Natural hazards Flashcards
Atmospheric hazards
natural hazards associated with Earth’s atmosphere, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wind, snow, drought, lightning and rain
Drought
a long, continuous period of dry weather
Earthquake
a sudden or violent movement within the Earth’s crust followed by a series of shocks
Fatalities
deaths caused by disasters or accidents
River flood
where river discharge exceeds river channel capacity and water spills onto the floodplain
Geological hazards
natural hazards associated with Earth’s geological processes, such as volcanoes, landslides, mudflows, avalanches and earthquakes
Hazard risk
the probability or chance that a natural hazard may take place
Landslides
the movement of rock, earth or debris down the slope of a hill
Mudflow
when saturated soil and weak rock flow down a slope
Natural disaster
when a natural event, or hazard, impacts on human activities
Natural hazard
a natural event that a poses a threat to humans and/or property
Poverty
deprivation in well-being, such as lack of access to wealth, food, shelter, water and education
Social impact
the effect of an event on the lives of people or community
Tropical storm (hurricane, cyclone, typhoon)
an area of low pressure with winds moving in a spiral around a calm central point called the eye of the storm - winds are powerful and rainfall is heavy
Tsunami
huge waves caused by earthquakes
Urbanisation
when an increasing percentage of a country’s population comes to live in towns and cities
Volcano
a large landform, typically conical in shape, formed by a series of volcanic eruptions over a long period of time
