Avalanches Flashcards
What’s an avalanche?
Massive snow and ice that moves very rapidly down a mountain side
Physical causes of Avalanches
Heavy snow fall
Melting weakens the layers of snow and ice causing them to be unstable
Small earthquakes
Human causes of avalanches
People skiing or snowboarding can cause increased pressure on the layers of snow
What happens when too much heavy snowfall complies?
A weak ice layer can break and cause all the snow to fall
Ways in which to reduce the chances of an Avalanche
Weather watching for areas at risk
Experts monitoring the snow
Wooden fences
Trees
Shoots for roads and buildings at risks
Why would wooden fences be helpful to stop an avalanche?
To hold back the snow
How can trees be helpful to reduce avalanche?
They hold snow together
They break up smaller avalanches
What can happen as a result of an avalanche ?
Lives are lost
Buildings and roads are destroyed
Living things being injured or buried alive in snow