A natural hazard is a threat of an event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment. Many natural hazards are related, e. g. earthquakes can result in tsunamis, drought can lead directly to famine and disease. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly A concrete example of the division between hazard and disaster is that the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was a disaster, whereas earthquakes are a hazard. Hazards are consequently relating to a future occurrence and disasters to past or current occurrences.
Contents |
Geological hazards
Avalanche
An avalanche is a geophysical hazard a slide of a large snow (or rock) mass down a mountainside, caused when a buildup of snow is released down a slope, it is one of the major dangers faced in the mountains in winter. This article refers to the natural event For other uses see Avalanche (disambiguation An avalanche is an abrupt and rapid flow of snow often An avalanche is an example of a gravity current consisting of granular material. In an avalanche, lots of material or mixtures of different types of material fall or slide rapidly under the force of gravity. Avalanches are often classified by what they are made of.
Earthquake
An earthquake is a phenomenon that results from a sudden release of stored energy that radiates seismic waves. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer A phenomenon (from Greek φαινόμενoν, pl φαινόμενα - phenomena) is any observable occurrence Seismic waves are Waves that travel through the Earth, most often as the result of a tectonic Earthquake, sometimes from an Explosion At the Earth's surface, earthquakes may manifest themselves by a shaking or displacement of the ground and sometimes tsunamis. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when 90% of all earthquakes - and 81% of the largest - occur around the 40,000km long, which roughly bounds the Pacific Plate. The Pacific Plate is an oceanic Tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean. Many earthquakes happen each day, few of which are large enough to cause significant damage.
Lahar
A lahar is a type of natural disaster closely related to a volcanic eruption, and involves a large amount of material, including mud, rock, and ash sliding down the side of the volcano at a rapid pace. A lahar is a type of Mudflow / Landslide composed of Pyroclastic material and Water that flows down from a Volcano, typically In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Volcanic ash consists of small Tephra, which are bits of pulverized rock and glass created by volcanic eruptions less than in diameter Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the These flows can destroy entire towns in seconds and kill thousands of people.
Landslides and Mudflows
A landslide is a disaster closely related to an avalanche, but instead of occurring with snow, it occurs involving actual elements of the ground, including rocks, trees, parts of houses, and anything else which may happen to be swept up. A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement such as rock falls deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows which can occur This article refers to the natural event For other uses see Avalanche (disambiguation An avalanche is an abrupt and rapid flow of snow often "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or Landslides can be caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or general instability in the surrounding land. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer Mudslides, or mud flows, are a special case of landslides, in which heavy rainfall causes loose soil on steep terrain to collapse and slide downwards (see also Lahar). Mudslide redirects here it is also the name of a cocktail. A mudflow or mudslide is the most rapid (up to 80 km/h / 50 mph A lahar is a type of Mudflow / Landslide composed of Pyroclastic material and Water that flows down from a Volcano, typically
Sinkholes
A sinkhole is localized depression in the surface topography, usually caused by the collapse of a subterranean structure, such as a cave. A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or Cenote, is a natural depression A cave is a natural underground void large enough for a human to enter Although rare, large sinkholes that develop suddenly in populated areas can lead to the collapse of buildings and other structures.
Volcanic eruption
A volcanic eruption is the point in which a volcano is active and releases its power, and the eruptions come in many forms. Puu Ōō (often written Puu Oo, and puʔu ʔoːʔoː (roughly "poo-oo oh-oh" is a cinder/spatter cone in the eastern Rift zone of the Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the They range from daily small eruptions which occur in places like Kilauea in Hawaii, or extremely infrequent super volcano eruptions (where the volcano expels at least 1,000 cubic kilometers of material) in places like Lake Taupo, 26,500 years ago, or Yellowstone Caldera, which has the potential to become a super volcano in the near geological future. Kīlauea (kiːlauea is an active Volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five Shield volcanoes that together form the Island of Hawai{{okina}}i The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the A supervolcano or super volcanic eruption is a Volcanic eruption which is Orders of magnitude greater than any volcano in historic times (generally accepted to be Lake Taupo is a Lake situated in the North Island of New Zealand. The Yellowstone Caldera is the volcanic Caldera in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Some eruptions form pyroclastic flows, which are high-temperature clouds of ash and steam that can trial down mountainsides at speed exceeding an airliner. A pyroclastic flow (also known as a pyroclastic density current) is a common and devastating result of some volcanic eruptions. According to the Toba catastrophe theory, 70 to 75 thousand years ago, a super volcanic event at Lake Toba reduced the human population to 10,000 or even 1,000 breeding pairs, creating a bottleneck in human evolution. According to the Toba catastrophe theory, 70000 to 75000 years ago a supervolcanic event at Lake Toba, on Sumatra, reduced the world's human population A supervolcano or super volcanic eruption is a Volcanic eruption which is Orders of magnitude greater than any volcano in historic times (generally accepted to be Lake Toba ( Danau Toba) is a Lake and Supervolcano, 100 km long and 30 km wide and 505 m Human evolution, or anthropogenesis, is the part of biological Evolution concerning the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct Species
Hydrological hazards
Flood
Floods are the result of prolonged rainfall from a storm, including thunderstorms, rapid melting of large amounts of snow, or rivers which swell from excess precipitation upstream and cause widespread damage to areas downstream, or less frequently the bursting of man-made dams or levees. The Limpopo River rises in central southern Africa, and flows generally eastwards to the Indian Ocean. Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa The 2000 Mozambique flood was a Natural disaster that occurred in February and March 2000 A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface and strongly implying Severe weather. "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation. "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there Dike (constructionEmbankmentA levee, levée, dike (or dyke) embankment, floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial Tropical cyclones can result in extensive flooding and storm surge. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding Storm surge or tidal surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system typically a Tropical cyclone.
Limnic eruption
Also referred to as a 'lake overturn', a limnic eruption is a rare type of natural disaster in which CO2 suddenly erupts from deep lake water, posing the threat of suffocating wildlife, livestock and humans. A limnic eruption, also referred to as a lake overturn, is a rare type of Natural disaster in which Carbon dioxide (CO2 suddenly erupts from Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Such an eruption may also cause tsunamis in the lake as the rising CO2 displaces water. A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when Scientists believe landslides, volcanic activity, or explosions can trigger such an eruption. A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement such as rock falls deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows which can occur Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the
Maelstrom
Maelstroms are a large tidal whirlpool. A maelstrom (or malström/malstrøm in the Scandinavian languages) is a very powerful Whirlpool; a large swirling body of water The largest known maelstrom is Moskstraumen off the Lofoten islands in Norway. The Moskstraumen (popularly known as the Maelstrom) is a system of tidal eddies and Whirlpools one of the strongest in the world Lofoten is an Archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Powerful whirlpools have killed unlucky seafarers, but their power tends to be exaggerated in fiction. Maelstroms can reach speeds of 20-40km/h.
Seiche
A seiche is a standing wave in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water. Seiche is also a French term for a type of Cuttlefish (Sepiida Seiches and seiche-related phenomena have been observed on lakes, reservoirs, bays and seas. The key requirement for formation of a seiche is that the body of water be at least partially bounded, allowing natural phenomena to form a standing wave.
Tsunami
A tsunami is a wave of water caused by the displacement of a body of water. A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when A wave is a disturbance that propagates through Space and Time, usually with transference of Energy. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. The word comes from Japanese words "tsu" meaning harbor and "nami" meaning wave (tsu+nami=harbor wave). is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities A harbor or harbour (see spelling differences) or haven, is a place where ships may shelter from the Weather or are stored A wave is a disturbance that propagates through Space and Time, usually with transference of Energy. Tsunami can be caused by undersea earthquakes as in the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake, or by landslides such as the one which occurred at Lituya Bay, Alaska. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of Lituya Bay is a Fjord located at in the US state of Alaska. It is 14 Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent Meteotsunamis are caused by meteorological phenomena. A megatsunami is an informal term used to describe very large tsunamis. Mega-tsunami (also known as iminami or "wave of purification" is an informal term to indicate a Tsunami that has initial Wave heights that are The largest waves are caused by very large landslides, such as a collapsing island, into a body of water. The highest tsunami ever recorded was estimated to be of 524m (1742 ft. ) vertical run-up on July 9, 1958,in Lituya Bay,Alaska. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lituya Bay is a Fjord located at in the US state of Alaska. It is 14 Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent
Climatic and Atmospheric hazards
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe winter storm condition characterized by low temperatures, strong winds, and heavy blowing snow. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. A blizzard is a severe Winter storm condition characterized by low Temperatures strong Winds and heavy blowing Snow Blizzards are formed when A winter storm is an event in which the dominant varieties of precipitation are forms that only occur at cold Temperatures such as Snow or Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) "Snowfall" redirects here For other uses see Snow (disambiguation or Snowfall (disambiguation.
Drought
A drought is an abnormally dry period when there is not enough water to support agricultural, urban or environmental water needs. A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply Extended droughts can result in deaths by starvation or disease, and can result in wildfires. Starvation (also called inanition) is a severe reduction in Vitamin, Nutrient, and Energy intake and is the most extreme form of A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, Scientists warn that global warming may result in more extensive droughts in coming years. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply
Hailstorm
A hailstorm is a natural hazard where a thunderstorm produces numerous hailstones which damage the location in which they fall. Hail is a form of precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice (hailstones Hail is a form of precipitation which consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice (hailstones Hailstorms can be especially devastating to farm fields, ruining crops and damaging equipment. A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock
Heat wave
A heat wave is a hazard characterized by heat which is considered extreme and unusual in the area in which it occurs. A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot Weather, which may be accompanied by high Humidity. In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature Heat waves are rare and require specific combinations of weather events to take place, and may include temperature inversions, katabatic winds, or other phenomena. The weather is a set of all the phenomena occurring in a given Atmosphere at a given Time. In meteorology an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude A katabatic wind, from the Greek word katabatikos meaning "going downhill" is the technical name for a drainage Wind, a wind There is potential for longer term events causing global warming, including stadial events (the opposite to glacial 'ice age' events), or through human induced climatic warming. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the A stadial is a period of colder Temperatures during an Interglacial, of insufficient duration or intensity to be considered a Glaciation, or glacial period
Cyclonic storms
Hurricane, tropical cyclone, and typhoon are different names for the same phenomenon: a cyclonic storm system that forms over the oceans. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface and strongly implying Severe weather. It is caused by evaporated water that comes off of the ocean and becomes a storm. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere. A storm is any disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere, especially affecting its surface and strongly implying Severe weather. The Coriolis Effect causes the storms to spin, and a hurricane is declared when this spinning mass of storms attains a wind speed greater than 74 mph. In physics the Coriolis effect is an apparent deflection of moving objects when they are viewed from a Rotating frame of reference. Hurricane is used for these phenomena in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans, tropical cyclone in the Indian, typhoon in the western Pacific. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions
Ice age
An ice age is a geologic period, but could also be viewed in the light of a catastrophic natural hazard, since in an ice age, the climate all over the world would change and places which were once considered habitable would then be too cold to permanently inhabit. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of A side effect of an ice age could possibly be a famine, caused by a worldwide drought. A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply
Ice storm
An ice storm is a particular weather event in which precipitation falls as ice, due to atmosphere conditions Luis Mi. An ice storm is a type of Winter storm characterized by Freezing rain. The weather is a set of all the phenomena occurring in a given Atmosphere at a given Time. Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia An atmosphere (from Greek ατμός - atmos, " Vapor " + σφαίρα - sphaira, " Sphere " Ruiz.
Tornado
A tornado is a natural disaster resulting from a thunderstorm. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus Tornadoes are violent, rotating columns of air which can blow at speeds between 50 and 300 mph, and possibly higher. Tornadoes can occur one at a time, or can occur in large tornado outbreaks along squall lines or in other large areas of thunderstorm development. While there is no single agreed upon definition generally more than six Tornadoes in a day in the same region is considered a tornado outbreak. A squall line is a line of severe thunderstorms that can form along and/or ahead of a Cold front. Waterspouts are tornadoes occurring over tropical waters in light rain conditions. A waterspout is an intense columnar Vortex (usually appearing as a Funnel -shaped Cloud) that occurs over a Body of water and is connected to
Wildfire hazard
A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire burning in wildland areas. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, Wildlands are areas of land where plants and animals exist free of human interference Common causes include lightning and drought but wildfires may also be started by human negligence or arson. Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of Electricity, which typically occurs during Thunderstorms and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply They can be a threat to those in rural areas and also wildlife. Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants animals and other organisms Wildfires can also produce ember attacks, where floating embers set fire to buildings at a distance from the fire itself. An ember attack is a naturally occurring event. During a Bushfire, burning parts of trees such as twigs branches or leaves become temporarily airborne
Biospherical hazards
Epidemic
An epidemic is an outbreak of a contractible disease that spreads at a rapid rate through a human population. For the H5N1 subtype of Avian influenza see H5N1. Avian influenza, sometimes Avian flu, and commonly Bird flu refers In Epidemiology, an epidemic (from Greek epi- upon + demos people is a classification of a disease that appears as new cases in a A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly A pandemic is an epidemic whose spread is global. A pandemic (from Greek παν pan all + δήμος demos people is an Epidemic of Infectious disease that spreads through There have been many epidemics throughout history, such as Black Death. This article is a list of major Epidemics. Worldwide pandemics The following are Epidemics which spread across several continents The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia
Famine
Famine is a social and economic crisis that is commonly accompanied by widespread malnutrition, starvation, epidemic disease and increased mortality. A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation Although some famines occur - or are aggravated - by natural factors, it can and often is a result of economic or military policy that deprives people of the food that they require to survive.
Extraterrestrial
Impact event
An impact event is a natural hazard in which an extraterrestrial piece of rock or other material collides with the Earth. See also Impact crater An impact event is the Collision of a large Meteoroid, Asteroid or Comet (generically EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 The exact consequences of a direct Earth impact would vary greatly with size of the colliding object, although in cases of medium to large impacts short-term climate change and a general failure of agriculture. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture
Solar flare
A solar flare is a phenomenon where the sun suddenly releases a great amount of solar radiation, much more than normal. A solar flare is a violent explosion in a star's (like the Sun 's atmosphere releasing as much Energy as 6 × 1025 Joules Solar flares The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. It is theorized that these releases of radiation could cause a widespread failure of communications technology across the globe. The exact implications of such a failure are unknown. Further studies are being carried out.
International campaigns
In 2000, the United Nations launched the International Early Warning Programme to address the underlying causes of vulnerability and to build disaster-resilient communities by promoting increased awareness of the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction as an integral component of sustainable development, with the goal of reducing human, economic and environmental losses due to hazards of all kinds (UN/ISDR, 2000). The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The International Early Warning Programme ( IEWP) was first proposed at the Second International Early Warning Conference (EWCII in 2003 in Bonn, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR is a term used for techniques focus on preventing or minimising the effects of disasters Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present The 2006-2007 United Nations International Disaster Reduction Day theme is “Disaster reduction education begins in school”. The Foundation of Public Safety Professionals has launched an international campaign giving everybody a chance to have their say, thought their international open essay or documentary competition “Disaster Risk Reduction Education Begins at School”.
See also
- Act of God
- Risks to civilization, humans and planet Earth
- List of environmental disasters
- Ten Threats identified by the United Nations
- Emergency management
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic