Contrasting Earthquakes
Comparing two earthquakes in countries of different wealth, Nepal in 2015 and Christchurch in 2011, to see how wealth changes the effects on people and the speed of the response.
Revise this, the fun way
Play it interactively, earn XP and build a streak, free.
Start revising freeWhat you'll cover
Same hazard, different outcome 🌍
When an earthquake strikes, the damage it does depends not only on its strength but also on the wealth of the country it hits. This module compares two real earthquakes: one in Nepal in 2015, a lower income country, and one in Christchurch in New Zealand in 2011, a higher income country. Comparing them shows why wealth changes the effects and the response.
Words for hazards 🔑
Learn these four terms before you compare the two earthquakes.
Two earthquakes 🆚
Both were serious, but the outcomes were very different.
Grade 9 thinking 💡
Do not just list what happened in each place. Link the differences to wealth. A higher income country can afford stronger buildings, well funded rescue teams and insurance, so fewer people die and recovery is faster. A lower income country has weaker buildings and less money, so effects are worse and help arrives more slowly.
Match the term 🔗
- primary effect
- secondary effect
- immediate response
- long-term response
- happens immediately as the ground shakes
- happens later as a result of the shaking
- action in the first hours and days
- action over months and years to rebuild
Match the example to its type 🧩
- buildings collapse as the ground shakes
- disease spreads in crowded shelters
- rescue teams search for survivors
- the city is rebuilt with stronger buildings
- a primary effect
- a secondary effect
- an immediate response
- a long-term response
What is a primary effect? ❓
What is a primary effect of an earthquake?
- Damage caused immediately as the ground shakes, such as buildings collapsing.
- Damage that happens later, such as disease spreading.
- Rebuilding the city over many years.
Spot the secondary effects ✅
Select the TWO secondary effects.
- Disease spreads in crowded shelters.
- Landslides block the roads after the shaking.
- Buildings collapse as the ground shakes.
- Rescue teams search for survivors.
Order the events 🪜
An interactive activity.
Summarise the ideas 📝
A _____ effect happens straight away as the ground shakes, such as buildings collapsing. A _____ effect happens later, such as disease spreading in shelters. Searching for survivors in the first few days is an _____ response, while rebuilding over many years is a _____ response. Effects are usually worse in a poorer country because it has less _____ to spend on strong buildings and rescue.
Count the case studies 🔢
An interactive activity.
Find the secondary effects 🖍️
An interactive activity.
Effect or response? 🧭
An interactive activity.
Explain the difference ✍️
An interactive activity.