Global Hazards

Question 1

What is a hazard?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What two types can natural hazards be divided into?

Answer 2

Hydro-meteorological hazards (caused by climatic processes)- these include droughts, floods, tropical cyclones and storms.
Geophysical hazards (caused by land processes)- these include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides.

Question 3

Term: Disaster

Answer 3

When a hazard actually seriously affects humans.

Question 4

Term: Risk

Answer 4

The likelihood that humans will be seriously affected by a hazard.

Question 5

Term: Vulnerability

Answer 5

How susceptible a population is to the damage caused by a hazard.

Question 6

What is the disaster risk equation?

Answer 6

Risk = hazards x vulnerability/ capacity to cope

Question 7

The risk of disaster increases as…

Answer 7

1) The frequency or severity of hazards increase.
2) People’s vulnerability increases (e.g. higher population densities in areas vulnerable to flooding, like flood plains).
3) People’s capacity to cope is decreased- capacity to cope is the ability to deal with the consequences.

Question 8

What is global warming?

Answer 8

Describes the recent increase in average global temperature.
It’s a type of climate change that has a scientific consensus that it is due to human activity.

Question 9

Why are the number of hydro-meteorological hazards increasing?

Answer 9

Due to the increasing effects of global warming- which is thought to be mainly due to human activity.

Question 10

What human factors are causing an increase in the number of disasters?

Answer 10

• Rapid population and urbanisation- increases number of people who are vulnerable to hazards, especially in poor countries.
• Increasing world poverty- poor people are more vulnerable to hazards.
• Exploitation of resources- e.g deforestation and loss of wetland can lead to an increased risk of flooding and landslides.

Question 11

What physical factors are causing an increase in the number of disasters?

Answer 11

• Global warming- it’s thought to be increasing number of hazards e.g floods and severe storms, which increases number of disasters.
• El Nino events (oceanic current and temperature fluctuations)- these change global weather in an unpredictable way, which makes hydro-meteorological hazards more predictable.

Question 12

How has prediction mean’t the number of deaths caused by disasters has decreased?

Answer 12

Improved technology means some hazards can be predicted, e.g the path of tropical cyclones can be predicted to some extent.
Advance warning means people can be evacuated and properly secured.

Question 13

How has prevention mean’t the number of deaths caused by disasters has decreased?

Answer 13

Natural hazards can’t be stopped, but they can be prevented from becoming disasters.

Question 14

How has preparedness mean’t the number of deaths caused by disasters has decreased?

Answer 14

Educating people on what to do in case of a disaster helps to reduce the number of deaths, e.g Japan has a ‘disaster preparedness day’ each year.

Question 15

What is actual financial cost?

Answer 15

Actual financial cost is the amount of money lost- this is greatest in richer countries.

Question 16

What is relative financial cost?

Answer 16

Relative financial cost is the amount of money lost relative to how much the people have to start with- this is greatest in poorer countries. Less actual money is lost, but the effects of the loss are greater.