# NATURAL DISASTER (NATURAL HAZARDS) Flashcards
Categorize the natural hazards
6 big categories:
1. Geological disasters - earth-related (volcanic eruption, earthquake,
avalanche, landslide)
2. Hydrological disasters - water-related (flooding, tsunami)
3. Meteorological disasters - atmosphere related (tornado, cyclone, blizzard,
drought)
4. Wildfires - fire-related (wildfire)
5. Health disasters - disease-related (AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis,
measles, diarrheal diseases, respiratory illness)
6. Space disasters - space-related (solar flare)
# GEOLOGICAL DISASTER Avalanches
a mass of snow, mixed with ice and debris travels which down mountain sides, destroying all in its
path
be triggered by different factors, ranging from temperature, overloading to vibration
vegetation
plants
levee
an embarkment built to prevent the overflow of a river
topography
physical features of an area
impervious (surface)
not allowing fluid to pass through
Landslides
be similar to avalanches, except that it is dirt and rock from rock mountain falling on the slope
* causes : a removal of vegetation, earthquakes, or
some other human-induced factors
Earthquake
the shaking of the surface
Volcanic eruptions
when lava and gas are discharged from a volcanic vent
# HYDROLOGICAL DISASTER Flooding
an overflowing of water onto normally dry land.
causes: flash floods,
storm surge, and dam and levee failures
flash floods
*be deadly due to the rapid rise in water levels and the high flow-velocities of the
water
causes: rainfall intensity, duration, surface condition and topography
Urban areas are more
susceptible to flash floods due to the lack of
natural drainage systems and the high amounts
of impervious surfaces
Tsunamis
a series of huge waves that strike a coast
causes: massive amounts of water are displaced
due to an undersea disturbance
# METEOROLOGICAL DISASTER Blizzard
severe snow storms with high winds and low visibility
Cyclone
big storms mostly coming from the ocean
livestock
farm animals
Drought
period of unexpected rainfall deficit => a shortage of water
Impact:lack of adequate
drinking water, loss of vegetation, loss of farmland, loss of livestock and loss of life due to famine or dehydration.
be affected by deforestation as vegetation help contain water in an area
Tornadoes
is a narrow, violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground
heat waves
a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity
# WILDFIRE wildfires
an uncontrolled fire fuelled by natural vegetation (in
the forest)
causes: high temperatures,
drought conditions, a trigger which can be natural such as lightning or human influenced such as arson
HEALTH DISASTER
- AIDS (characterized by the failure of the immune system)
- Malaria - blood-related - caused by mosquitos.
- Tuberculosis - lung-related
- Measles - skin-related
- Diarrheal Diseases - diarrhea-related
- Respiratory Illness - breathing-related
# SPACE DISASTER Solar flare
the sun is super active (periodically) => releasing solar radiation => destroy electrical equipment
