Physical Enviroment - Natural Hazards

Question 1

Natural Hazard

Answer 1

A natural process that could cause death, injury or disruption to humans or destroy or damage property and/or possessions.

Question 2

Natural disaster

Answer 2

Natural hazard that has actually happened

Question 3

Geological Hazard

Answer 3

Caused by land and tectonic processes e.g. volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides and avalanches

Question 4

Meteorological hazards

Answer 4

Caused by weather and climate change e.g. tropical storms, heatwaves, cold spells and other extreme weather

Question 5

Two types of natural hazards

Answer 5

Geological and meteorological

Question 6

Different factors that affect hazard risk

Answer 6

Vulnerability and capacity to cope

Question 7

Vulnerability

Answer 7

• The more people in an area exposed to natural hazards increases the probability they will be affected by natural disaster, e.g. city near floodplain more likely to be flooded or city at base of volcano more vulnerable to volcanic eruptions

Question 8

Capacity to cope

Answer 8

• The better a population can cope with an extreme event, lowers the risk of them being severely affected, e.g. HICs better at coping with flooding because they can afford flood defences.

Question 9

Primary Effect

Definition

Answer 9

Immediate impacts caused by the hazard itself

Question 10

Secondary Effect

Definition

Answer 10

Happen later on, often as a result of primary effects

Question 11

Primary Effects

Examples

Answer 11

Buildings and roads are destroyed
People injured or killed (by collapsing building)
Crops and water supplies damaged or contaminated
Electricity wires, gas pipes and communications networks can be damaged or broken

Question 12

Secondary Effects

Examples

Answer 12

Initial hazard triggers another hazard
Aid/emergency vehicles can’t get through because of blocked roads
Shortage of clean food and water and lack of sanitation caused diseases to spread
Countries economy weakened

Question 13

Immediate Response

Examples

Answer 13

Evacuate people
Rescue and treat the injured 
Recover dead bodies
Provide temporary supplies
Provide food, drink and shelter
Foreign governments may send aid - aid workers supplies or money

Question 14

Long-Term responses

Examples

Answer 14

Repair homes or rehouse people
Repair or rebuild buildings, roads, railways, bridges etc.
Reconnect electricity, water, gas, communications networks
Improve building regulations to withstand future hazards
Boost economic recovery