World At Risk Flashcards
Define natural hazard
A natural event with the potential to harm people and their property.
Define natural disaster
The realisation and impacts of natural hazards, i.e. the deaths, injuries, disruption and damage.
Explain Dregg’s model of natural disasters 1992
If the hazardous geophysical process and humans interact, then a disaster can occur (A disaster occurs when a hazardous natural event overlaps with a vulnerable population)
What is meant by hydro-meteorological hazards?
Those caused by water, its processes, and those associated with weather patterns. Can be sub-divided into into hydrological and meteorological hazards.
What hydrological hazards are there?
Floods, debris, mud flows, hurricanes, coastal storm surges, thunder and hail storms, rain and windstorms, blizzards and other storms.
What meteorological hazards are there?
Drought, bush fires, temperature extremes, sand and dust storms.
What is meant by geophysical hazards?
Those caused by earth processes. Can be sub-divided into into tectonic and geomorphological hazards.
What tectonic hazards are there?
Earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity.
What geomorphological hazards are there?
Landslides, rockslides and risk falls.
Explain some global trends in natural hazards and disasters
- The number of reported disasters has stayed the same
- The amount of economic losses from disasters has dropped
- The number of people affected by disasters has stayed constant
- The number of earthquakes is increasing
- The number of windstorms is increasing because of global warming
Define risk
The probability of harmful consequences or expected losses resulting from interactions between natural or human-induced hazards and vulnerable conditions.
Define hazard
A potentially damaging physical event, phenomenal or human activity that mean cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degregation.
Define vulnerability
The conditions determined by physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impacts of hazards.
Define capacity
A combination of all the strengths and resources available within a community, society, or organisation, that can reduce the level of risk, or the effects of a disaster.
What is meant by ‘class quakes’?
The idea that the wealth of the population affects their susceptibility to the impacts of hazards. This affects their vulnerability and therefore the capacity to cope.
Explain the Armenia earthquake in 1988
- Magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter Scale
- 25,000 deaths, 300,000 injured
- Devastating effects to buildings, as close to epicenter
- Buildings had weak foundations, were poorly constructed and not aseismic
- Lack of effective medical care
- Europe sent a cargo aircraft, with medical supplies
- Poor planning and local services
- International aid was good
- Mitigation
Explain the San Francisco earthquake in 1989
- Magnitude of 6.9 on the Richter Scale
- 63 deaths, 3,500 injured
- $5.6 billion worth of damage
- Some aseismic buildings (new ones, not historic ones)
- Organised and effective relief aid
- Very prepared due to education, films, drills, so people are now more informed
Explain the Bam earthquake in 2003
- Magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter Scale
- 26,000 deaths, 250,000 injured
- Basic buildings, so they weren’t aseismic as they were mud built as it was a historic city
- Rescue services were very poor
- Very unprepared as no drills
Explain the Central California earthquake in 2003
- Magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter Scale
- 2 deaths, around 40 injured
- $255-300 million worth of damage
- Lots of aseismic buildings as there are new rules and regulations on non-aseismic buildings
- Rescue services and preparedness was very good
Explain the background of the Asian Tsunami/ Boxing Day Tsunami 2004
- On the 26th December 2004
- West Coast of Northern Sumatra - in the Indian Ocean
- The result of an Indio-Australian Plate subducting below the Eurasian Plate
- Caused by an earthquake, magnitude more than 9
- This caused the seafloor to uplift, displacing the seawater above
Explain the causes of the Asian Tsunami/ Boxing Day Tsunami 2004
- Tectonic activity beneath the Indian Ocean
- A fault, 20 miles below the oceans surface ruptured, forcing plates to move upwards
- Oceans were also forced upwards and then displaced water in ripples
Explain the impacts of the Asian Tsunami/ Boxing Day Tsunami 2004
- Affected 13 countries - worst was Indonesia.
- ¼ of a million people died – 230,000 deaths.
- 2 million people made homeless – 1.7 million.
- People swept away with the waters – little warning.
- Indonesia hit by tsunami first, after 45 minutes, it reaches Thailand.
- Short-term aid, such as water purification tablets, temporary housing and medical supplies given from international countries – 5-6 million needing emergency aid.
- Islands reliant on tourism and fishing had to rebuild industries.
- The epicentre was close to densely populated coastal communities – little or no warning.
- Most countries surrounding the Indian Ocean are LEDCs – cannot afford much on preparation and prevention – 1,500 villages destroyed in northern Sumatra.
- Threat of disease from mixing of fresh water, sewage and salt water.
- Ports ruined and fishing industry devastated – 60% of Sri Lanka’s fishing fleet destroyed.
- Communications and infrastructure damaged – reconstructions cost billions of dollars.
- Loss of earrings from tourism – 80% drop of foreign visitors in Phuket.
- Crops destroyed and farm land ruined by salt water.
- 8 million litres of oil escaped from oil plants in Indonesia.
- Coral reefs and coastal wetlands damaged.
Which groups of people are most vulnerable in terms of hazards?
- Women,
- Children
- Elderly
- Disabled
- Low income
Which groups of people are least vulnerable in terms of hazards?
-Highly educated
When could a hazard become a disaster?
The vulnerability of the population who are exposed to it, although as increasing proportion of the worlds population live in areas which are exposed to hazards. In other words, the greater the scale of a natural hazard, and the more exposed the people are, the greater a disaster is likely to be.
Why has the number of people affected by natural disasters increased?
More people are living in more hazardous places where they might be exposed to natural disasters.
Whats the disaster risk equation?
Risk (R) = Hazard (H) X Vulnerability (V)
Capacity to cope (C)
What 3 factors is vulnerability based on?
- Vulnerable people have little choice on where they live due to their vulnerable nature. Dangerous places may have cheaper land or may be unwanted.
- Vulnerable people cannot afford to build good quality buildings, despite building regulations, therefore they’re at greater risk.
- Rapid urbanisation has forced the poor into high-risk areas of cities, especially in developing countries.
Define hazard vulnerability
The capacity of the person or group to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural hazard.
Where do tsunamis occur to?
- Earthquakes measure more than 6.5 on the Richter Scale
- The earthquakes focus is shallow, beneath the Earths surface and the ocean.
