The Challenge Of Natural Hazards Flashcards
Conservative plate margin
Two plates sliding alongside each other, in the same or opposite directions
Constructive plate margin
Plates that are moving apart
Destructive plate margin
Two plates are converging (moving towards one another) and the oceanic plate is subducted
Earthquake
A sudden violent movement within the Earth’s crust followed by a series of shocks
Economic impact
Effect of an event on the wealth of an area or community
Environmental impact
Effect of an impact on the landscape and ecology of the area
Hazard risk
Probability or chance that a natural hazard may take place
Immediate responses
Reaction of people as the disaster happens in the immediate aftermath
Infrastructure
The basic equipment and structures that are needed for a country or region to function (roads, utilities, water sewage)
Long-term responses
Later reactions that occur in the weeks, months and years after the event
Monitoring
Recording physical changes to help forecast and predict when a natural hazard might strike
Planning
Actions taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters
Plate margin
The border between two tectonic plates
Prediction
Attempts to forecast when and where a natural disaster will strike, based on current knowledge. This can be done to some extent for volcanic eruptions (and tropical storms), but less reliably for earthquakes
Primary effects
Initial impact of a natural event on people and property, caused directly by it