The concept of hazard in a geographical context Flashcards
What is a natural hazard?
A perceived event that threatens both life and property.
- Hazards can be human caused or occur naturally (natural hazards).
What do natural hazards often result in?
They often result in disasters that cause some loss of life and/or damage to the built environment and create severe disruption to human activities.
What is risk?
The exposure of people to a hazardous event presenting a potential threat to themselves, their possessions and the built environment in which they live.
Why do people consciously put themselves at risk from natural hazards?
- Hazard events are unpredictable - we can’t predict the frequency, magnitude or scale of a natural hazard event.
- Lack of alternatives - due to social, political, economic and cultural factors people can’t simply uproot themselves from one place to another.
- Changing the level of risk - places that were once relatively safe may have become, through time, far more of a risk.
- Cost/benefit - many hazardous areas offer advantages that in people’s minds outweigh the risk that they are taking. E.G Californian cities.
When does a natural event become a hazard?
An event will only become a hazard when it is
a threat to people.
E.g. if a hurricane hit an uninhabited desert island it would not be classed as a
hazard.
When do disasters only occur?
When a vulnerable population (one that will be significantly disrupted and damaged) is exposed to
a hazard.
- If the population is not vulnerable, the hazard will not
have a significant effect, therefore the event will not be disastrous.
Is the risk the same for all people in an area and are some people more vulnerable than others?
- Mention wealth and poorer countries.
A similar sized natural hazard event can have widely varying impacts in different parts of the world.
- People’s wealth and level of technology that they can use do affect the degree to which the hazard event will impact upon them.
- Richer people + countries can protect themselves by building defences e.g. sea defences and constructing earthquake resistant buildings, provide better emergency services, etc.
- They can also better prepare by being made aware of risk through education.
- People of cities in poorer countries are more vulnerable.
- As urban area have grown, more people have been forced to live in hazardous areas like on steep hillsides that are prone to landslides or lowest lying parts where they’re at risk from tropical storms.
What factors influence perception?
- Socio-economic status
- Level of education
- Occupation/employment status
- Religion, cultural/ethnic background
- Family + marital status
- Past experience
- Values, personality + expectations
