Case Study- Lake Nyos

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  • Created by: EMBROWN23
  • Created on: 12-12-15 15:47
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  • Case Study- Lake Nyos
    • When and Where it occured
      • Located in  Northwest Cameroon.
      • 21st August 1986
    • What happend
      • Because South America and Africa split 110 million years ago, a rift was formed, the Mvbere rift valley.
      • As the crust had been stretching apart, magma has reached the surface beneath Lake Nyos.
      • Lake Nyos is surrounded by old lava flows and pyroclastic deposits.
      • The magma beneath the lake leaked carbon dioxide into the water creating a weak carbonic acid.
      • An earthquake triggered a land slide which disrupted the lake water allowing the trapped gas to escape.
    • Primary effects
      • 1,700 people suffocated from a large cloud of carbon dioxide.
      • The worst affected villages were Cha, Nyos ans Subum.
      • 3,500 livestock killed.
      • 100,00-300,00 tons of carbon dioxide was released in a cloud rising nearly 100 kilometers per hour.
      • People suffocated in their sleep as carbon dioxide is 1.5 time denser than air and became stuck on the ground.
    • Secondary effects
      • 4000 people left the area.
      • Many people suffer from respiratory problems becasue of the gas.
    • Immediate Reponses
      • Countries provided financial assistacne to the survivors of the disaster.
      • Non-Govermental organisations from different countries sent an amount of $ 352,389.
      • Aid was provided by different countries, this included clean drinking water, sanitation, food, medical aid and shelter.
      • Temporary resettlement camps were set up by the cameroon government to relocate disater victims to risk-free zones.
    • How they magaged it
      • They are now able to  prevent a large amount being displaced again as they manage the carbon dioxide levels by degassing the lake.
      • They were not able to prevent it occuring at the time.
      • They are going to reinforce the lake walls to prevnet gas being leaked out from the bottom.
    • Long term responses
      • To prevent large amounts of gas being displaced again they are managing the carbon dioxide levels by degassing the lake.
      • They are also going to reinforce the lake walls to prevent large amounts of gas escaping.
      • Permanent resettlement sites were built to assist the survivors to re-establish normal lifestyles.

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