Hazards: concept of a hazard

Question 1

What is a natural hazard?

Answer 1

A perceived event that threatens both life and property (cause disruptions to human systems or built environment) for example volcanic activity or tropical storms

Question 2

What are the three types of natural hazards?

Answer 2

1. Geophysical (volcanic, mass movement, tsunami)
2. Atmospheric (storm, wildfire, drought)
3. Hydrological (avalanche, flood)

Question 3

What is the meaning of risk?

Answer 3

The likelihood that humans will be seriously affected by the hazard

Question 4

What is the meaning of vulnerability?

Answer 4

How susceptible a population is to the damage caused by a hazard

Question 5

What is meant by a disaster?

Answer 5

When a hazard has affected life and property

Question 6

What are the common characteristics of natural hazards?

Answer 6

• often short warning before the event
• clear origins with distinctive effects
• most loss of life happens after the event
• scale and intensity of events requires emergency response
• exposure to risk is involuntary

Question 7

What is a geophysical hazard?

Answer 7

Originate from solid earth, driven by the Earth’s internal energy

Question 8

What is an atmospheric hazard?

Answer 8

Originate in the atmosphere, driven by meteorological and

climatic processes

Question 9

What is a hydrological hazard?

Answer 9

Originate in surface and subsurface freshwater and saltwater, driven by processes in the water bodies

Question 10

What are the reasons why people make themselves vulnerable to hazards?

Answer 10

• events are unpredictable
• lack of alternatives due to social/political/economic/cultural factors
• level of risk has changed over time
• benefits may outweigh risks
• individual perception

Question 11

How does vulnerability vary over time and space?

Answer 11

• as wealth and technology of a place greatly influence the impacts of a natural hazard
• wealthy/high HDI countries are able to invest in protection (e.g. sea walls, emergency services) or have the resources for widespread education of hazards and risks
• poor/low HDI countries don;’t have capacity or wealth to implement strategies
• for example rapid urbanisation forces people to live in hazardous conditions

Question 12

What are some economic factors that influence hazard perception?

Answer 12

Socio-economic status
Level of Education
Occupation/Employment status
Religion/culture/ethnic background
Family status
Past experience
Values, personality and expectations

Question 13

How does socio-economic status influence hazard perception?

Answer 13

• wealthier areas = strong sense of being prepared as they’ve built communities to withstand hazard
• poorer areas may view it as a way of life

Question 14

How does education influence hazard perception?

Answer 14

better understanding of risks or know how to mitigate them

Question 15

What is fatalism hazard perception?

Answer 15

A view of a hazard event that suggests that people cannot influence the outcome, nothing can be done to mitigate it, outcome becomes “God’s Will”

Question 16

What is adaptation hazard perception?

Answer 16

Attempts by people/communities to live with hazards events by adjusting their living conditions to reduce level of vulnerability
- believe that they can survive through preparing, prediction and protection depending on economic/technological circumstances

Question 17

What is the fear hazard perception?

Answer 17

Move away from the region as they feel so vulnerable against natural hazards, unable to face living there

Question 18

What is community preparedness/risk sharing?

Answer 18

Involves prearranged measure that aim to reduce the loss of life and property damage through public education, awareness programmes, evacuation procedures and provision of emergency supplies

Question 19

What are the similarities in hazard perception between high and low HDI countries?

Answer 19

Similarities:

In all countries, there are different perceptions including fatalism (acceptance), adaptation and fear.

Question 20

What are the differences in hazard perception between high and low HDI countries?

Answer 20

Differences:
People in high HDI countries are more likely to perceive that they can adapt to hazards because of their wealth and high levels of education.

People in low HDI countries may be more likely to perceive hazards with fear and fatalism, due to limited economic resources to adapt and low levels of education, which mean they do not understand how to mitigate.

Question 21

What is hazard perception?

Answer 21

Hazard perception means the way that people react to the threat of hazards. It is influenced by both economic and socio-cultural factors.

Question 22

Q: Assess the extent to which people’s perception of hazards is likely to affect their responses to them [9 marks]

Answer 22

• how far perception factors influence response (e.g. adaptation, fatalism, fear)
• how far do other factors influence response (wealth, education, cultural factors etc)
• mini conclusion about how far people’s perception affects response to them
• however other factors like wealth or culture can create the perception

Question 23

What influences the success of attempts to manage hazards?

Answer 23

• hazard incidence, magnitude and distribution (power and areal extent of the hazard)
• level of development (often determine the extent of impacts)

Question 24

Case study of fatalistic hazard perception: economic determinants?

Answer 24

Haiti

• highly degraded environment
• poor quality of settlement, poverty stricken
• corrupt/poor government led to no action
• broken economy with lack of welfare

Question 25

Case study of fatalistic hazard perception: cultural determinants?

Answer 25

Haiti

• voodoo beliefs
• God determines when a person lives or dies, your destiny decides life
• hope within after life being a greater improvement than current life
• deforestation has released spirits to cause earthquakes and natural disaster
• all families having intertwined with these beliefs

Question 26

Case study of adaptation hazard perception: economic determinants?

Answer 26

Los Angeles, California USA

• $600 million annual public protection budget
• USA has a GDP of $19 trillion USD
• earthquake proof/resistant buildings
• LA have their own Emergency management department

Question 27

Case study of adaptation hazard perception: cultural determinants?

Answer 27

Los Angeles , California USA

• entrepreneurial look at life, they can build themselves up and achieve anything
• positive outlooks after disasters, positive focus on rebuilding
• culture of trust in experts and authorities

Question 28

Discuss whether hazard perception is mainly determined by economic factors

Answer 28

• use haiti and LA examples to outline economic factors

- cultural factors also play a large role, more important than economic, in Haiti and LA