PAR Model on China earthquake

IntroductionA devastating earthquake hit the eastern Sichuan province in china near Chengdu in 2008. The disaster killed around 67,000 people, left 20000 missing and 3000,000 injured. Thousands of people were trapped under the collapsed buildings. The earthquake struck the hill country leasing to the Tibetan highlands. Eighty percent of the buildings and infrastructure collapsed killing thousands of people. People were buried alive and many were left crippled. About 80 percent of the buildings in Sichuan Beichuan County were flattened. A chemical plant in Shifang city was also damaged, burying many people and spilling the toxic chemicals all over the region. The magnitude of this earthquake was 7.9 which were felt in the areas of Vietnam and Thailand. It appeared to be one of the most devastating earthquakes that hit China in more than three decades. This devastating situation created questions about the risk management techniques and infrastructure improvement across China. Although, the natural disasters cannot be avoided completely, but management and recovery is in the hands of human beings. During that situation, the people worked together, and supported each other irrespective of their classes and standard of living (Folger, 2010, 31).

PAR MODEL

Progression of Vulnerability

Root causeThe root causes are the set of established, economic, demographic and political systems within the society that create vulnerability over time and affect the allocation of resources among the groups and people. 

Structure

Zipingpu DamIn 2009, the Chinese and American scientist suggested that the calamity was triggered by a conventional reservoir built close to the geological fault line. It was triggered by the weight of 320 million tons of water in Zipingpu water reservoir. This dam was constructed less than a mile from the fault line. The geophysicists of china said afterwards declared that the dam brought seismic changes before the earthquake. The hundred million tons of water behind Zipingpu dam exerted pressure on the adjacent Beichuan fault. The added mass caused the fault's squeeze, thereby weakening it. It increased the stress leading to rupture the fault. This effect was 25 times of a year's worth of natural stress from the tectonic motions. When the fault ruptured, it moved the way reservoir loading had made it move (Folger, 2010, 31).Seismicity of Eastern and Central Asia. 

The debate about the reservoir as the cause of this earthquake is still ongoing. Several scientists believe that no matter how big the reservoir is, is cannot cause earthquake. They believe that the water could increase the pace of earthquake occurrence if the geological conditions are already present. However, majority yet claim zipingpu dam as the cause of this calamity. The second reason of this earthquake is attributed to the high seismicity of eastern and central Asia. This dynamic collision began 55 million years ago, is often the cause of frequent earthquakes. The construction of the dam on the fault line further increased the probability of earthquake. The structures and natural vulnerabilities create the dynamic pressures. In the case of Sichuan province, these overwhelming pressures were the population and deforestation (Guo, 2010, 113).

Dynamic PressuresThe dynamic pressures are the activities that transform the cause into vulnerability. It channels the cause into an insecurity and ...