Mount pinatubo case study

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

Phillipines

Question 2

Date

Answer 2

March and May 2010 (prior)
14th of April 2010

Question 3

Tectonic context

Answer 3

• Destructive plate margin
• Plate boundary between phillipines and eurasian playe
• Phillipines subducted beneath eursiain - chain volcano on luzon arc due to subduction
• Volcano is offset from plate boundary due to subducion and melting of oceanic plate

Question 4

VEI rating

Answer 4

6

Question 5

Primary impacts

Answer 5

• Thick deposits of tephra, streams of pyroclastic flow
• Huge avalanches of searing hot ash,gas and pumise fragments (pyroclastic flows) roared down the flanks of mount pinatubo filling once deep valleys with fresh volcanic deposits as much as 200m thick
• Deaths of over 700 people
• 200,000 buildings destroyed
• The ash cloud from this climatic eruption rose 22 miles into the air

Question 6

Secondary impacts

Answer 6

• Global cooling caused by ash in the atmosphere of 0.5°C
  The thick, valley-filling pyroclastic-flow deposits from the eruption insulated themselves and have kept much of their heat
• These deposits still had temperatures as high as 900°F (500°C) in 1996 and may retain heat for decades.
• Massive Lahars hit Philippines - Ash deposits from the eruption have also been remobilized by monsoon and typhoon rains to form giant mudflows of volcanic materials (lahars), which have caused more destruction than the eruption itself
  lahars caused significant damage to the economy and infrastructure of surrounding cities.
• ozone depletion
• The eruption cost $700 million in damage, $100 million of which was damage to 16 aircraft flying at the time of the eruption and $250 million in property with the rest a combination of agriculture, forestry and land.

Question 7

Short term responses

Answer 7

• the Philippine government and the American military were able to carry out a timely evacuation of the population, saved thousands of lives and millions of dollars in property damage
• infrastructure preparations and government-organised evacuation of around 200,000 people are estimated to have prevented the loss of 5,000 additional lives and $250 million in damages

Question 8

Long term responses

Answer 8

• A hazard map of the predicted, post-eruption lahars was also immediately drawn up
• late 2005, resettlement camps were still housing some of the indigenous people who lived on the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo

Question 9

Phillipines today

Answer 9

• The crater of the volcano is a beautiful lake that is 2.7 kilometres wide and the water is crystal clear.
• Trekking Mount Pinatubo is a popular activity among locals and foreigners alike. The mountain is located only about 3 hours away from Manila. It is easy to get there by oneself but it is best advised to join a tour.
• the volcano is still active, it is very closely monitored and any activity will most likely be predicted, thus trekking there is a safe activity