Natural Hazards& Natural

Disasters
Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes
Threatening events , or probability of occurrence of a
potentially damaging phenomenon within a given
time period and area.
Natural hazards are naturally occurring phenomenon
caused either by rapid or slow onset events which can
geophysical, hydrological ,climatological,
meteorological or biological.
Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes
Disaster
A hazardous event that occurs over a limited time span
in a defined geographic area
Catastrophe
A massive disaster that requires significant expenditure
of money and time for recovery.
Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes
No area in the world is hazard free
Average annual loss of life around 150,000
Financial losses exceeding many billions of $$
Hazards that produce extensive property damage are
not necessarily the same ones that cause the greatest
loss of life.
Economic cost increasing because people moving to the
coast.
Types of Disasters
Geophysical Hazards
Hydrological Hazards
Climatological (droughts, extreme temp, wildfires)
Meteorological(cyclones , storms/wave)
Biological(Disease epidemics/ insects/ animal plague)
Geologic Hazards -
Earthquakes
Volcanic Eruptions
Tsunami
Landslides
Earthquake
Earthquakes result when the rocks that are under
stress from the internal earth processes that produce
our continents and ocean basins rupture.
mostly at depths of 10 to 15 km along faults
Earthquakes release vast amounts of energy.
they can release more energy than a large nuclear
explosion.
Volcanic Eruption
Volcanoes are the result of extrusion at the
surfaces of molten rock (magma).
May be explosive and violent, or they may be less
energetic lava flows.
Generally occur at boundaries between tectonic plates
Some volcanoes also occur in more central parts of
tectonic plates where hot spots deep below heat the
rocks.
 E.g. Yellowstone National Park and the Hawaiian Islands.
Landslides
A general term for the down slope movement of
soil and rock.
Occur when the driving forces that tend to move
materials down a slope exceed the resisting forces that
hold the slope material in place.
Resisting forces are produced by the strength of the
material on slopes.
The dominant driving force on slopes is the weight of
slope materials influenced by the force of gravity. The
steeper the slope and the heavier the slope materials, the
greater the driving forces.
Landslides
Human processes that add to or increase the slope angle
increase the drive forces.
Resisting forces reduced by increasing the amount of
water on or in a slope, or by removing vegetation that
reduces the root strength of the soil or rock.
Tsunami
A series of large ocean waves produced after the ocean
water is suddenly disturbed vertically by processes
such as
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides,
or the impact of an asteroid or comet
Over 80% of all tsunamis are produced by earthquakes.
Flood( hydrological)
The inundation of an area by water.
Produced by a variety of processes ranging from
Intense rainstorms to melting of snow, storm surge from
a hurricane, tsunami, and rupture of flood protection
structures, such as levees or dams.
River flooding
Shapes the landscapes through erosion and deposition.
Erosion has produced features as small as gullies and as
large as the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.
Climatological and Meterological Hazards
- These are also natural hazards but processes
operating in the atmosphere are mainly responsible
Tropical Cyclones
Tornadoes
Droughts
Severe Thunderstorms
Lightening
Wildfires
Hurricane
A hurricane is a tropical storm with circulating winds
in excess of 120 km (74 mi)
Move across warm ocean waters of the tropics.
Hurricanes gather and release huge quantities of
energy
Water is transformed from liquid in the ocean to vapor
in the storm
Tornado
A tornado is a funnel-shaped cloud of violently
rotating wind
Extends downward from large cells of thunderstorms to
the surface of Earth.
May occur when a cold air mass collides with a warmer
one.
 Water vapor in the warmer part of the atmosphere is forced
upward where it cools and produces precipitation.
 As more warm air is drawn in, the storm clouds grow higher and
thunderstorm activity increases in intensity.
Tornadoes concentrated in the Plains States
Heat Wave
A period of days or weeks of unusually hot weather
A recurring weather phenomenon related to heating
of the atmosphere and the moving of air masses.
Hypothesized that human-induced global
warming has increased the number and intensity of
heat waves in recent years.
Now considered the most deadly of all weather
hazards
Drought
A period of months, or years, of unusually dry
weather.
Related to natural cycles of wet years that alternate with
series of dry years.
Thought to be related to the heating of ocean waters and
the moving of major air masses.
Wildfire
A rapid, self-sustaining, biochemical oxidation
process that releases light, heat, carbon dioxide,
and other gases and particulates into the
atmosphere.
Fuel is rapidly consumed during wildfires
helps maintain a balance between plant productivity
and decomposition in ecosystems.
The primary cause is vegetation built up
When microbes are not able to decompose plants fast
enough to balance the carbon cycle.
Biological Hazards
Insect infestations
Disease epidemics
Effects of Disasters

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary effects.

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.

 
Vulnerability to Hazards and Disasters
Proximity to a possible hazardous event
Population density in the area proximal to the event
Scientific understanding of the hazard
Public education and awareness of the hazard
Existence or non-existence of early-warning systems and
lines of communication
Availability and readiness of emergency infrastructure
Construction styles and building codes
Cultural factors that influence public response to
warnings
Hazards are Predictable
Most hazards can be mapped
Where they have occurred in the past
Monitored for present day activity
Predictability
Spring snow melt and flooding
Earthquakes often clustered
Volcanic eruption from dormant volcanoes usually
preceded by precursor events
Fundamental Concepts Related to Natural
Hazards
Hazards that previously produced mostly disasters are
now producing catastrophes.
Risk from hazards can be estimated.
Adverse effects of hazards can be minimized.
ASSIGNMENT
How are the humans increasing the frequency
/magnitude and effects of disasters?