Why do people continue to live in areas at risk of volcanoes and earthquakes?

Question

Does anyone have any idea? Because I have to write a project on it, and Im stumped, besides the fact that its the people's perspective of the hazard, and their perception.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Thank you =]

xjes

Answer 1

There's a very simple explanation for that.

Here are a couple of possible reasons:

1) They underestimate the chances and magnitutude of such catastrophes (due to a lack of education/information

2) Moving is simply not easy. To move away they'd have to go to someplace unfamiliar and uncomfortable, they'd have to get new jobs closer to their new residence, etc etc. Logistics.

Answer 2

Its like why do people live in areas with hurricanes (Florida), Tornados (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and many more), Tidal waves, Japan, Singapore. It is home. I lived in Peru as a kid I lived through many earthquakes and literally thousands of tremors or aftershocks. In 1970 when I was 8 years old a very large chunk of a mountain peak broke off and created a huge landslide of rock and snow that along with its force, speed killed over 22,000 people in under 30 minutes in one area alone, the city was called Yungay, about 5 years later survivors started to build right over the mud flats again calling it Nuevo "New" Yungay, it was home. In my opinion it was stupid, but hey what do it know. One more observation the landslide started at 23,000 feet and came down to about 9,000 feet, over 2 1/2 mile drop.The earthquake in itself lasted only 55 seconds, all in all this earthquake killed 60,000 people nationwide that Sunday afternoon on May 30th. I did not have school for weeks. But it was home. This area also housed a huge volcanic chain of mountains. Look up "Volcan Misti" it is an awesome dormant volcano in Arequipa, Peru that has over 1 million people living on its skirts. The homes are built of molded volcano ash bricks, it is also known as the White City. You would never in an emergency be able to move that many people in such a short period of time. A strong earthquake can cover several hundred miles, 600 to 900 hundred miles can be felt quite well.

Answer 3

I would say probably because their families have lived there all their lives and they don't want to leave their home. Who knows why people moved there in the first place, but now they are too stubborn to leave at all. I think a lot of poor people just dont move because they can't afford to. Their life and livelyhood are based on the life and job they have in that area. They have families to provide for, and I guess as long as the volcano or whatever hasn't been a problem yet, then they will just continue to press their luck.

Answer 4

It's useful that you're planning to include something about their perception of the risk - that's surprisingly important.

However another factor can be that they don't actually have much choice, especially if they're poor. They may find it very difficult to move themselves and their families to a safer area where they can nonetheless find a job that suits their skills. (Actually, this point probably applies more to people who live in areas prone to flooding, but if you look at *all* those parts of the world prone to earthquakes and similar you find that they don't have much choice - it might be worth studying the situation in the Punjab, for example).

Hope that helps a little.

Answer 5

Well, I live in an earthquake zone, but it will never happen to me. The guy next door, maybe, but not me. And besides I've lived here for a long time, the kids are in school here, all my friends are here. I guess I could move to somewhere safer, where they only have tornadoes or hurricanes or tsunamis or floods or rangeland fires, but I think I'll just hunker down here.

Answer 6

Because earthquakes don't happen everyday. So people weigh the risks...it is this ability to weigh risks that makes man such a huge evolutionary success.

Answer 7

Volcanoes ash and lava results in very fertile soil, i believe.
So they stay there as they get good crop yield.
Minerals such as tin, silver, gold, copper and even diamonds can be found in volcanic rocks, which they can sell on for money.
I think they can also sell sulphur which gathers and solidifies at vents..
Geothermal energy.
Tourism creating jobs.. ?


i don't know why people live near earthquake faults though..

Answer 8

well,sometimes people have been residing there for as long as they can remember, its very expensive or worthless for them to have to leave and start a life all over again. so they would have to either carry everything they own or leave everything they own . this is not easy. some may not be able to afford the move, and to others that is all they know..

Answer 9

first point is increase in population
second is ancestors also used to live there.
third is volcano's and earthquake r not so frequent

Answer 10

because they love the adventure when an EQ strikes