The growth in the demand for improved and seismically designed infrastructure has become increasingly apparent across many areas of the world that are susceptible to earthquakes.
Whilst anomalies within the level of seismic activity impact from an earthquake occurrence, may not be fully anticipated, in terms of the severity of earthquake damage; the scale of such damage could indeed be reduced in terms of lowering mortality rates both within (a)seismic and (b)structural, along with aftershock damage, through better infrastructure planning, which also includes more purpose built seismic architectural design for everyone/ all concerned.
A number of Agricultural crops (including Olive groves) have been damaged by the recent earthquakes that hit at a 7.8 level of magnitude across Syria and Turkey on the 6th of February 2023, leading to a dip in the quantity of food supplies alongside of humanitarian food donation logistics for the affected areas; both of which have become an issue. With over 50,000 mortalities having occurred, along with over 100,000 people having currently been displaced; many of the displaced are left with no choice but to wait for the rubble to clear; with well over 180,000 damaged buildings having to be completely demolished in order for infrastructure to be rebuilt.
Of additional concern, is that a large number of the affected buildings (including some of the more modern buildings) were in some cases; (a) an already structurally inadequate build to begin with and/or (b) were reasonably well built but aged/ dilapidated; in some cases being beautiful ancient, historical sites, whilst themselves also being dilapidated and in some urgent need of repair, and/or (d); affected areas that were already located in some of the most structurally damaged and earthquake- vulnerable areas on the planet.
It was reported that a building in Sanliufa, (Turkey) has since collapsed, weeks after one of the initial earthquakes took place which was known to have occurred from the South Central area of Turkey known as Antep.
The region of Antep is located on the Sajur River; which starts from Turkey and continues through the Syria-Turkey Border before flowing directly into the Euphrates River.
At the same time as being located on the Sajur River, the area of Gaziantep (which is also known as Antep), sits on what is known as the Surgu Fault Zone; which in turn runs/stretches into the East Anatolian Major Fault area: an area that tends to be of left lateral movement in it’s seismic behaviour, and which is also known to occur at a high magnitude/major seismic cyclic level of occurrence at anywhere from every one hundred to one thousand years as far as major seismic/earthquake occurrences go in that particular location.
The East Anatolian Fault also runs through the Euphrates River. Alongside of any seismic cyclic activity which is known to occur; it is also worth noting that any changes in pressure and water flow dynamics that cause geological stress is also scientifically known to be another major contributing factor in terms of inducing seismic activity.
Artwork: Copyright of L.D.K
Part of the ongoing repair on infrastructure, includes gas pipes, water and sewage pipes that have to be fixed for hospitals, buildings and stores/shops. (Also; one third of Turkey’s steel manufacturing export was also affected by the earthquakes).
Besides better Planning, another important issue within housing/infrastructure in general; especially around areas that are vulnerable to seismic/earthquake activity (and when also taking into account the number of people who live in and around such areas); is that the building of infrastructure in many seismically vulnerable areas should not culminate in corners being cut, with regards to building materials, along with Health and Safety.
For instance, the use of solid high quality steel joints along with improved design and manufacturing techniques of certain hybrid joints, not only through initial testing stages and design modifications; but also through effective project development in IT modification can indeed improve the weather response in the structural behavioural movement of a building or other types of infrastructure, in terms of architectural wind design in building responses to wind patterns, along with varying wind speeds; and also could improve the stages of structural stress in the tectonic behavioural movement response time within key moments of a time frame as to how a building may react in terms of the structural response time to an initial earthquake along with aftershocks.. whereby more people may be able to safely leave a building or structure, alongside of minimising other Health and Safety issues such as reduced air quality; so as to lessen respiratory conditions attributed to air pollution from factors such as excessive building material dust, along with additional damage to a natural habitat.
With proper Health and Safety guidelines being met, (as set out by Building Standards Regulations which now includes Euro 8 guidelines ); any sub standard infrastructure could be further avoided, which at some point in time may save more lives.
Artwork: Copyright of L.D.K
N.B Other nearby areas in Turkey, such as Istanbul (a bustling and vibrant city since Ancient times, which was formally known as Constantinople/Byzantium), are now in the process of demolishing various earthquake vulnerable buildings in a bid to put more seismically designed infrastructure into place.
SEISMIC ACTIVITY IN ENGLAND AND WALES…
(Whilst mainly occurring at a smaller magnitude; the U.K gets up to four hundred earthquakes each year. People across several areas in Wales were woken during the night from a 3.7 magnitude earthquake).
NEW ZEALAND: CYCLONE GABRIEL
Infrastructure was damaged, along with a reported 11 mortalities from Cyclone Gabriel which swept through the Northern island of New Zealand during February of this year, (2023). Many areas including vineyards have been covered in several feet of mud and silt, farmers have lost a lot of livestock; with many farmers still having been unable to reach certain areas of farmland (due to the Cyclone damage) in order to check if any produce from their crops could be saved. The cyclone brought with it up to 18 inches of rainfall over a 24 hour period, with many areas being flooded out, along with power outages. Many crops along with livestock feed have been washed away by the heavy rains which occurred due to the landfall of the Cyclone. Crops grown by small scale rural farmers including crops grown by Indigenous Maori Farming Communities (such as the Kumara) have also been damaged.
BRAZIL: MUDSLIDES IN SAO PAULO…
On the 18th of February 2023, over ten inches of rain fell in a heavy downpour across many areas of Sao Paulo within a 24 hour period; with well over twenty inches of torrential rain occurring in the area of Bertioga; resulting in the collapse of fifty houses due to the severe mudslides from the heavy rainfall which also claimed sixty lives. Again, better infrastructure is needed for many of these people who live in flood prone areas such as Sao Paulo. The Rio Santos highway was also badly damaged.
CALIFORNIA… STORMS…
People are continuing to find themselves in a dire situation where many are running low on food supplies along with medicines, in relation to the Climatic situation that is impacting many across several parts of California. People in areas (such as San Bernardino) have been stranded in sub-freezing and at times heavy snow blizzard conditions whereby parts of Southern California have already been impacted by 10 feet of snowfall). In other instances, some have experienced as much as two inches of black ice on the roads in conjunction with the cold temperatures; whilst many other areas have been experiencing heavy flooding conditions from snow melt. The Climatic Flux of the weather has been attributed to ongoing Atmospheric River conditions. Further snow melt in some areas along with heavy rains in others, are currently set to continue across many parts of California. In conclusion; the stormy weather affecting several areas of California this year has been unusually severe for the month of March.
WILDFIRES IN CENTRAL CHILE….
Along with Puelche winds and heatwave temperatures reaching as high as 40 degrees Celsius; the ongoing drought situation in Chile (which has been happening for the past ten years), along with the additional mono-culture development in the large-scale planting of Non Native Eucalyptus trees, coupled with La Nina, has meant that wildfires have now spread at a much faster rate, across larger areas of much needed land; severely damaging the top soil and the crop producing abilities of the surrounding green areas. Indeed, human behaviour has to change in terms of the way that land is treated (especially in an age of Climatic Flux) with regard to better management in terms of top soil preservation.
Peace and love to everyone, L.D.K
Article Copyright of L.D.K
Updates:
CYCLONE FREDDY…..
Heavy flooding from the rainfall of Cyclone Freddy, (which formed off the Northern coast of Australia, during Australia’s Cyclone season, and had a 36 day duration of severe category 5 Cyclone impact), unfortunately hit Mozambique for a second time; displacing over a million people, and causing over 176 mortalities, after first making landfall across Mananjary in Madagascar, with an initial wind speed of 140mph; which was reported to have peaked at a wind speed force of 165 mph (miles per hour).
People from the Island of Mauritius (who suffered one known/reported fatality from the stormy weather); along with people living in areas such as Le Tampon, Saint Louis, and St.Paul on the Island of Reunion, were also evacuated in anticipation of the storm, as it tore it’s way through power lines, ruining tons crops vegetable and fruit crops such as mangoes, and causing landslides across some areas of the land.
Cyclone Freddy also hit the people of Malawi, who were already in the middle of a Cholera outbreak, along with severely diminished food supplies; as intense flash floods from the Cyclone have resulted in mudslides across areas that include the region of Blantyre, with extreme levels of crop depletion, damaged infrastructure, and a threat of further Cholera outbreaks from polluted water.
With an estimated figure of over 500 (five hundred people) still missing in the aftermath of the storm; women, children and those suffering with poor health or disabilities, along with some of the elderly, have been at particularly high risk in terms of International Health and Safety implementations from the severity of Cyclone Freddy (along with over five hundred fatalities) amidst the dangerous chaos that ensued. The Australian Cyclone Season starts in the month of November and dissipates (i.e finishes) sometime around the beginning of July in the following year, whereby such storms also continue to affect many parts of Australia with floods. (It has been estimated that Cyclone Isla will have a wind speed of 230 mph). International efforts must be continued on a wide variety of levels for everyone affected by Climate Change, both before, during and after such damaging occurrences.
There is now an additional problem across several areas of the world affected by Climate Change; where trees can not be planted soon enough in anticipation of a storm before yet another storm hits, and this is especially true in Hurricane/Cyclone season. As more crops become affected and damaged by Climate Change; a wider, more varied diet of natural food sources in order to survive harsh Climatic circumstances all over the world is key. Over two hundred thousand acres of farmland was destroyed in Malawi due to the extreme stormy weather, along with cattle mortality rates going into the thousands, and it must also be remembered that varied food products that include things such as powdered milk, are also needed by many across all areas of the world, as are safe sources of drinking water and additional places of shelter.
As ongoing drought conditions continue across other areas of Africa; drought tolerant trees such as Acacia are on the decline in areas such as Kenya; where they are being chopped down for fire wood/cooking fuel; (amidst the call for what are in a lot of cases slightly varying energy sources whereby poorer countries still have to boil their water, cook and keep warm on cold days/nights), creating a climate disaster loop across areas that already have sparse, and/ close to virtually no tree coverage, resulting in opening up such areas to worsened drought conditions.
Another dynamic is that a growing number of refugees that have been arriving in places such as Kenya, in order to get away from various dynamics that include the destruction from Storm hit/Cyclone damaged, and flooded areas, such as Malawi and Mozambique, (which are currently suffering from rising levels of Cholera, due to additional complications from widespread flooding; whereby a lot of the fresh water supply has become contaminated through inadequate/damaged infrastructure which includes burst sewage pipes), -are still currently faced with the increased risk of being infected by Cholera. This not only complicates matters across areas that are already suffering with growing levels of food insecurity; but also means that a additional number of people will be unable to boil some of the water that they may at some point get access to, within daily situations where they need to sanitise and to also be able to cook any food, where some becomes available.
Whilst several areas of Africa continue to need urgent International Humanitarian assistance, (which is vitally important in such circumstances), it is also worth remembering that Africa is rich in several types of natural resources that could at some point help to generate/create a long term brighter future; for instance; the span of life expectancy with regard to what is everyone’s basic right in being able to have access to fresh, clean drinking tap water, local food produce and better infrastructure. such as medical facilities, and shelter/housing amidst growing Climatic Change, should be focussed upon as a priority, along the journey of building a better road to peace.
With longer periods of severe drought affecting many parts of Africa; followed by flash floods across several locations (as in March of this year), that include areas of the White Nile, such as Sudan, this, (along with other socially disruptive dynamics), has magnified the impact of Climate Change for many; whilst highlighting the need for further International help in regard to available drinking water, food, medicines and safe shelter, along with the need of further repairs to damaged infrastructure, and Climatic improvements to infrastructure in terms of being able to better anticipate periods of both drought and flooding.
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FOREST CONSERVATION EFFORTS WITHIN THE AMAZON BASIN…
Deforestation has caused many parts of the world, including many areas of the Amazon Basin to become left open to an increase in severe weather conditions, brought about by Climate Change; from harsh drought to heavy storm impacts, with problems that include excessive flooding causing even further environmental issues such as soil depletion and crop loss, along with other ecologically damaging factors that include sediment run off from large scale industrial pollution which then has a negative impact on what in many cases should be fresh drinking water, whereby better Industrial Waste pollution management comes into focus in regard to protecting the life and survival of the natural eco-systems.
434 of 730 Indigenous areas situated across six regions were recognised by President Lula Da Silva on Friday April 28th 2023, which so far, is a fairly positive step towards making progress in the fight against excessive levels of Eco-System damage from excessive levels of Deforestation across the Amazon Basin, as areas located in regions such as Mato Grosso and Santa Catarina are still experiencing large scale Deforestation, along with suffering
from high levels Industrial toxic waste pollution; whereby further Collaborative as well as Independent environmental monitoring still needs to be furthered on both a Regional and Cross Regional Level, as well as on a continuing International Level on the World Stage.
When droughts occur across deforested land; this exposes and causes soil on the land to no longer be able to soak in any of the water as it becomes increasingly hardened, cracked and impermeable from a lack of tree canopy shade due to Deforestation; thus causing more excessive land/soil erosion and crop loss in the event of floods; whereby the roots of trees and shrubs that would have once grown on the land would be able to naturally protect the entire eco-system more effectively against Climate Change; for people, wildlife and crops.
Therefore, the reintroduction of many non-invasive drought tolerant trees (including the only non-cyanogenic Acacia tree species; known as Acacia Nilotica, along with tree species such as the Magnolia Amazonica- both of which can grow in a neutral to acidic ph soil value, i.e from 5 to 6.5 ph), should be grown in order to better cope with Climate Change in regard to storm severity occurrences, heatwaves and droughts…
CALIFORNIA: CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Whilst problems such as crop residue can limit the movement of water in soil, (thereby affecting the scope for the further reduction of tillage), it has been reported that several areas of California are implementing Conservation Tillage, especially over the warmer months, which saves on agricultural water usage whilst helping to improve the soil integrity/quality as much as possible.
Peace and Love to everyone….. L.D.K
(Article copyright of L.D.K)
N.B You can now also contact me at: Liza1ldk@liza4883
{Ref: See The About Page}
Artwork: Copyright of L.D.K
CLIMATE CHANGE ACROSS GREECE…
From an increase in temperatures, droughts and wildfires, to an extreme of heavy flooding having impacted several regions of Greece; such Climate Change occurrences have affected the price of food within the rise of inflation.
The production of olives alone has dropped by half of its usual output in Greece, due to rising heatwave temperatures across several regions, which in some cases have been reported to have reached over 40 degrees Celsius; along with an increased period of drought across several areas. Whilst some of the spoilt olive crops have been collected and used as a form of cleaner fuel (amidst higher fuel prices in Greece), it is clear that a wider focus must be given to Climate Change Adaptation in terms of being able to maintain healthy crop yields, given the changing weather conditions, (i.e prolonged heatwave temperatures, and periods of drought), with a view towards increased agricultural planning in anticipation of shifting rainfall patterns across areas where crops can grow, besides the need for improved Climate Infrastructure in terms of both Earthquake and Flood Risk Management, especially and including along both populated and coastal areas.
Update:22nd May 2023
FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES ACROSS NORTHERN ITALY…..
Severe drought has impacted several North Eastern areas of Italy earlier on this year, such as the major agricultural flatland area of Emilia-Romagna, and as mentioned previously: any areas of exposed, parched and cracked land containing sparse/no tree coverage are more vulnerable to harsher drought conditions, resulting in the soil being no longer able to soak up any water if and /when rainfall does occur; which results in more hazardous large scale flooding along with severe land/soil erosion…
Now, high levels of flooding from torrential rain downpour have impacted the provinces of Rimini, Bologna, Ravenna, Forli, and Cesena across the Emilia-Romagna region since the 3rd of May of this year, 2023; resulting in the flooding of many places with a flood height level of up to (and in some circumstances over), eight feet of water.
Currently, eight mortalities have been reported in Emilia Romagna; with well over twenty thousand people currently being impacted by the floods, through having been displaced and left without shelter, food, blankets and drinking water; in many cases unable to go back to their homes, with some roads being completely flood damaged to the extent where emergency rescue and relief efforts are affected in trying to reach anyone else impacted by the floods and urgently needing help and medical assistance.
It is estimated that fourteen rivers have broken their banks due to the level of flooding; with large numbers of livestock along with many crops having been swept away by the floods, along with large scale mudslide movement. Further landslides from the severity of the flooding are expected to occur, which puts even more people, pets, wildlife, infrastructure and homes at prolonged and additional risk.
A FLOODING OCCURRENCE PRIOR TO THE MAJOR FLOODING IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA…
Eight months ago; Flooding prior to the major flooding in Emilia Romagna; on the 15th of September in 2022; a neighbouring border to Emilia Romagna known as Marche (a.k.a the Marches) along with the city of Ancona was impacted with high floods (along with land/mudslides) and which resulted in twelve reported mortalities. Indeed, the high flooding occurrence in the neighbouring area of Marche should have been sufficient Climatic warning enough to have implemented a more effective level of Climate Change Disaster Planning ahead of time in the event of such widespread flooding; such as improved infrastructure/drainage, the planting of more trees around coastal areas in order to lessen flood impacts, and strengthening flood barriers, alongside of issuing flood alerts.
Better Flood Risk Management helps to save lives in helping to lessen the widespread Climatic impact of the flooding which continues to affect the local people their loved ones, friends and pets, their homes, and their livelihoods.
(If farmers were given/issued with an adequate flood warning; it may have been possible that a few of the crops could have been picked early ahead of time in order to save some produce).
It has since been estimated that fourteen rivers have broken their banks due to the widespread flooding; with large numbers of livestock along with many crops having been swept away by the floods, along with large scale mudslide movement. Further erosion and landslides from the severity of the flooding are expected to occur, which puts lives, infrastructure and homes at prolonged and additional risk.
CLIMATE CHANGE…HOT AIR AND COOLING….(i.e Hot and Cold molecules)…
Various maps and diagrams showing a cooling in the Northern Hemisphere areas of earth, are actually showing the growth of an Ozone hole in the areas of both the Stratosphere along with the upper Tropospheric layer of our atmosphere, which is located above the lower Tropospheric layer of our atmosphere, and currently containing a lot of green house gas pollution.
Such Stratospheric temperature drops in our upper atmosphere, can cool over a period of time and up to a point that can cause a sudden change in air movement, triggering a directional wind pattern reversal which the brings about a warming of the upper Stratosphere.
This warmth in turn pushes down into the upper Tropospheric layer of our atmosphere, and into the Atlantic Jet Stream, thereby causing extreme weather swings over the Northern Hemisphere, from prolonged periods of drought to excessive flooding.
(Recent Satellite data has confirmed this).
Peace and Love to everyone…L.D.K
(Article copyright of L.D.K)
N.B
(Along with infrastructure, livestock, and crops, a volume of Artwork and books have been damaged by the floods, and once again, if more sufficient flood alerts were put in place and given a little more ahead of time as forecast on the local weather reports, then this would have allowed more of a window of time to a certain degree for the reinforcement of more buildings against flood damage; along with protecting people, pets, medicines and drinking water, food storage items, (including the food stock of local stores/shops, and restaurants), and things such as artwork, books, instruments, and various documents).
Artwork: Copyright of L.D.K
In regard to the recent volcanic activity such as the eruptions of Mount Etna, near the city of Catania in Sicily, along with the latest Popocatepetl (a.k.a “El Popo”) volcanic eruption located on the outskirts of Mexico City; the increase in volume and movement of volcanic deposits from things such as Pyroclastic (i.e tephra/rock) fragmented debris, can at some point in time trigger Seismic activity, alongside of any additional health and safety/respiratory risks from particulates within the naturally occurring atmospheric pollution of volcanic ash falling over densely populated areas that are located within regions that are fairly close in proximity to ongoing volcanic activity, along side of volcanic landslides and avalanches.
June 2023….i
It has been reported that Puerto Rico currently experiencing a heatwave of 110 degrees Celsius; and such hot conditions usually affect soil moisture levels, whilst Cuba has been experiencing some major flooding.
Torrential rain along with widespread flooding has recently been followed by a 4.9 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. Heavy rainfall can also induce seismic activity in locations that in some cases may already be undergoing some sort of geological weakening/stress vulnerability.
June 7th 2023…..
An air Pollution Emergency was declared in places such as New York; as smoke filled air brought in from Wildfires occurring across parts of Canada, such as Quebec, rode in from the Jet Stream winds of an Omega Block weather system.
Meanwhile, several areas of Northern California, including parts of the Sierra Nevada experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms, along with hail stones and some lightning. This is unusual weather for the month of June, which is normally the start of the dry season, but has been affected by Omega Block weather conditions.
An Omega Block Weather System occurs when a High Pressure System gets stuck/caught up in the middle of two Low Pressure Systems. This can result in heavy/persistent rain and flooding over the Low Pressure areas of Cooler temperatures and warmer weather resulting in intervals of drought across areas of High Pressure.
Further periods of heavy/persistent rain in many cases, usually means ongoing flood risks and infrastructural damage across certain areas. Therefore in areas where things such as sewage pipe infrastructure is not damaged; additional drainage systems may facilitate in channeling flood water from one location to another, (before the flood water reaches a stage of becoming too polluted with traffic and road particulates) towards storing it ahead of time for utilisation in drier, drought conditions.
FLOODING: FOLLOWING UP WITH REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE…
In the aftermath of the Syria/Turkey earthquake and flooding; it has been reported that geological changes have taken place across certain agricultural areas that are within proximity to the natural fault lines of the Euphrates River, whereby deep cracks have opened up across several areas of land, resulting in major soil disturbance and impacting certain agricultural yields across areas of farm land.
Whilst areas of land all over the world are increasingly becoming affected from Earth Flux and /Climate Change occurrences; infrastructural improvements across rural areas, as well as city areas; must also be put into place, in terms of things such as the improved Planning and Design of Irrigational Systems across agricultural areas, through Climate Change/Infrastructure Investment Funding, along with Climate Change/Agricultural Insurance Provisions to Farmers; this includes small scale farmers/ and farming communities…
Peace and love, L.D.K