This document discusses various methods to reduce the impacts of earthquakes, including: 1. Implementing land use regulations to restrict building in prone areas and control infrastructure development. 2. Using advanced building design with features like base isolators, cross-bracing, and shear walls to strengthen structures. 3. Developing earthquake-resistant infrastructure through reinforcement and use of fireproof materials. 4. Conducting regular emergency drills to educate people on evacuation procedures. 5. Investing in monitoring systems using seismometers to detect tremors and warn communities of impending quakes.

1. Methods to Reduce the
Impacts of Earthquakes

2. Problem:
The collapse of infrastructure causes much
economical damage and even deaths!

3. Solutions:
1. Land use regulations
2. Building design
3. Infrastructure development
4. Emergency drills
5. Use of technology

4. Solution/Method/Measure/Adaptation:
1. Land use regulations (i.e. set of rules
implemented to restrict developments in certain
areas)
• Build new infrastructure away from earthquake
prone areas to reduce economical damage and
lower number of deaths caused by earthquakes
• Authorities can implement guidelines on the
location of new infrastructure and set limits on
the heights of buildings

5. Buildings are not too tall in
earthquake-prone Japan!

7. Example:
• In USA, authorities use earthquake risk maps to
control land use so as to minimise damage that
may be caused by earthquakes

8. Limitation:
• Difficult for developing countries due to illegal
housing
• Costly: Need to relocate buildings

9. Imagine the damage that earthquakes
can cause to these slums in Mumbai!

10. Solution/Method/Measure/Adaptation:
2. Building Design
• Latest technology is used for the construction of
buildings so as to withstand strong tremors.

11. Shock absorbers
(base isolators)
absorb tremors
of earthquakes
Cross-bracing
Reinforce walls
using two steel
beams
Shear walls
(concrete walls
with steel bars
in them) to
reduce rocking
movements
Earthquake Resistant Building

13. Watch this video on building design!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4fKBGsll
ZI
• The video will show you examples of
earthquake-proof buildings and how exactly
these methods of preventing collapse work.

14. The Transamerica
Pyramid in San
Francisco cost S$75
million to build!

15. Limitation:
• People living in LDCs cannot afford to construct such
expensive earthquake resistant infrastructure

16. Solution/Method/Measure/Adaptation:
3. Infrastructure Development
• Developing infrastructure with advanced
engineering to withstand strong tremors

17. Watch these two videos to find out
more about infrastructure
development
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp2pGxF
zrzI
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSwjkG3
nv1c

18. Example:
• Existing infrastructure can
be reinforced by wrapping
steel frames around the
pillars of buildings and
bridges, or by placing steel
rods in existing structures

21. Example:
• Fireproof materials and automatic shut-off valves
can be installed into gas pipes and electricity
supplies to minimize the risk of fires in the event
of an earthquake

22. Limitation:
• The effectiveness of infrastruture development is
limited as it is costly, thus, developing countries
may not be able to afford it.

23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwXY3TskNxs

24. Solution/Method/Measure/Adaptation:
4. Emergency Drills
• Earthquake drills are conducted regularly in
many earthquake-prone countries to educate
and familiarise people on what to do in the
event of an earthquake

25. • Governments of earthquake-prone countries
also use posters and signs to warn people about
areas that are prone to the effects of
earthquakes e.g. coastal areas where tsunamis
can occur
Watch TillySmith!

26. Drills are boring.

27. Limitation:
• People tend to be complacent and may not see
the importance of earthquake education
especially if earthquakes have not happened in
the region for a long time
• Emergency drills and evacuation plans are
inadequate to prevent destruction for earthquakes
with high magnitude.
• Insufficient time for evacuation as earthquakes are
difficult to predict.

28. Example of Limitation:
• Research shows that residents in Tokyo are less
prepared for earthquakes than residents in other
parts of Japan as the last Tokyo earthquake
occurred more than 80 years ago in 1923

29. Watch this video to find out more
about emergency drills!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWGnbb
y8O6w

30. Solution/Method/Measure/Adaptation:
5. Earthquake Monitoring and Warning Systems
• Earthquake-prone areas should invest in
seismometers and computers that can monitor
tremors of the Earth or change in water levels
• Authorities will then inform residents through
sirens or public broadcasts of impending danger
and begin mass evacuation

31. Example:
• In Haicheng, China, scientists identified changes in
the ground level and increase in small tremors
which are signs of an impending earthquake
• Authorities were informed and people were
warned to evacuate the city
• 90 000 people were saved from the magnitude 7.3
earthquake that destroyed 90% of the city’s
infrastructure

32. Watch this video to find out more
about tsunami warning systems
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sycyJ_d5
Cy0

33. Tsunami Monitoring and Warning System

34. Limitation:
• The effectiveness of an earthquake monitoring
and warning system is limited
• Authorities may choose to ignore warnings to
avoid disruptions to business and tourism as
• Predictions of scientists may not always be
accurate and turn out to be false alarms