Geography writing assignment - Research Paper Example

Series of Quakes Rattles South West China, Killing at least 64” (McDonald) examined multiple occurrences of quakes and aftershocks within a 5.6 magnitude strength causing more damage to property, displacing 100,000 people and killing at least 64 civilians. In the month before that, the Reuters news agency reported “Two Earthquakes in Iran Kill 300 and injure 5,000” near the towns of Ahar, Varzaghan and Harees. (Torbati) Earthquakes are naturally occurring phenomena that are beyond human control.

People can however initiate early warning systems to help them escape the rather deadly effects of the earthquakes. Faulting and earthquake effects that must be taken into consideration during planning and in design for the restitution of the coastal lands around the world are always overlooked. This should always include the construction as well as the maintenance of the coastal infrastructure. The continued shifting and adjustment of the plates has a dramatic effect on the landscape. These range from the development of large depressions on the surface caused by the subsidence and tilting of the land surfaces due to down throwing of adjacent fault blocks.

The effects of all these are experienced both in the human-economic spheres as well as on the physical landscape. The huge geographical components of the Asian-Pacific region has worst cases of natural hazards occasioned by frequent earthquakes, eruptions, and yearly monsoons due to its relative position on the ‘Pacific ring of fire.’ Moreover, the region harbors the highest number of mega-cities with more than over 8million populace exposed to the effects of natural hazards. Foregoing research further suggests that developing countries are highly exposed to risks of natural disasters as opposed to developed nations.

At the same time, the high number of natural disasters experienced along the Asian-Pacific region is largely attributed to urbanization, increased population pressure on natural resources and the