1. Key Question: How can volcanoes be managed by warning and intervention?
Key Words:
Community Preparedness

2. Managing Volcanoes: Volcanic Warning and Intervention
Although prediction is much more successful for volcanoes than earthquakes because physical and chemical pre-cursors exist before an eruption, it is only one part of successful volcano management!
Once a successful prediction is made then the community
must be warned by effective communication from the
scientists and local authorities.
The more developed a country, then the better its preparation before an event, usually.

3. Community Preparedness
So what can be done? Take a few minutes in pairs to brain storm some ideas.
Alert Levels System: To communicate to public set up after Pinatubo 1-5.
Evacuation Drills
Building Hazard Resistant Designs
Land-use planning
Controlling physical hazards from the volcano
Aid and Insurance
Do Nothing! - Acceptance of the hazard (Fatalism)

4. Now rank your list numerically from the most to least effective management strategy and put a key in the margin!
1. Land-use planning
2. Alert Levels System
3. Evacuation
4. Building Hazard Resistant Designs
4. Manage the physical properties of the volcano
5. Aid and insurance
6. Do Nothing
Now colour code which are most likely to be MDC or LDC
Responses?

5. MDC
LDC
1. Land-use planning
2. Alert Levels System
3. Evacuation
4. Building Hazard Resistant Designs
4. Manage the physical properties of the volcano
5. Aid and insurance
6. Do Nothing
Now colour code which are most likely to be MDC or LDC
Responses?

6. 1. Land-use planning
Nervado del Ruiz 1985, Columbia LDC
23,000 people killed by a lahar that hit Armero (46 miles away from volcano).
Disaster could have been prevented as Armero was built on
past mudflow deposits. Highlighting the need for land-use planning

7. 1. Land-use planning
Mt St Helen’s 1980, USA
Land-use planning involves mapping past deposits to make a Hazard Map and avoid the areas of highest risk!

8. 2. Alert Levels
Pinatubo 1991
The USGS set up a monitoring observatory (PVOCS) on Clarke Air Force Base, monitoring gas emissions, seismicity and ground deformation as well as taking samples and aerial surveillance.
They then used this data from the volcano to effectively predict the eruption and warn the public using a clear alert level system!

9. 3. Evacuation
Pinatubo 1991 and Mt Unzen
58,000 People were safely evacuated surrounding Pinatubo
Earlier that year in Japan on Mt Unzen 41 scientists were killed as they entered the evacuation zone. Proving
evacuation does save lives!
Most famously Maurice Krafft died after saying ‘if I die tomorrow I don’t care’

10. 4. Hazard Resistant Design
Sloping Roofs to Prevent Ash Build up e.g. Philippines
Volcanic ash gets heavy when wet and collapses cheaply
built tin roofs in LDC’s like Phillipines.
Pyroclastic flow barriers
Are not effective as they are too fast and have too much force so you have to map, avoid and evacuate!

11. 5. Managing the Volcanoes Physical Properties
Diverting Lava: Etna Saving Zafferana
On ETNA, they used concrete blocks, an Earthen Barrier and Explosives to divert the flow – only explosives worked!

12. 5. Managing the Volcanoes Physical Properties
Cooling Lava: Heimaey, Iceland 1973
The Volcano Eldfell on Iceland began to
Threaten the town
100 litres/s
Of seawater was used to cool the flows successfully.

13. 5. Managing the Volcanoes Physical Properties
Venting Crater Lakes to prevent harmful gas build up e.g. Lake
Nyos Cameroon
Gas escaping into the volcanically active Lake Nyos built up
CO2 in deadly proportions.
When a landslide occurred it distrubed the CO2 which
gased people!
A pipe now helps stir up the lake and vent the gas safely.

14. 5. Managing the Volcanoes Physical Properties
Clearing Lahar Deposits to prevent flooding e.g. Pinatubo

15. 6. Aid and Insurance
Aid is mainly given to LDC’s by MDC’s and is a last attempt at
trying to reduce the impact on peoples lives.

16. 7. Do Nothing
e.g. Amero, Neverdo del Ruiz 1985 eruption
Lahar caused by snow melting due to eruption killed 23,000
Doing nothing can be dangerous.