GCSE-readyLiving with tectonic hazards
Hundreds of millions of people live near active volcanoes or on earthquake zones. Why stay, and how can the risks be reduced?
Why live in danger?
Geothermal energy: underground heat can make electricity, as in Iceland and Kenya.
Tourism: volcanoes and hot springs attract visitors and jobs.
Minerals: such as sulphur and copper.
And many people have family, homes and jobs there, or cannot afford to move. Big eruptions and earthquakes are rare, so many people judge the risk worth taking.
Predict, protect, prepare
Protect: earthquake-resistant buildings with deep foundations, steel frames, cross-bracing and rubber shock absorbers; strict building rules.
Prepare: emergency plans, warning systems, evacuation routes, and drills. In Japan, many people practise earthquake drills, including on Disaster Prevention Day (1 September).
Case study: Nepal, 2015
Primary effects (from the shaking): buildings collapsed. About 9,000 people died and more than 21,000 were seriously injured (USGS).
Secondary effects (that followed): landslides blocked roads; an avalanche on Mount Everest killed climbers; many people lost homes and income.
Nepal is a lower-income country with many older buildings, which made the damage worse. Wealth, building quality and preparation strongly affect how deadly a hazard is.
Two earthquakes of the same magnitude hit two countries. One has strict building rules and regular drills; the other has many old, unreinforced buildings. Explain which is likely to have fewer deaths.
- Strict building rules mean buildings are designed to sway rather than collapse.
- Regular drills mean people know to drop, cover and hold on, and how to evacuate.
- So the country with strict rules and drills is likely to have far fewer deaths.
Answer: The country with strict building rules and drills, because its buildings are less likely to collapse and people know what to do.
People live near tectonic hazards for fertile soil, geothermal energy, tourism, minerals and family ties. Risk is cut by predicting, protecting and preparing. Nepal 2015: magnitude 7.8, about 9,000 deaths (USGS); primary effects come from the shaking, secondary effects follow later. Wealth and preparation shape the impact.
- Earthquake
- A sudden shaking of the ground caused by movement of the Earth's plates.
- Lava
- Magma that has reached the Earth's surface.
- Not “A heavy concrete roof”. A heavy roof is more likely to collapse and crush people.
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2 more questions
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Why is soil near volcanoes often fertile?
- It is always flat
- Volcanic ash and lava break down into mineral-rich soil
- It is always wet
- No plants grow there
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Answer: Volcanic ash and lava break down into mineral-rich soil
Volcanic soils are rich in minerals.
Which country gets a lot of its electricity and heating from geothermal energy?
- The Netherlands
- Egypt
- Bangladesh
- Iceland
Show the answer
Answer: Iceland
Iceland uses heat from inside the Earth.
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- National Curriculum in England, Key Stage 3: Geography programme of study
- USGS: Introduction to the special issue on the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake
Checked by the GCSE-ready editorial team, 16 October 2026. Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.