Natural Hazards

• natural hazard


  naturally occurring event that is a threat to a population, causing loss of life, injuries and damage to infrastructure
• geological hazard

  hazard caused by processes on land
• hydrological hazard


  hazard caused by movement of water on land
• atmospheric hazard


  hazard caused by weather
• hazard risk


  probability that a natural hazard will effect a population
• effects of urbanisation on hazard risk


  urban areas contain many buildings which can collapse during hazards and put lives at risk, many large cities like Los Angeles which has many earthquakes are located in hazardous areas
• effect of population growth on hazard risk


  housing demand is exceeding its supply so many live in cheaper informal housing which cannot withstand natural hazards or is built in areas of higher risk
• effect of wealth on hazard risk


  poverty means populations live in unsafe housing with less access to healthcare, education and rescue services, wealthier countries can invest in hazard defences
• effect of climate change on hazard risk


  effects of climate change expose more people to hazards, such as rising sea levels and increased precipitation increasing flooding and tropical storms
• effect of land use on hazard risk


  many people choose to live near floodplains due to fertile soil which brings agriculture opportunities, increasing their risk of experiencing flooding