Natural hazards

Question 1

What is a natural hazard?

Answer 1

A natural hazard is a natural event such as an earthquake, volcanic eruption, tropical storm or flood.

It becomes a hazard because it has the potential to cause damage, destruction and death when it interacts with humans.

Question 2

What are types of natural hazard?

Answer 2

Earthquakes and volcanoes are classed as tectonic hazards.

Flooding is a geomorphological hazard.

Tropical storms are classed as atmospheric hazards.

Forest fires are classed as biological hazards.

Question 3

What are the factors affecting the hazard risk?

Answer 3

1. The number of people vulnerable to the natural hazard.
2. The frequency (how often) and magnitude (strength) of the natural hazard.
3. People are unable to cope with the natural hazard.

Question 4

Give an example of how the number of people vulnerable to the natural hazard is a factor affecting the hazard risk.

Answer 4

Increasing world population and more people living near hazard-prone areas because they cannot move or do not have the financial means to migrate away or they simply don’t want to.

Question 5

Give an example of how the frequency (how often) and magnitude (strength) of the natural hazard is a factor affecting the hazard risk.

Answer 5

Some hazards are more destructive than others, the probability of hazards due to climate change and hazards such as landslides and flooding due to deforestation and urbanisation.

Question 6

Give an example of how people are unable to cope with the natural hazard is a factor affecting the hazard risk.

Answer 6

Some hazards are more difficult to predict and it is therefore harder to evacuate people in time. Some people do not have the money, knowledge or ability to cope with natural hazards when they occur.

This is more likely in LICs than in HICs.

Question 7

List 2 factors which affect hazard risk.

Answer 7

Number of people at risk
–> increasing population

Frequency

Magnitude

People are unable to cope with the natural hazard