Natural Hazards And Disasters Flashcards
What is a natural hazard?
A naturally occurring process or event that has the potential to affect people.
What is a natural disaster?
A major natural hazard that causes significant social, environmental and economic damages.
At least 10 fatalities, 100 people effected and $1 million economic losses.
What is vulnerability?
The ability to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from a natural hazard.
What is magnitude?
The size/how powerful.
What is frequency?
How often a hazard occurs.
For example, a 1 in 1,000 year event.
How can you measure power?
Using different indexes:
Richter scale
Volcanic explosivity index
Saffir Sampson hurricane index
What’s the disaster risk equation?
DR = H x V / C
DR = disaster risk H = magnitude and frequency of hazard event V = vulnerability of population exposed C = coping capacity of population
What’s Degg’s disaster model?
Where an extreme physical event overlaps with a vulnerable population.
