Natural Hazard Perception

Question 1

When does a natural event become a natural hazard?

Answer 1

Where a natural event poses a potential threat to human life or property.

Question 2

When does a natural hazard become a natural disaster?

Answer 2

When the event is realised upon a vulnerable population leading to significant loss of life or property

Question 3

State with examples the three types of hazard

Answer 3

Geophysical - e.g. Seismic activity such as earthquakes and landslides
Atmospheric hazards- climactic processes e.g. Wildfires and draughts
Hydrological - caused by movement of water e.g. Storm surge

Question 4

What is vulnerability?

Answer 4

How susceptible a population is to a hazard

Question 5

Give 5 factors that effect risk perception

Answer 5

Wealth 
Religon 
Education 
Past experience 
Personality

Question 6

Describe four type of response to a hazard

Answer 6

Prevention - e.g. Tidal barriers attempt to reduce impact of the hazard
Mitigation - admit the hazard is inevitable but reduce the impacts, through better prediction and preparation ( reduce impact not magnitude)
Manage - government level schemes to reduce impacts (similar to mitigation)
Fatalism - nothing, i.e. Its gods will, also may argue preventative methods are harmful to ecosystems

Question 7

What is risk sharing?

Answer 7

Reducing the impact on the individual by spreading it over more people

Question 8

What magnitude and frequency of hazard is likely to be the most destructive? Why?

Answer 8

High magnitude low frequency

Powerful but population isn’t prepared as well

Question 9

Describe the hazard management cycle

Answer 9

Mitigation - minimise future disasters 
Preparedness - plan a response 
EVENT
Response - emergency services etc 
Recovery restoration + start of mitigation

Question 10

What is the park model?

Answer 10

Quality of life plotted against time
Steep drop at start represents the disaster
Relief occurs after
Quality may increase get back to normal or never recover