Many population centers are located near active fault zones and/or active plate boundaries, such as the San Andreas Fault. Millions of people in these population centers have suffered personal and economic losses due to volcanic and earthquake activity.
Defining Problems Associated With Volcanoes:
- Most of the world's active above-sea volcanoes are located near convergent plate boundaries, an area of subduction. Subduction zone volcanoes typically erupt with an extremely explosive force. There are many large population centers that are within areas that may be affected by explosive volcanic eruptions. These powerful eruptions can affect people in many different ways:
- Local Effects - personal property damage, personal injuries or possible death, destruction of urban and suburban areas, disruption of local water supplies, contamination of food sources, landslides, and lack of breathable air.
- Global Effects - changes in weather and climate, aviation safety hazards, tsunamis if volcanic activity is under or near oceans, seismic activity in accompaniment with volcanic activity, and production of acid rain.
Efforts to Minimize the Effects of Volcanoes:
- The pathway of an eruption is difficult to predict so most of the minimization efforts are focused on monitoring volcanoes for increased activity. This provides enough warning for people in the potentially affected areas to be evacuated.
- Scientists suggest the following for structures where volcanic activity may occur:
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Topic Tips
- Many people live on or near plate boundaries where catastrophic events such as volcanoes are inevitable. Engineers can design clever ways to help protect people.