Natural Hazards

Question 1

what is a natural hazard?

Answer 1

a natural event that has had a huge social impact

Question 2

what factors increase the risk from natural hazards?

Answer 2

Urbanisation, poverty, climate change, farming

Question 3

How does urbanisation increase the risk?

Answer 3

over 50% of the worlds population now live in cities. Densely populated urban areas are at great risk from natural events such as earthquakes and tropical cyclones.

Question 4

how does poverty increase the risk from natural hazards?

Answer 4

In poorer parts of the world poverty may force people to live in areas at risk. Shortages of housing can lead to people building on unstable slopes which are prone to floods etc.

Question 5

how does climate change increase the risk from natural hazards?

Answer 5

in a warmer world the atmosphere will have more energy which leads to more intense storms and hurricanes. Places may become wetter, leading to drought but some places may become drier leading to drought.

Question 6

how does farming increase the risk from natural hazards?

Answer 6

When a river floods it deposits fertile silt on its floodplain. When people choose to live there they put themselves at risk.