5.1: The Concept of a Hazard Flashcards
How is the risk to human populations of hazards increased?
Because we build shanty towns on unstable tropical slopes, urbanise volcanic zones,
live in areas with active faults,
and live on coasts susceptible to hurricanes and volcanoes.
What are the common characteristics of natural hazards?
- most natural hazards only allow a short warning
- most losses to life and damage to property occur shortly after the event, although the effects of natural hazards can be felt in communities long after that time (eg disease).
- exposure to risk is involuntary, although in developed areas, most of the people who occupy hazardous areas are well aware of risks which they choose to minimise.
- the origins are clear, and they effects the produce are distinctive (eg earthquakes causing buildings to collapse).
- the scale of the event requires an emergency response.
What is risk?
The exposure of people to a hazardous event - presenting a potential threat to themselves, their possessions and the build environment.
Why do people consciously put themselves at risk from natural hazards?
- hazards are unpredictable
- lack of alternatives (due to social, political, economic, cultural factors)
- changing level of risk (places that were once safe have now, over time, become far more of a risk).
- cost/benefit (people see the advantages greater than potential risk eg soil fertility on volcanoes).
- perception
Why are the people of cities of poorer countries most vulnerable?
Because as such urban areas have grown, more and more people have been forced to live in hazardous areas eg steep hillsides that are prone to landslides.
Why are richer people and countries arguably least vulnerable?
Because they can protect themselves by building sea defences, constructing earthquake resistant buildings, providing better emergency services etc.
Define perception.
The way in which an individual views the threats of a hazard.
This ultimately determine the course of action taken by individuals or the response they expect from governments and other organisations.
What is perception of a hazard affected by?
- socioeconomic status
- level of education
- employment status
- religion, cultural background
- past experience
- values, personality, expectations
What are the three ways in which people may perceive a natural hazard?
- fatalism (hazards are natural events that are part of living in an area - “God’s will”. Losses are accepted as inevitable so people stay in that area).
- adaptation (people see that they can prepare for, and therefore survive the evens by prediction, prevention or protection).
- fear (the perception of the hazard is such that people feel so vulnerable that they’re no longer able to face living in the area, so move away to unaffected areas).
What is community resilience?
The sustained ability of a community to utilise available resources to respond to, withstand and review from the effects of natural hazards.
Outline the key features of the modern approach to hazards.
They gather info, careful analyse and deliberate planning - or make the most efficient use of the money available to confront natural hazards.
What’s integrated risk management?
The process of considering the S, Ec and P factors involved in risk analysis; determining the acceptability of damage/disruption, and deciding on the actions to be taken to minimise damage/disruption.
Used by governments in many countries.
People try to manage hazards in the following ways:…
- predictions (by improved monitoring, meaning earnings can be issued).
- prevention (ideas and schemes eg seeding clouds to cause more precipitation, in theory resulting in a weakening of a system as it approached land).
- protection (to protect people, their possessions and the built environment from the impact of the event. Eg building sea walls and earthquake proof buildings. Community preparedness involves prearranged measures to reduce the loss of life and property damage through public education and awareness programmes).
What does the disaster/risk management cycle involve?
Mitigation -> preparedness -> response -> recover
What dles Park’s disaster/response curve show?
That hazard events can have varying impacts over time
