Final Hazard Report

 Main Hazards in Ecuador: Earthquakes and Floods

Many natural hazards happen in Ecuador such as floods, landslides, and droughts. But in this report, I will be talking about the two main hazards that occur in Ecuador. Earthquakes and Floods. The cause of an earthquake can in Ecuador is because of the environment of where this country is located. It is located in an intense systematic environment, meaning that it is more intense by Tectonic Plates shifting and getting stuck, causing them to touch and cause friction. This leads to the ground moving and shaking up buildings. The worst case an earthquake can do is cause liquefaction which leads up to buildings collapsing because of the loosely packed ground. I am addressing this hazard as a priority to spread awareness to people that might experience future earthquakes in their lifetime. 

I will be giving safety tips and reconditions for these hazards. Some migration effort that we can do for earthquakes is by identifying hazards. Meaning knowing when an earthquake is taking place. First, get down onto your hands and knees covering your head and neck. Getting under a stable object such as a wooden or metal desk can prevent you from getting hurt. Things we can do as a society can be building safer structures and providing safety kits to every house. The most hazardous areas to be during an earthquake are outside walls of a building, near windows, and fallen utility poles. Building a home in Ecuador the safest place would be Lush Mountain. With the environment being the mountains I do not have to worry about big structures falling during an earthquake. This place produces the best agriculture so I do not have to worry about food.

Floods in Ecuador are a significant problem as well dealing with uncontrolled waterways. with nonstop hours of rain lakes, rivers, and poor drainage this is the cause that Ecuador endures. Rainfall makes for most of the hazards by the rains triggering mud and rocks then quickly descending the streets of Quito causing major destruction in the city. The most affected cities are Azuay, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, and Pichincha. Addressing this problem as a priority is important because it is important information to know that Ecuador has this problem occurring often. 

One recondition I have to address this problem is to build a better drainage system. Many drains are old and rusty and do not hold enough water to support storms. Solving this problem prevent water to flood into houses and streets. Other resources such as rescue teams are important for the communities, as well as evacuation sites. The most hazardous places to be while a flood is outdoors and on hillside streets. The reason for this is that the overpowering rain sweeps the rocks and mud on the mountains causing mudslides. This then rapidly races downhill towards the nearest city, moving trees, cars, and other heavy items. A place I would build my house to avoid floods would be inside the city. The house would be elevated very high with an indoor garage. Elevation would be the goal for my house knowing that floods are common in this country. 

Having borders where water does not touch my house will also be important. This will not damage the outside of my house. Ecuador can be a very beautiful place to live in or visit but people have to be aware of its natural hazards when visiting. Having a proper plan and secure shelter is a must. Although these hazardous events occur people should not avoid this country.

Work Cited

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ecuador/natural-disasters

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-we-cause-earthquakes-there-any-way-prevent-earthquakes

https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/during.html

https://ecuador.propertyshelf.com/en/front-page/ll1700228

https://reliefweb.int/disaster/fl-2022-000164-ecu

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ecuador-landslide-flooding-deaths-quito/