To what extent do you think that people's perception of volcanic and seismic hazards vary depending upon their quality of life and the economic status of the country in which they live in? (40marks)
I think that certainly people's perception changes due to their quality of life and the economic status of the country that they live in. This is because of a multitude of reasons, some of which I will explore in this essay.
Firstly, if a person has a good quality of life and lives in a country of high economic status, they may not feel as threatened by volcanic and seismic hazards. This could be due to the measures put in place that allows for early detection and suitable protection. In countries such as the United States of America and Italy, they have advanced prediction methods and readily mobilized protection/prevention plans. They can do this due to their economic status, they simply have the money to invest into doing all they can to safeguard their population from natural hazards.
Some of the methods used in MEDCs like the USA and Italy are, for earthquakes: building are built to sustain the pressure of seismic waves or are retrofitted, seismometers are used along with satellite surveying. For volcanoes: building concrete diversions, constantly surveying the lava pool and measuring the amount of gas in the air around the volcano.
A further reason why people with a good quality of life may feel less threatened by volcanic and seismic hazards is the amount of education that is offered or made compulsory to them. In Japan it is compulsory to learn about the hazards of an earthquake and its associated hazards (such as tsunamis), the children learn at an early age how to plan and protect themselves when an earthquake strikes. On...