Introduction Flashcards
What is the definition of a natural hazard?
Something natural that could endangers people and buildings. It is out of human control.
What is the definition of a natural disaster?
A natural hazard that has actually happened. It endangers people and buildings and is out of human control
What is the definition of a hazard risk?
The likelihood of a natural hazard actually occurring
Does everywhere in the world have an equal chance of having a natural hazard? Why?
No because if a country was located on marginal land (land difficult to grow crops on because of unstable soil) it will be more at risk than others. Same if a country was located by an active volcano or along plate boundaries.
How many types of natural hazards are there and what are they?
- Meteorological hazards (weather based) and geological hazards (caused by tectonic plate movement).
Give examples of meteorological hazards
Heatwaves, bushfires, hurricanes/typhoons and extreme weather caused by climate change.
Give examples of geological hazards
Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides and avalanches.
What 2 factors affect hazard risk?
Population density and a country’s ability to cope.
Why is population density a factor that affects natural hazard risk?
The higher the population, the more people that are likely to be affected by the hazard.
What factors about a country’s ability to cope with a natural hazard affect the severity of the hazard on that country?
Income. LICs don’t have the money to invest in good quality defences or strong houses. Also predictability. HICs also have the technology for predicting hazards better, so can better prepare and evacuate people before the disaster.
What 3 factors affect the severity of a natural hazard?
Frequency, magnitude and predictability
If a natural disaster was described to be ‘high magnitude’, what does this mean?
That it is bigger and stronger and able to do more damage and injure more people
What does frequency mean? And why is it a factor that determines a natural hazards severity?
How often sometimes happens. This means that the higher the frequency of a natural hazard, the more often it happens, increasing severity.
What natural hazard is harder to predict? What does this mean?
Earthquakes. This means it is harder to prepare and evacuate people.
When do primary effects happen?
During a natural disaster
