Hazards and Vulnerability Features in the Puerto de la Crus Region of Tenerife - Term Paper Example

Hazards and vulnerability features in the Puerto de la Crus region of Tenerife Customer Inserts His/her Name Customer Inserts Grade Course Customer Inserts Tutor’s Name Date Hazards and vulnerability features in the Puerto de la Crus region of Tenerife Introduction Tenerife is the most populous and largest island of the seven in Spain. It covers an area of 2,034.38 km square with a population of 908,555, which is a 43% of the total population of the canary island. It is approximated to host about 5 million every year. Tenerife is economic and tourist center and it is becoming world heritage site and largest carnival of the Cruz De Tenerife (Ward & Day, 2001). Figure 5: Map of Tenerife (modified in Coral Draw 12 from Solitairhols n.d). Discussion The eruptive history of Tenerife volcanic predominantly reflects two different eruptive styles through its product and the process. The first eruptive style is non-explosive effusion of basaltic lava, characterized by fissure vents mostly align along two ridges. The second style is a less frequent but explosive salic eruption and it associated with summit caldera and Las Canada volcanic edifice. In order to develop volcanic-hazard zonation for ash fall and lava flow it is fundamental to pursue the distinction of the two styles. A clear definition of principal hazard, numerical modeling of vulnerable an areas and identification of areas that have higher probability of emission. Volcanic hazard zonation not only represents a starting point for preparation but it also provides update assessment to the official of emergency management. Hazard zonation map give a clear design of surveillance network that form the basis of success of risk avoidance. A remotely sensed satellite image of Garachico. The destructive 1706 lava flows can still be identified due to their dark colour in contrast with the surrounding area. The flows travelled from the north of the image down over the steep cliff line, and entered port (Google Earth n.d). The Sumatran tsunami that took place in 2004 was a global catastrophe. It affects all the countries directly and indirectly. The most casualties were the countries who make visit to Spain. The aftermath of the catastrophe emphasized effective disaster planning and management. There was also consideration to incorporate tourism with the procedure and the plan. Tsunami has become a major source of inspiration to investigate the role of tourism in disaster management and to come up with determining factors that can be use to incorporate vulnarable secto (Moreno, 2002) Giant volcanic landslides have a large volume and velocity and for that reason, it is extremely hazardous. Among the 20 large landslide event held in canary eight of the took place in Tenerife. Bathymetric studies indicate a total of submarine landslide in the north side, which is 1000 km. the landslide in the island is characterized by large volume and long run out distance and this is unique compared to other places. What play an important role in destabilizing large section topography is certain geomorphologic characteristic of the region. The characteristic include widespread residual soil, coastal cliffs, structural axes, and deep erosive canyons. Zone that are prone to failure are said to be perpendicular to structural of the island and a good example is Dorsel de La Esperanza on Tenerife. What are believed to be a triggering mechanism are caldera or dyke intrusion and seismic activity (Simkin & Siebert, 1994). Shaded relief map of Tenerife, the dashed lines represents failure zones of large volcanic landslides (Hürlimann et al 2004). Large landslide events displace large volumes of water when they run out into the ocean. Displace water travel in form waves and the friction with seabed decreases the speed of the wave. Amplitude increases dramatically as wave energy is redistributed within the waveform. Tsunami wave is known to take up to 20 m in a certain condition. One of the horrific examples is the one that took place in December 2004, which kill 275,000 people (Margottini & Casale, 1999). A variety of mechanism such as landslide triggers tsunami. The modeled by Ward and Day (2001) forecast potential tsunami wave when Cumbre Vieja Volcano on the island of La Palma next erupts. They predicted that the west flank would fail sending 150-500 km rock into the sea. The estimation of Ward and Day’s modeled is that tsunami will expand across the Atlantic Basin within 3-6 hours and would not only affect Canary Island. Due to shallow costal morphology, Florida can expect up to 7 m wave and it will reach England in 9 hours. In the past Tenerife have experience tsunami but according to Ward and Day’s model the next eruption will a worst case. Diagram illustrating how a tsunami wave increases in height (amplitude) as it enters shallow water (modified in Coral Draw 12 from Waikato Regional Council 2006). The potential La Palma tsunami dissemination. Ward and Day's (2001) Tenerife is affected by some extreme meteorological hazards. The most common of which are flash floods. The large volume events occur due to increased precipitation and reduced infiltration, so that the precipitation flows over land down steep canyons and gullies around the island. A recent example of this phenomena occurred on the 31 March 2002 when eight people were killed and 300 000 affected by dramatic flash flood event that affected the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Newman and McNeil, 1998). The flash flood water rips through Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 2002 (Atan n.d, 2006). In addition to the flood hazard, the island was recently exposed to the first tropical storm to affect the region in recorded history (National Weather Service Forecast Office n.d). Tropical Strom Delta ravaged the Canary Islands during the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, creating wind speeds between 65-100 km/h. It was also estimated that on the summit of Teide the wind speeds reached 150 km/h. One man was killed and 265 000 were left without power across the Canary Islands. Dust storms also effect the Canary Islands Plate 10 is a MODIS satellite image of a giant dust storm that blew from the Sahara over the islands producing the worst sand storm in recorded history on the islands (Earth Observatory 2002). The force of a flash flood piles cars and debris in the streets of the capital of Tenerife (Atan, 2006). This remotely sensed image from the satellite MODIS shows the Canary Islands enveloped in a Saharan dust storm (Earth Observatory 2002). Although the hazards that can affect Tenerife are potentially catastrophic, there is no comprehensive hazard or risk map. Booth (1984) created a zoned map for pyroclastic density currents and ash fall thickness and Araña et al (2000) produced a map zoning the main volcanic hazards of the island, these being lava flows and ash fall (figure 15). The Araña et al map was collated by modelling both the lava flow and ash fall hazard in terms of probability and then overlapping the two resultant probability maps into one hazards map. The hazard is categorised as follows: Zone 1 maximum hazard; zone 2 is high; zone 3 is medium; zones 4 and 5 are low; and zones 6 and 7 very low hazard. Zone 1 covers the caldera region. This area has the highest Probability of being exposed to both lava flows and ash fall. Zone 2 has a high probability of being covered by lava flows and significant probability of being affected by ash fall. Zone 3 has specific topographic features that are protected from lava flow inundation and therefore this zone is not uniformly coloured. Due to vents, being located between zones 3 and 4 the probability of hazard does increase, but not significantly enough to change the categorization of the zones. Zones 4, 5, 6 and 7 have a low probability of being affected by lava flow or ash fall and so are categorized accordingly. A Risk Map for Tenerife. Designed in Coral Draw 8, using a probability hazard map (Araña et al 2000) population density data (Wikipedia 2006) and map of the island showing the 31 municipalities (Tenerife Sport n.d) . There is no official risk map for the island but by overlaying and analyzing Araña et al (2000) hazard map with socio-economic data for the island, this project was able to create a risk map for Tenerife using the risk equation, hazard multiplied by vulnerability. The risk map was created by firstly obtaining the population density for each municipality on the island (Wikipedia 2006), and ranking this data, 1 being the highest population density and 30 being the lowest. The population density data is a good indicator for value not only in the form of human lives but also infrastructure. The geology of Spain is remarkably diverse. It includes one of the most complete Paleozoic sedimentary successions in the Europe, and excellent record of the effect of the Varisca orogeny on the margins of the former supercontinent of Godwana. In addition, post-Varisca Mesozoic and Cenozoic strata are widely exposed across the eastern half of Spain, from the Cantabrian and Pyrenean mountains to the Betic Cordillera and Balearic Island (figure). The successions and their fauna reveal a unique Iberian palcogeography influenced both by the widening Atlantic Ocean to west and by event in the Tethys Ocean and Alpine-Himalayan orogeny to then east. Alpine collision in Cenozoic times has created spectacular mountain belt in which the effects of both collision and extension processes can be observed. Neogene and Quaternary volcanism has occurred in southern, south central and eastern main land of Spain, and magnificent Canarian volcanoes expose one of the world’s classic hot-spot-related ocean island chain (Alexander, 2002). The geological diversity of Spain reflected in its mineral wealth. The oldest evidence for organized mining goes back to the Tertessan civilization that existed in Andalusia around 3000 years ago. A key reason for Roman Empire was the abundance of the metallic ores (especially gold) in the peninsula. Paleozoic rocks in spain host by far the most productive and historically important mercury mine in the world, as well as the famous supergiant metallic deposits of the Iberian Pyrite belt. There are coal abundant coal deposits, the exploitation of which, although now in decline, played a key role in the industrialization of Spain over the last 150 years. Spanish physical geography directly reflects the underlying geology, with the present geomorphology having been crated primarily by Cenozoic events linked to Alpine orogeny (Stein &Mazzotti, 2007). Conclusion The solution to volcano hazards in Teide-pico Viejo is event three that show all possible outcome of volcanic unrest. Extension can be made to current hazard event three to include short-term hazard assessment. It is important to note that volcano are complex and are non-linear natural system that do not follow constant pattern of behavior. It is possible to established eruptive pattern for certain type or group of volcano but it is important to note that each volcano will at the end behave in its own particular way. Like many case of volcano in the world Teide-pico Viejo its past historical eruptive and the present state of activity is incomplete and it require more efforts. The information that exists is not enough to be relied to make confident forecast of future behavior. Society into emergency management and plan in regards to volcanic region. When developing a volcano emergency plan basic element such as mapping and identification of hazard zone, registration of valuable movable property, identifying safe zone for evacuation in case of dangerous eruption, identifying assembly point where victim can assemble before evacuation, mode of transport and traffic control, accommodation and shelter in the refuge zone. It is also important to consider medication service and hospitalization for the treatment of the victim, communication, and formulation of public warning of the emergencies and provision for updating the plan. References Alexander, D. 2002, Principles of Emergency Planning and Management, Oxford Alexander, D.1993, Natural Disasters. UCL Press. London. Arana, V and Carracedo, J.C. 1978, Los Volcanes de las Isles Canarias: I – Tenerife, Ward, S.N., Day, S. 2001, Cumbre Vieje Volcano- Potential collapse, and Tsunami at La Palma, Canary Islands, Geophysical Research Letters. Deiz-Herrero, A., Llorente, I., 2009, A handbook on flood hazard mapping methodologies, GME. Fumusal. Madrid. Goudei, A., 2010, Geomorphologic Hazards and Disaster Prevention, Cambridge University Press. Holden, W., Jacobson,R., 2012, Mining and Natural Hazard Vulnerability in the Philippines, Anthem Press. Margottini, C., Casale, 1999, Floods and landslides: integrated risk assessment, Springer.Deiz-Herrero, A., Llorente, I., 2009 Moreno, T., 2002,The geology of Spain, Geological Society:London. Newhall, B.J., and Punongbayan, R.S. 1997. Fire and Mud: Eruptions and lahars of Mt Pinatubo, Philippines. University of Washington Press. Newman, I and McNeil, K. 1998, Conducting Survey Research in the Social Sciences, University Press of America, Oxford. Simkin, T and Siebert, L. 1994, Volcanoes of the world, Geoscience Press: Tucson. Stein, S., Mazzotti, S., 2007, Continental intraplate earthquakes: science, hazard, and policy issues, Geological Society of America.University Press. New York. Read More