With reference to two seismic events that you have studied from contrasting areas of the world, compare the ways in which earthquakes and their impacts have been managed. (10)

With reference to two seismic events that you have studied from contrasting areas of the world, compare the ways in which earthquakes and their impacts have been managed. (10)

In 2010, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale caused massive destruction on the Caribbean island of Haiti. This was caused by the North American plate sliding past the Caribbean plate, but travelling at different speeds, albeit going in the same direction.

A similar scaled earthquake occurred in 2003 in California, with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter Scale. This was along along the conservative plate margins that run parallel to the San Andreas Fault. 

Both events were similarly scaled, however, it was their impacts which had varied at a very large scale, and how they were managed which made a difference. 

In Haiti, more than 300,000 people were killed and a further 1 million were made homeless, as several buildings, including the President's Palace and 60% of the government buildings were either destroyed or badly damaged. With no strong government, nor a running police force, crime had gone up immensely, on top of the underlying problems such as diseases spreading, as more than 50 hospitals were destroyed and education neglected with more than 1500 schools collapsed. 

The effects in California, contrastingly, were far less destructive, as there was relevant planning beforehand, as they are an area prone to earthquakes. Buildings were rebuilt with reinforced concrete in order to withstand earthquake energy. So, in 2003, the death toll was one person- due to the pre-planning by scientists and government officials passing a law that buildings have to have certain features (reinforced steel and concrete, only be at a certain height, have support of ball bearings, and an earthquake panic room in schools and hospitals).

Haiti,, ultimately received millions of pounds in foreign aid, and due to its level of development (LIC), and how the media had portrayed the situation, had heightened the amount of aid it had received. Most of the recognition of Haiti came from celebrities raising awareness to the impacts, even recording a chart topping song to raise awareness for the people of Haiti,

California, however did not receive any aid due to its planning beforehand, and its level of development, being an HIC, and shows that due to its level of preparedness, as they are prone to seismic activity and so there was much better management about the consequences of earthquakes.