MUSE 11B Catastrophic Events Fall 2003

There are many types of catastrophic events Both natural and manmade

They all have characteristics in common Damage to the built and natural environment Injuries, disease and death Large economic losses (both short term and long term) Social consequences such as displaced people, disrupted communities & psychological trauma Consequences can be minimized by preplanning, mitigation measures and well-designed response and recovery.

Hurricanes and typhoons were the most costly of the 1990s weather-related events (FEMA obligated more than $7.78 billion*) A total of 88 declarations were issued for these storms. *The United States spent ~$295 billion on defense during fiscal year 2001.

Tsunamis speed across the ocean at more than 500 mph Tsunami damage in Hilo Hawaii, April 1, 1946, due to an earthquake with a reported magnitude of 7.1 that occurred in the Aleutian Islands off of Alaska.

Oakland Hills Firestorm Deaths …………25 Injuries ………150 Single Family Dwellings Destroyed.……2,843 Single Family Dwellings Damaged.....……193 Apartment Units Destroyed … Total Living Units Damaged/Destroyed.....3,469 Total Acreage Burned by the Fire ,520 Fire Perimeter miles Estimated Dollar Fire Loss $1.54 billion

Ice Storms From January 5-10, 1998 eastern Canada experienced one if its worst ice storms in history More than 4 million people were without power for hours. The third week following the onset of the storm, more than 700,000 were still without electricity. 25 died. Water treatment plants were not working. Many maple syrup producers were destroyed.

Floods Prague was hit hard in August 2002 with the worst flooding in at least 500 years on the Vltava River. Impacts included electrical power outages, release of hazardous materials (chlorine gas), habitat destruction evacuation of tourists during the height of the season, water-logged subway systems, damage to historic buildings and artwork loss of valuable animals in the zoo, damage to and loss of function of historic bridges, and economic losses estimated in the billions of dollars.

Earthquakes With $44 billion in property damage, the 1994 Northridge earthquake was considered one of the costliest natural disasters in history…until 1995 Kobe ($120 billion) Intersection of I-5 and State Route 14 Building in Kobe

Unreinforced Masonry Buildings (URM) Much of the older building stock in California consists of URMs which are very vulnerable to collapse or partial collapse. Many of these are inhabited by lower income people.

Damage to Power Transmission Facilities Power outages cause disruption to individuals, businesses and emergency response

Failed bridges disrupt commutes

Poorly designed structures Many newly built parking garages failed in the Northridge earthquake. Fortunately the earthquake occurred early in the morning when the structures were unoccupied.

Fire Following Earthquake Broken gas lines can cause fires. With fire departments already stressed, water mains broken and roads blocked it can be difficult to respond.

Liquefaction Liquefaction in Northridge When liquefaction occurs streets and foundations get torn apart.

Non-structural damage can be deadly Library at CSU Los Angeles

Medical facilities may not be available

Hazardous Materials It is important to install systems to prevent containers from falling off of shelves.

Non-structural Damage Elevators non-functional Water, wastewater and sprinkler pipes broken

Non-structural Damage We had this type of damage at SJSU during the Loma Prieta earthquake

Falling hazards can be dangerous From here To here You don’t want to be here!!

In addition to deaths, there are also many less severe casualties (hospitalized and non- hospitalized)

Most deaths occur in collapsed buildings

Water Sources Our water sources are often assumed to be clean and safe for drinking

Catastrophes can result in wastewater discharges Elevated concentrations of metals, organic waste, toxic compounds and other materials end up in water bodies that may ultimately be our drinking water sources

Catastrophes affect water quality High turbidity (clay and other solids), coliforms, nutrients, debris Loss of treatment plant capacity (water and wastewater) and ability to treat water

Oxygen and pH are water quality parameters often affected by human activity and catastrophes

Acid Mine Drainage Runoff from abandoned mines Extremely low pH levels Extremely high metals concentrations Result of fish kills, habitat destruction

Fish Kills Elevated pH and metal concentrations Toxic spills Lack of oxygen Lack of food Increased temperature Lack of water

Summary Catastrophes can severely alter water quantity, water quality, and the ability of water to be used as a resource Natural catastrophes are often beyond our control, however the impacts of such catastrophes are the result of decisions that we can control Think about this! Examples anyone??