THE IMPACT OF GEOGRAPHICAL PHENOMENA

(a) Plate tectonics:

Definition
Location and movement of the Caribbean plate and its

interaction with other plates.

Earthquakes and volcanoes: threat of tsunamis, social
displacement.

Definition of plate tectonics:

Basic definition of plate tectonics;

Plate tectonics is an explanation of how plates move in relation to each other, thereby, creating
certain tectonic activities at the margin.
Geographical definition of plate tectonics;

Plate tectonics refers to the theory that the Earths surface (lithosphere), which holds landmass
especially and oceans, is moving relatively over a dense semi-liquid area below the surface
(asthenosphere). Motion is influenced by friction between the asthenosphere and lithosphere,
causing the rigid surface to fracture and move as individual plates.

Plate movements:

Transform (conservative) plate margins

These are plates that slide past each other. They generate
earthquakes.
e.g.
Trinidad (September 29th, 2006 - 5.5 magnitude.
Haiti (January 12th, 2010) - 7.0 magnitude.

Divergent (constructive) plate margins;

It is a linear feature which moves away from each other. These movements
usually generate volcanoes.
e.g.;
Grenada- Kick em Jenny
Martinique- Mt. Pele
Montserrat- Soufriere
St. Lucia Pitons

Convergent(destructive) plate margin;

This is occurs when plates collides and one is forced downwards, hence
pushing upward the other plate.as a result there are volcanoes, earthquakes
and mountains being formed in these areas.
e.g; volcanoes (repeated)
Grenada- Kick em Jenny
Martinique- Mt. Pele
Monsterrat- Soufrire.
e.g: mountains
Trinidad- northern range
Jamaica- Blue Mountains
Grenada- Saint Catherine

CARIBBEAN PLATE
The Caribbean Plate is centered amidst the Cocos, Panama, North Andes,
South American, and North American Plates.
The Caribbean Plate lies in a complex area with two major plates and two
minor plates bordering it. The plate includes oceanic and continental crust.
The Caribbean Sea covers most of the plate with Central America and
volcanic islands covering the rest. The edges of the plate have intense
seismic activity, frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

DISASTERS CAUSED BY PLATE TECTONICS

RELATIVE TERMS
firstly, the term natural hazards can be defined as events that occur on the earths surface and
cause a threat to human lives and property.
Natural disaster- events that occur on the earths crust and affects human lives and property
causing a detrimental effect.

Earthquakes are sudden tremors in the earth cause by plate

movements, hey are sudden, striking and comes with little movements.
The violent seismic waves destroy buildings an kill and injure people buried
under the rubble. They may trigger landslides and damage dams. However,
they are most common along the northern and western fringes of the
Caribbean society.
e.g.
Jamaica (1907)
The capital city, Kingston was flatten, secondary impact of fires caused
further damage.
Haiti (2010)
The impact of the massive earthquake has been one of the most
devastating. It occurred on the 12th of January with a magnitude of 7.0.
Today, Haiti still has not recovered leaving hundreds in abject poverty, others
homeless and much more facing economic problems.

TSUNAMIS
A tsunami is a large sea wave, traveling at great speed, triggered by oceanic earthquakes and
volcanoes.
Tsunamis are not familiar to the Caribbean; however there have been minor impacts on recent
history. These include;
Jamaica (1907)
Puerto Rico (1918)
Montserrat (1997)
Dominican Republic (1946)

VOLCANOES

Volcanoes are perhaps the most dramatic extreme natural event. Hot lava spewing out of
the vent, Ash and gases exploding into the air. The impact can be devastating, obliterating
large areas, with people and buildings buried.

There are two types of volcano: composite, cinder and shield.