihoods, displacement, poor health, food insecurity, among other consequences.
Why do poor countries suffer more in earthquakes?
Buildings in More Economically Developed Countries (MEDCs) are more likely to withstand an earthquake, because they may be designed to withstand tremors. They may have seismic isolators (e.g. Japan) or deep foundations (e.g. USA). This is one reason why earthquake damage in LEDCs is usually greater.
What are the effects of earthquake on the economy?
A typical earthquake reduces GDP per capita by 1.6% eight years later, with substantial heterogeneity by country categories. In particular, low and middle-income countries experience the greatest long-run economic damages while high-income countries may even experience some positive “building back better” effects.
Why some earthquakes cause more damage than others?
Why do earthquakes cause such devastation? The point underground where the force is created is called the focus. As the strength of the force varies, so do the scale of the earthquakes. This is why some earthquakes cause a lot more damage than others.
A powerful earthquake can destroy buildings, factories, shops, roads, bridges and schools. These cause many people to become homeless. Furthermore, earthquakes can cause disruption to public services like transport systems and communication connections.
What are some of the effects of an earthquake?
The effects from earthquakes include ground shaking, surface faulting, ground failure, and less commonly, tsunamis.
Why are poor people most at risk of earthquakes?
The answer is simple enough. To be at the greatest risk, you have to be poor, and live in a country with corrupt, dishonest or ineffective government. The odds are quite high that you already do so. This is because more than half the world lives in cities.
How did the earthquake affect children and families?
In the cases of long term social impacts, thousands of children became orphans as their parents are killed in the earthquake. Most of the parents are depressed and the town lost a generation because their children were killed in schools that collapsed.
Why are earthquakes more destructive at the epicentre?
The depth of the focus – if it’s shallow, it can be more destructive. Distance from epicentre – the effects of an earthquake are more severe at its centre. Population density – the more people living in an area, the more likely that more deaths and casualties may arise.