Distribution of Tectonic Hazards

Question 1

Top 5 deadly natural hazards across the world in the last 100 years

Answer 1

1. Floods
2. Droughts
3. Earthquakes
4. Cyclones
5. Tsunamis

Question 2

Earthquake distribution

Answer 2

Major earthquake zones are clustered along plate boundaries. Most powerful are located at convergent and conservative plate boundaries.
Pacific coast of the Americas, Japan and South East Asian islands (e.g Indonesia) are at particular risk.

Question 3

Volcano distribtuion

Answer 3

Clustered in narrow bands, a pattern similar but not identical to earthquakes.
Many active volcanoes are located around the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’ where convergent plate boundaries dominate e.g Mt. Pinatubo, Philippians or along divergent plate boundaries such as the mid-Atlantic ridge.
Some can be found in the centre of plates e.g Volcanic island chains such as Hawaii.

Question 4

Tsunami distribution

Answer 4

Coastal zones at risk of earthquakes are particularity prone to tsunamis.
Areas at risk are near convergent plate boundaries.
In particular South East Asia and West coast of North/South America.

Question 5

Which areas are at a particular risk from EARTHQUAKES?

Answer 5

Pacific coast of the Americas, Japan and SE Asian islands (Indonesia etc.) are at a particular risk.

Question 6

At what type of plate boundaries are the most powerful earthquakes found?

Answer 6

At convergent and conservative plate boundaries.

Question 7

Where are many active volcanoes located?

Answer 7

Pacific ring of fire e.g Mt. Pinatubo, or divergent plate boundaries such as the mid-Atlantic ridge

Question 8

What kind of volcanoes can be found at centre of plates?

Answer 8

Hotspot volcanoes, Volcanic chain islands such as Hawaii.

Question 9

What places in particular are at risk to tsunamis?

Answer 9

South East Asia and West coast of North/South America

Question 10

Near what plate boundaries are tsunamis likely to happen?

Answer 10

Convergent