Hazards Flashcards
Hazards can be categorised into
Magnitude
Frequency
Duration
Spatial concentrations
Speed of onset
Risk
The probability of a hazard occurring and creating loss
The exposure of people to a hazardous event presenting a potential threat to themselves, their possessions and the built environment in which they live
Vulnerability
Risk and ability to cope
HICs may be less vulnerable as they have more money to recover
Hazard
A threat which ahs the potential to cause injury, loss of life, damage to property, socio-economic disruption or environmental degradation. Can be caused by either natural or human processes
Natural hazards
Hazards which occur in the physical environments of the atmosphere, lithosphere, and the hydrosphere
Disaster
Hazardous event that causes unacceptably large numbers of fatalities and/or overwhelming property damage. Occur as a result of a hazard
UN classifies a hazard a disaster when:
>10 people killed
>100 people affected
State of emergency is declared
Request by government for international assistance
Categories of natural hazards
Geophysical - caused by movements of the earth
Atmospheric - weather related
Hydrological - water-related hazards
Factors that influence your perception of a hazard
Previously affected by a disaster - may be more wary next time it happens - takes more precautions
Never affected by a disaster - may be naive to how much the hazard will affect them or perhaps be overly worried
Primary sector worker - industry may be more likely to be affected - crops dying, injuries preventing physical labour, rural land rendered inaccessible
Tertiary sector worker - may be less affected as a lot of money will be focussed on rebuilding the tertiary sector. If can’t go to work likely to still be paid
Highly educated - more likely to know the affects of the disaster
Poorly educated, suspicious of the media - less likely to know how the disaster will impact them, won’t believe new coverage of the event
Integrated risk management
Often used when incorporated identification of the hazard, analysis of the risks, establishing priorities, treating the risk and implementing a risk reduction plan
Prediction
Key is to improve monitoring which means warning can be issued
+
Grindavik - predicted volcano and everyone was evacuated
-
Haiyan - didn’t correctly predict route
Protection
Aim is to protect people, their possessions and the built environment. Usually involves modifications to the built environment
+
Storm surge sea walls in East USA
-
Fukushima nuclear power station - tsunami wall failed
Prevention
For natural hazards it is probably unrealistic although there have been ideas such as cloud seeding in potential tropical storms
+
Otley flood prevention
-
Carlisle flood defence didn’t work
Risk sharing
Involves pre-arranged measures that aim to reduce effects of hazard. Working together to reduce + sharing the costs of hazard response
+
Emergency shelters in hurricanes
-
Hurricane Katrina
How can we track tropical storms
Computer tracking programmes - forecast paths
Satellite + radar systems - maintain watch on progress
Tracking stations in hurricane hotspots - Miami + Japan
How predictable are tropical storms
Clearly seen, can be tracked by satellite
The specific requirements mean that scientists know when and where they will form
HOWEVER
Each hurricane is unique both in its own structure and dynamics and its meteorological
Small changes in the early development of tropical storms can have massive impacts later on
