Paper 1: Section A - Natural Hazards Flashcards by Ruby R

What is a natural hazard?

Natural event that has a huge social impact / environmental events threatening people.

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What is a natural disaster?

A natural hazard that occurs and causes high levels of death, injury, damage, destruction or disruption.

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Link between natural hazards and disasters:

Natural hazards are possible disasters.

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4 hazards causing natural disasters mainly:

Flood, tropical storms, earthquakes, droughts

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What are the two main categories of natural hazards?

Geological & atmospheric

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What is a geological hazard? Name 3.

Caused by tectonic processes. E.g. earthquake, avalanche, volcano

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What is an atmospheric hazard? Name 3.

Caused by weather and climate processes. E.g. long periods of low rainfall can cause drought. Also hurricanes and flooding.

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What is hazard risk?

The probability that a natural hazard occurs.

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What is hazard risk influenced by?

DEFORESTATION (increases chance of flooding), URBANISATION (more people so impacts increase, higher death toll), DEVELOPMENT LEVEL/POVERTY (more wealth can reduce impacts), CLIMATE CHANGE (more severe, distribution), FARMING (in dangerous areas)

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What are the two types of crust? Which is more dense?

Oceanic (more dense) and continental (less dense)

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Earthquakes and volcanoes are primarily found where?

Plate boundaries

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Plate movement is driven by what?

Convection currents in the mantle

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What happens at a constructive plate margin? Usually forms what kind of volcano?

2 plates moving APART. Lava from an underwater volcano. Causes mild earthquakes. Usually shield volcano (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

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What happens at a destructive plate margin? Usually forms what kind of volcano?

Plates move towards each other. Deep ocean trench formed. Oceanic plate subducted. Friction - strong earthquakes. Composite volcanoes as sticky magma. Nazca plate and South American plate.

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What happens when there are 2 continental plates at a destructive plate margin?

Collision plate boundary. Neither are subducted. No volcanoes as no magma. Forms fold mountains. Powerful earthquakes. Himalayas.

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What happens at a conservative plate boundary?

Plates moving past each other. San Andreas Fault, California. Different speeds or different directions. No volcanoes as no magma. Earthquakes when they slip.

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What is an earthquake?

A sudden violent period of ground-shaking, caused by friction, pressures and stresses.

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Describe the distribution of volcanoes:

Like earthquakes, most occur in belts along plate margins (Pacific Ring of Fire) but also at hot spots (Hawaii)

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What is an effect?

A change as a result/consequence of a hazard.

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What are the two types of effects? Give examples of each

Primary (direct result): destroy buildings, deaths.
Secondary (result of primary): tsunamis, landslides, fires.

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What are the two earthquakes for the case study?

Chile 2010 and Nepal 2015.

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What is the GDP of Chile?

Chile GDP 38/193

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What is the HDI of Chile?

HDI 41/187.

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What is the GDP of Nepal?

Nepal GDP 109/193

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What is the HDI of Nepal?

HDI 145/187.

What was the size of the Chile earthquake?

Chile: 8.8, shallow focus

What was the cause of the Chile 2010 earthquake?

Nazca plate subducting under South American Plate.

What was the cause of the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

Indo-Australian plate colliding with the Eurasian plate.

What was the size of the Nepal earthquake?

Nepal: 7.9 VERY shallow focus.

What was the damage cost of the Chile 2010 earthquake?

US$30 billion

What was the damage cost of the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

US$5 billion

What were some secondary effects of the Chile 2010 earthquake?

landslides, costal towns devastated by tsunami, chemical plant fire near Santiago

Overall, how did the wealth difference reveal itself with regards to Chile and Nepal?

Chile wealthy and experienced so has a rapid and effective response. Nepal response hindered by poverty, depended on overseas aid.

Why do people live near places vulnerable to hazards?

Fertile soil Minerals, e.g. gold, silver, diamonds Geothermal energy Buildings can be designed to withstand risk Large hazards rare Limited choice - money, food, family Improvements in monitoring - effective warning & evacuation No knowledge of the risk

How does Iceland benefit from tectonic activity?

Geothermal heating for 90% of buildings and generates 25% of electricity. Tourism Volcanic rocks used in construction.

What are the four main management strategies for tectonic hazards?

Monitoring, prediction, protection, planning

What is monitoring for tectonic hazards?

Using scientific equipment to detect warning signs of events. Seismometer to see ground deformation. Earthquakes hard to monitor.

What is prediction of tectonic hazards?

Using historical evidence (important for earthquakes) and monitoring to predict hazards. Allows for evacuation.

What is protection from tectonic hazards?

Designing buildings and infrastructure that can withstand hazards. E.g. earthquake-resistant construction.

What is planning for tectonic hazards?

Identifying and avoiding places most at risk and preparing people for emergency responses. Risk assessment, hazard mapping

What is global atmospheric circulation?

The movement of air and gases around the Earth to balance the temperatures. Drives the world's weather.

What are the atmospheric cells?

Hadley, Polar and Ferrel cells.

What direction do surface winds blow?

High (sinking air) to low (rising air) pressure.

What is the Corriolis effect?

The Earth spins on its axis. Points near the equator rotate on axis faster.

What weather is associated with high pressure?

30 degrees North/South hot, dry desert little rain

What weather is associated with low pressure?

Hot, humid at Equator Heavy rain - tropical rainforests.

How does latitude affect climate?

Sun's rays most concentrated at the equator and spread out at the poles so hotter at equator.

How does curvature (Earth is spherical) affect climate?

Seasons and corriolis effect. Rays concentrated at Equator but spread out at poles as pass through larger layer of atmosphere.

How does air pressure affect climate?

Creates cells that circulate the air and transfer heat. High pressure: air sinks. Winds move away. Low pressure: air rises. Winds move towards.

What are the conditions for a tropical storm to form?

Ocean temperature above 27 degrees. Light wind shear - clusters of thunderstorms. Corriolis effect (Northern hemisphere spin anticlockwise)

Describe the structure of a tropical storm:

Eye: calm conditions, cool air sinks. Eyewall: most intense, strong winds, thunder, lightning. Edge: smaller thunderstorms, rain, strong winds.

How will climate change affect tropical storms?

Distribution: sea temperatures warmer in more places.

What scale is used to measure tropical storms?

Saffir-Simpson scale (1-5)

How many died in the Chile 2010 earthquake?

500 killed

How many were injured in the Chile 2010 earthquake?

12,000 injured

How many were affected by the Chile 2010 earthquake?

800,000

What infrastructure was damaged as a result of the Chile 2010 earthquake?

power, water and communications cut

How many died in the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

9000 kiled

How many were injured in the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

20,000 injured

How many were affected by the Nepal earthquake?

8 million (1/3 population)

What infrastructure was damaged by the Nepal earthquake?

destruction of buildings and infrastructure.

What was a secondary effect of the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

communities cut off by landslides/avalanches

How many died on Mt. Everest in the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

avalanches on Mt. Everest killed 19

What are immediate responses?

Responses done straight away.

What are examples of immediate responses?

search & rescue, keeping survivors alive with emergency aid

What are secondary responses? definition

Rebuilding and reconstruction, restore normal life, reduce future risk

Chile: how did international aid help in the short term?

field hospitals and floating bridges

Chile: what was the response by emergency services?

Emergency services acted swiftly

What highway was repaired in Chile?

Temporary repairs for Route 5 highway within 24 hours so aid can come from Santiago

How quickly was power and water restored in Chile.

Power & water restored to 90% in 10 days.

How much did a national appeal in Chile raise?

National appeal raised US$60 million to build 30,000 shelters.

In the short term, how many migrated from Kathmandu?

300,000 migrated from Kathmandu

What temporary infrastructure was set up in Nepal?

Field hospitals and half a million tents for shelter.

What aid was sent to Mt. Everest

Search & rescue, especially helicopters

What technology aided Nepal's search and rescue?

Social media used in search and rescue

Who provided overseas aid for Nepal?

NGOs

What government plan was a long term response to the Chile earthquake?

1 month later government reconstruction plan to help 200,000 households

Why did Chile not need much international help?

Strong economy reduced need for foreign aid

How long would it take Chile to recover from the 2010 earthquake?

Likely to recover fully in 4 years

What infrastructural fixtures followed the Nepal 2015 earthquake?

Roads repaired, landslides cleared.

How was flooding avoided in Nepal in the long term?

Lakes emptied to avoid flooding

How many people were rehoused in Nepal?

1000s of homeless rehoused and damaged homes repaired

How many schools were repaired in Nepal?

7000 schools repaired

How does Nepal hope to reduce building damage in the long term?

Stricter building codes

In what conference did Nepal seek financial aid?

June 2015 international conference

What helped grow Nepal's economy again in the long term?

tourism re-boosted.

How many died following a 2003 heatwave UK?

over 20,000

When was England's wettest winter?

2013/14

Why is UK weather getting 'stuck'?

Climate Change

How often does eccentricity (eliptical) happen?

100,000 years

How often does axial tilt happen?

41,000 years

How often does precession (wobble) happen?

26,000

How much does CO2 contribute to global warming?

60% net warming

How much do fossil fuels account for CO2?

87% CO2

What was the first legally binding climate deal?

Paris Agreement 2015 (1.5 degreesC)

How high is the sea wall around Male in the Maldives?

Paper 1: Section A - Natural Hazards Flashcards

Natural Hazards, Tectonic Hazards, Weather Hazards, Climate Change. Case studies: Chile & Nepal, Typhoon Haiyan, Somerset Level Floods 2014 (96 cards)