Hazard Management Flashcards
What is socio- economic disruption?
Disruption to social or economic aspects of society.
What is environmental degradation?
The deterioration of the natural environment.
What is an effusive eruption?
An eruption where lava flows on the ground rather than being expelled in an explosive manner
What is a basaltic eruption?
A gentle (effusive) eruption, that is characterised by fluid lava and is relatively predictable
What 6 ways are hazards highly variable
Nature Magnitude Location Cause Frequency Scale of impact
What are the 6 main types of natural hazard?
Flood Drought Volcano Earthquake Landslide/ avalanche Cyclone/ hurricane
What is a hydro- meteorological hazard?
Those caused by running water and it’s processes (H) and those associated with it or caused by weather patterns (M).
H - floods, mudflows.
M - hurricanes, droughts, wildfires.
What is a geophysical hazard?
Those caused by earth’s processes. 2 types:
1) internal earth processes or tectonic origin.
2) external earth processes of geomorphological origin involving mass movements
How does a natural event become a hazard?
It has to involve people.
What is a natural hazard?
Natural events that are perceived to be a threat to people, the built environment and the natural environment.
What is a disaster?
Disasters are the realisation of hazards to cause social impacts, such as loss of lives or livelihood, and economic impacts, such as da,age to goods and property.
What way can underlying cases of vulnerability be an indicator of disaster vulnerability?
Poverty
Failing social , political and economic systems.
What way can pressures be an indicator of disaster vulnerability?
Local scale-
Lack of education, food security, ethical standards
Macro scale-
Rapid population change, urbanisation, debt repayment issues, over exploitation of resources
What way can unsafe conditions of the population be an indicator of disaster vulnerability?
Physical environment -
Dangerous location, unprotected buildings
Socio economic environment-
Weak local economy (poverty), Lack of disaster preparedness ,Hunger and disease
What is the dreggs model
A venn diagram which shows how the combination of a hazardous event and disaster vulnerability combine to make a hazard.
What is vulnerability?
How exposed you may be or how exposed an area may be. The tendency of a place, group or society to incur losses to hazards
What are the most vulnerable areas?
High risk areas Young children and elderly LEDCs Poorly managed areas People who live on steep slopes susceptible to landslides (favelas)
Why do people remain exposed to hazards?
Unpredictability of hazard
Lack of alternatives - vulnerable poor
Russian roulette - act of god, part of living process
Cost vs. Benefit of the area
What did Swiss Re insurance define a disaster as in 1990?
An event where at least 20 people died or damage over $16 billion caused.
What is the UN definition of a hazard?
Following criteria:
Report of 10 or more killed
100 or more affected
Declaration of state emergency by relevant emergency
Request for national gov for international assistance
What can risk be defined as?
The probability of a hazard event occurring and creating loss of lives and livelihoods
What can perception be designed as?
The way in which an individual or group views the threat of a hazard event. This determines the course of action taken by individuals or the response they expect from the government or other organisations
What can fatalism be defined as?
A view of a hazard event that suggests that people cannot influence the outcome, therefore, nothing can be done to mitigate it
“God’s will”
What is the risk equation?
Risk = (hazard X vulnerability to the hazard)/ capacity to cope/ recover
Why are risks bgettimg worse in some countries?
- Frequency is increasing due to climate change
- Vulnerability increasing as a result of unsustainable development leading to poor land use and environmental degradation
- The capacity to cope is decreasing owing to poverty and urbanisation
Why are risks lower in more developed countries?
Because they have more resource and technology to provide protection
What is hazard perception?
The way in which someone understands or interprets a hazard.
What is perception of natural hazards influenced by? 7 factors
Socio-economic status Level of education Occupation Past experiences Religion, cultural and ethnic background Family and marital status Values, personality and expectations
The way people perceive natural hazards can be classified into..
Fatalism- (gods will) - part of living in the area
Adaptation- people see that they can prepare for, and therefore survive the events by the 3Ps
Fear- feel so vulnerable that they are no longer able to face living in the area and move away
What is community resilience in the event of a hazard?
The sustained ability of communities to be able to utilise available resources to respond to, withstand and recover from the effect of natural hazard events
Resilient communities are able to minimise the effects of the event making them return to normal life ASAP
What is integrated risk management?
The process of considering the social, economic and political factors involved in risk analysis; determining the acceptability of damage/ disruption; deciding on the actions to be taken to minimise damage/ disruption
What are the physical factors that affect the response to hazards?
Geographical accessibility of the location
Type of hazard (scale, impact, magnitude, frequency)
Topography if region
Climate
What are the human factors that affect the response to hazards?
Number of people involved
Degree of community preparedness
Technological resources & scientific understanding
Education and training
Economic wealth
Infrastructure/ social and political framework
What is the emergency management cycle?
MODIFY THE LOSS - aid for poor, insurance for rich
MODIFY VULNERABILITY - prediction and warning - Education to change behaviour and prevent hazards
MODIFY THE EVENT - further environmental control - hazard avoidance by zoning land - hazard resistant engineering and design.
MODIFY THE CAUSE - environmental control - hazard perception- only really possible for small scale hazards.
What is the hazard management cycle?
Hazard - rescue - relief - rebuilding - rehabilitation - mitigation - prevention - preparation - evacuation warning
What does a successful hazard management cycle involve?
Focuses on preparation prevention and prediction
Focusing on modifying the loss only will NOT improve chances of survival next time
Give 5 examples of roles of players in hazard management
1) insurers
2) engineers / architects
3) scientists / academics / educators
4) national & local gov
5) emergency services
What is the theory of continental drift?
1912 - Alfred Wenger published a theory that a single continent existed around 300 million years ago - PANGEA
Later split into LAURASIA (north) and GONDWANALAND (south)
Today’s continents formed from further splitting of these masses.
What is the theory of continental drift supported by?
1) Study of fossils
2) Pattern of rocks
3) Shape of continents fit together like a jigsaw
4) Magnetic field pattern in iron containing rocks (SEE NOTES)
How did Erwig’s discovery in 1948 develop the theory of continental drift
Erwig discovered Mid Atlantic and the magnetic field pattern in the rocks- showed rocks were flowing out from either side if the mountains
What did Hess prove in 1948 that contributed to the theory of continental drift?
He proved that the newest rocks under the Atlantic were next to the mid- Atlantic ridge, and the oldest ones were near the coast of the USA
This meant the sea floor was slowly moving outwards form the mid Atlantic ridge towards the USA coast.
What are the Earths layers? How deep and what are they made up of?
The Crust (0-40km) - Silicon, O, Al, K and Na The Mantle (40-2890km) - Silicon and oxygen The Core (2890- 6370km) - Iron and Nickel
What does new erase arch suggest the crust and upper mantle should be divided into?
Lithosphere- crust and rigid upper section of mantle (80-90km thick)
Asthenosphere- semi-molten - what the plates move and float on
