 The scale of a natural disaster refers to

the size of impact on both people and

the environment with the latter being
of less importance when people are
not directly impacted. The map below
shows some of the most dangerous
places to live. High population
densities combined with high seismic
disaster suggests the possibility for a
future natural disaster.
 Natural factors - things like rock type
in an earthquake, the shape of a
coastline in a tsunami, the height of
the land hit by a tsunami can impact
the effects.  For example, a gently
sloping coastline will often suffer more
damage than a steep coastline in a
hurricane storm surge.
 Population density - the greater the
number of people in an area the
greater the potential for disaster.  
 Magnitude - the size of the event
massively affects the impact it has. 
Every step up the Earthquake Richter
scale represents a 31 fold increase in
energy released.
 Frequency - how often the hazard
occurs.  The more often a hazard
occurs generally the higher the
perception of risk and more prepared
people are.
 Level of development - this determines how
much money is available to prepare for the
event in advance in terms of predicting the
hazard and preparing people to cope with it.
Development also determines how well a
country will respond after the event.
 Time - the amount of time since the last
hazardous event can influence the impact, if a
long time goes by people can be unprepared. 
Also, if the hazard occurs when lots of people
are asleep they can also be unprepared.
 Preparations - if a place is well prepared
regardless of its level of development this can
limit the impact of a hazardous event.  In
India, despite its low level of economic
development, rounded wooden houses have
been designed to be earthquake proof, thus
limiting the impact of these hazards.
 Accessibility - if an area is remote or
weather conditions and aftershocks prevent
safe search and rescue efforts then the
impacts can be greatly increased.
 Effects of Hazards
 Primary Effects occur as a result of the process
itself.  For example water damage during a flood
or collapse of buildings during an earthquake,
landslide, or hurricane.
 Secondary Effects occur only because a primary
effect has caused them.  For example, fires ignited
as a result of earthquakes, disruption of electrical
power and water service as a result of an
earthquake, flood, or hurricane, or flooding
caused by a landslide into a lake or river.
 Tertiary Effects are long-term effects that are
set off as a result of a primary event. These
include things like loss of habitat caused by a
flood, permanent changes in the position of
river channel caused by flood, crop failure
caused by a volcanic eruption etc.
Short and Long Term Impacts

 Grief and psychological trauma

 Loss of vital infrastructure, like sewers and
sanitation and water
 Loss of power stations and key transport
infrastructure, e.g. harbours, airports and
railway lines
 Widespread loss of housing
 Loss of a harvest or fertile soils and cattle
 Loss of fishing vessels and equipment
 Loss of forests and freshwater environments