5.1 Natural Hazards

Question 1

Definition Hazard

Answer 1

Something that’s a potential threat to human life or property

Question 2

What are natural hazards causes by?

Answer 2

Natural processes e.g. lava

Question 3

Three types of natural hazards

Answer 3

Geophysical
Atmospheric
Hydrological

Question 4

What is a geophysical hazard?

Answer 4

causes by land processes

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and tsunamis

Question 5

What is a atmospheric hazard

Answer 5

causes by climatic processes

tropical cyclones, storms, drought, wildfires and extreme hot or cold weather

Question 6

What is a hydrological hazard?

Answer 6

causes by water movement

floods and avalanches

Question 7

Define Disaster

Answer 7

when a hazard actually seriously affects humans

Question 8

Define Risk

Answer 8

the likelihood that humans will be seriously affected by a hazard

Question 9

Define Vulnerability

Answer 9

how susceptible a population is to the damage causes by a hazard

Question 10

What are the different ways that people can view hazards?

Answer 10

they won’t ever experience a particular hazard
adapt lifestyle to minimise the risk
accept that a hazard is beyond there control

Question 11

What is peoples perception of a hazard affected by?

Answer 11

economic, social and cultural background.

Question 12

Examples of ways peoples perception of hazards vary

Answer 12

wealth
religion
education
past experience
personality

Question 13

How can wealth affect peoples perception of a hazard?

Answer 13

richer people will be able to afford to move to different areas that are less prone to hazards or build their home to withstand hazards so the may perceive a small risk

Question 14

How can religion affect peoples perception of a hazard?

Answer 14

some people view hazards as an act of God sent to punish people

Question 15

How can education affect peoples perception of a hazard?

Answer 15

people with more education may have a better understanding of the risks of hazards and they may be bale to reduce the risks or mitigate the impacts

Question 16

How can past experience affect peoples perception of a hazard?

Answer 16

people who have lived in hazard prone areas and have experienced a hazard before may perceive them differently, more prepared for future hazards and have an opinion on what they entail

Question 17

How can personality affect peoples perception of a hazard?

Answer 17

some people fear hazards more than others, some think they are exciting

Question 18

What are the different responds to a hazard?

Answer 18

1. try and prevent the hazard/reduce its magnitude/risk sharing
2. might try to reduce the impacts of the hazard by prediction or adaptation
3. governments may coordinate responses to a hazard to manage it effectively
4. hazards can’t be avoided so they just have to be accepted

Question 19

What does the sucess of attempts to manage a hazard depend on?

Answer 19

hazard incidence - how often a hazard occurs
magnitude/intensity - powerful
distribution - extent of the hazard
development of the country - lack of wealth and technology

Question 20

What are the most destructive hazards?

Answer 20

low incidence and high magnitude

Question 21

What does the park model show?

Answer 21

how people respond to a hazard

Question 22

5 main parts to the park model

Answer 22

pre-disaster
disruption
relief 
rehabilitation
reconstruction

Question 23

Explanation of pre-disaster in the park model

Answer 23

before the event, the situation is normal

Question 24

Explanation of disruption in the park model

Answer 24

during and directly after the hazard event occurs, destruction of property and loss of life

Question 25

Explanation of relief in the park model

Answer 25

in the aftermath of the event, rescue efforts focus on saving people and preventing further damage

Question 26

Explanation of rehabilitation in the park model

Answer 26

once the immediate impacts are under control, people start to resolve longer term problems
eg. aid or shelter

Question 27

Explanation of reconstruction in the park model

Answer 27

rebuilding permeant houses, infrastructure
this results in
1. buildings built to the same standard as before -norma l
2. buildings built to a higher standard than before, the area improves

Question 28

What does the park model show?

Answer 28

1. how responses progress during a hazard, which may help planners predict what resources will be needed at each stage.
2. it can help planners to prepare for future hazards.
3. reconstruction phase can show that conditions can improve which will help to mitigate the impact s of future hazards

Question 29

4 phases of the hazard management cycle

Answer 29

mitigation
preparedness
response
recovery

Question 30

Explanation of mitigation in the HMC

Answer 30

this aims to minimise the impacts of future disasters, it can happen before or after a hazard has occured
e.g. flood defences

Question 31

Explanation of preparedness in the HMC

Answer 31

this is about planning how to respond to a hazard

e.g. making sure that warning systems are in place and educating people

Question 32

Explanation of response in the HMC

Answer 32

this is how people react when a disaster occurs

e.g. emergancy services rescuing people who have been trapped or evacuating people from the danger zone

Question 33

Explanation of recovery in the HMC

Answer 33

this is about getting the affected area back to normal

e.g. repairing buildings and restoring services

Question 34

Why is the HMC a cycle?

Answer 34

because hazards keep happening so efforts to prepare for them are ongoing