Unit 1 - World at Risk (Extreme Weather) Flashcards
Hydro-Meteorological Hazard
A hazard formed by hydro-logical (floods) and atmospheric (storms and droughts) processes
Geo-Physical
A hazard formed by techtonic/geological processes (earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis)
Hazard
Loss of life or damage to property
Risk Equation
Risk = hazards X vulnerability
———————————-
capacity to cope
Magnitude
The size of the event
Frequency
How often an event of a certain size occurs
El Nino
Is when the sea surface temperatures are higher than normal
Normal year = low air pressure over Australia (rain) and high air pressure over South America (drought)
El Nino year = high air pressure over Australia (bringing intense drought) and low air pressure over South America (bringing floods) - this is due to the trade winds moving the water eastwards and the evaporating air over South America causes rain and clouds and descending air over Australia causes the drought season.
Earthquakes
Located along plate margins
Tropical Storms
A lot occur along or near the equator
Drought
Dispersed pattern as a lot of the world suffer from drought (one-third of the worlds land)
Volcanoes
Near or on the plate boundary
Geomorphic Hazards
Landslip or a landslide and slumping.
Disaster Hotspot
A place where a vulnerable population is exposed to two or more hazard types
How hot does the sea surface temperature need to be for a tropical storm/tornado or hurricane?
26.5 degrees
What plate boundary is the Philippines located on?
Destructive plate boundary - the Philippine and Eurasian plate, Eurasian plate is denser so is forced underneath the Philippine plate
