Post by Lia on Apr 12, 2014 21:53:40 GMT
Hello (:
Hope this isn't getting exhausting .-.
Medium Term Consequences
Things will change for the next few days and will last for weeks… Or months
Shelter
People who lost their houses and people who were relocated will need a place where to stay. Safer places are open spaces, with no wires, lamps, and other kind of things that might fall. Some people are located in stadiums; other people stay in parks, some in open courts of schools, sometimes the army give people shelter. Besides the capacity of the shelter, how big it is, access to water and bathrooms are the most important. The weather should be considered as well. If it’s warm, you might only need a sleeping bag, if it’s cold you will need a tent, and covers. Shelter should also provide medical care, especially first aids.
Basic Needs
Food and water are the first things people look after a big earthquake. There are three situations to consider if help doesn’t arrive on time.
Raises
Water has a certain cost. After an earthquake its price will increase. Bread will also increase its price, the same will happen with flour.
Groceries Stores and Big Markets
Groceries stores will increase prices in almost every item. If the place around isn’t that damaged prices might stay the same. With big markets things are a little different, if they are not victims of looting; they might open the doors and let few people in, which means there will be a long line outside the market. Here, and I’d like to think it happens almost everywhere an earthquake can strike, it’s against the law to increase prices after a disaster.
Looting
As mentioned before, looting might occur. In cities where no help has arrived yet some people will revolt. Big markets and drug stores are the first victims; water, flour, canned food, milk, diapers, and some pills are part of the package people will take with them. Some other stuff too, TVs, notebooks, heaters, and things which aren’t basic needs. Now, this isn’t a pretty situation, there might be fights, shooting, and some deaths. If no one does anything to help or to contain this situation, things might get out of control, when big markets are empty, some houses will be the next ones in being attacked. People will defend their properties with everything they can. Some neighbors may ally (yes it is like war) to prevent outsiders, like gangs, to enter the neighborhood.
Connectivity
Some roads and high ways will be destroyed making them impossible to use them. Depending of the time when the earthquakes stroke your city or country, the damages may vary. Traffic jams will be common in daytime, at night the roads might remain empty with some isolated accidents. If your city is far from help, the only way it might arrive, is by plane or helicopters. The roads are more difficult to repair but there’s a chance of using alternate routes. Bridges that fell will make the arrival of help more difficult.
I complained about the media in the last post, but there are instances where they are helpful. If the media arrives to ground zero, you’ll know what is happening, not completely but still is something. Internet and mobile phones might still not work. Radios might be the best friends of earthquake victims.
Long Term Consequences
This is the one that last longer, from months to several years
Reconstruction
To rebuild you need to clear the space. First fragile buildings and houses need to be cordoned off to keep people safe. Some streets might remain closed for any kind of use. Tearing down houses and buildings is a slow process. The first ones are the most vulnerable and fragile, the remaining others can wait. Usually the places to be torn down are marked with a symbol, here there’s a circle crossed by two diagonal lines, with numbers that show an approximate date of when the house or building will be demolished. Depending on the technology used, it will be a slower process or a fast one. Right after the space in clean reconstruction might happen, if it happens at all.
Geographical Differences
Different geographies will lead to different reactions after an earthquake.
Mountains and Hills
Landslides and collapses might be common. Roads might be destroyed and occasional collapses due to aftershocks and the ground itself might occur.
Valleys
The main difference with mountains and hills is the ground. A valley might have the same level everywhere and as friction occurs the ground might crack creating potholes. Underground pipes might collapse as well.
Seaside and Coasts
These places get the worst of an earthquake. Right after the earthquake is over; people have some minutes to evacuate to safety zone. The ocean will retract some meters, just to strike with all its rage. There’s a difference between how high a wave is and its speed. The first wave to hit the seashore might not be a tall one, but it will drag everything with it. The next waves might get a bit farther because the first one already cleared the way. Some people will not know what is happening and might want to get closer and pick up shells and other things, if they don’t run fast enough or they don’t notice the oncoming wave, they’ll be the first victims of the tsunami. The evacuation should be calm and fast without running. If you are in a tall building, you’ll have to evacuate over the 15th floor without using the elevators, never use elevators especially knowing that water will hit electric wires.
Waves will not only reach the zone near the epicenter, but it will reach the seashore on almost all the countries bordering with it.
Two more posts left and I'll be done with this I swear (:
Hope this isn't getting exhausting .-.
Medium Term Consequences
Things will change for the next few days and will last for weeks… Or months
Shelter
People who lost their houses and people who were relocated will need a place where to stay. Safer places are open spaces, with no wires, lamps, and other kind of things that might fall. Some people are located in stadiums; other people stay in parks, some in open courts of schools, sometimes the army give people shelter. Besides the capacity of the shelter, how big it is, access to water and bathrooms are the most important. The weather should be considered as well. If it’s warm, you might only need a sleeping bag, if it’s cold you will need a tent, and covers. Shelter should also provide medical care, especially first aids.
Basic Needs
Food and water are the first things people look after a big earthquake. There are three situations to consider if help doesn’t arrive on time.
Raises
Water has a certain cost. After an earthquake its price will increase. Bread will also increase its price, the same will happen with flour.
Groceries Stores and Big Markets
Groceries stores will increase prices in almost every item. If the place around isn’t that damaged prices might stay the same. With big markets things are a little different, if they are not victims of looting; they might open the doors and let few people in, which means there will be a long line outside the market. Here, and I’d like to think it happens almost everywhere an earthquake can strike, it’s against the law to increase prices after a disaster.
Looting
As mentioned before, looting might occur. In cities where no help has arrived yet some people will revolt. Big markets and drug stores are the first victims; water, flour, canned food, milk, diapers, and some pills are part of the package people will take with them. Some other stuff too, TVs, notebooks, heaters, and things which aren’t basic needs. Now, this isn’t a pretty situation, there might be fights, shooting, and some deaths. If no one does anything to help or to contain this situation, things might get out of control, when big markets are empty, some houses will be the next ones in being attacked. People will defend their properties with everything they can. Some neighbors may ally (yes it is like war) to prevent outsiders, like gangs, to enter the neighborhood.
Connectivity
Some roads and high ways will be destroyed making them impossible to use them. Depending of the time when the earthquakes stroke your city or country, the damages may vary. Traffic jams will be common in daytime, at night the roads might remain empty with some isolated accidents. If your city is far from help, the only way it might arrive, is by plane or helicopters. The roads are more difficult to repair but there’s a chance of using alternate routes. Bridges that fell will make the arrival of help more difficult.
I complained about the media in the last post, but there are instances where they are helpful. If the media arrives to ground zero, you’ll know what is happening, not completely but still is something. Internet and mobile phones might still not work. Radios might be the best friends of earthquake victims.
Long Term Consequences
This is the one that last longer, from months to several years
Reconstruction
To rebuild you need to clear the space. First fragile buildings and houses need to be cordoned off to keep people safe. Some streets might remain closed for any kind of use. Tearing down houses and buildings is a slow process. The first ones are the most vulnerable and fragile, the remaining others can wait. Usually the places to be torn down are marked with a symbol, here there’s a circle crossed by two diagonal lines, with numbers that show an approximate date of when the house or building will be demolished. Depending on the technology used, it will be a slower process or a fast one. Right after the space in clean reconstruction might happen, if it happens at all.
Geographical Differences
Different geographies will lead to different reactions after an earthquake.
Mountains and Hills
Landslides and collapses might be common. Roads might be destroyed and occasional collapses due to aftershocks and the ground itself might occur.
Valleys
The main difference with mountains and hills is the ground. A valley might have the same level everywhere and as friction occurs the ground might crack creating potholes. Underground pipes might collapse as well.
Seaside and Coasts
These places get the worst of an earthquake. Right after the earthquake is over; people have some minutes to evacuate to safety zone. The ocean will retract some meters, just to strike with all its rage. There’s a difference between how high a wave is and its speed. The first wave to hit the seashore might not be a tall one, but it will drag everything with it. The next waves might get a bit farther because the first one already cleared the way. Some people will not know what is happening and might want to get closer and pick up shells and other things, if they don’t run fast enough or they don’t notice the oncoming wave, they’ll be the first victims of the tsunami. The evacuation should be calm and fast without running. If you are in a tall building, you’ll have to evacuate over the 15th floor without using the elevators, never use elevators especially knowing that water will hit electric wires.
Waves will not only reach the zone near the epicenter, but it will reach the seashore on almost all the countries bordering with it.
Two more posts left and I'll be done with this I swear (: