Natural Hazard Challenges

• what are meteorological hazards?

  hazards caused by weather and climate e.g. tropical storms.
• how does monitoring earthquakes reduces its risk?

  networks of seismometers can be used in early warning systems before an earthquake happens.
• how does prediction reduces earthquake risk?

  they can't be predicted but due to the plates moving, they can infer which areas will be affected.
• how does future planning reduce earthquakes risk?

  in earthquake prone countries, emergency services, hospitals and residents have an earthquake drill.
• what was Haiti's magnitude, focus and epicenter?

  • magnitude: 7.0
  • focus: 13km deep
  • epicenter: 25km
• when did the Haiti earthquake happen?

  January 12th 2010 and was caused by a conservative plate.
• immediate responses of Haiti?

  • The USA sent rescue teams and 10,000 troops
  • 250,000 people migrated away from Port-Au-Prince
  • £20 million was donated by UK government
• long term responses of Haiti?

  • the country is so poor so it relies on overseas aid
  • the port needed to be rebuilt, so large investments
• what are the three cells for air circulation in atmosphere?

  polar, ferrel and hadley.
• how does global atmospheric circulation affect climate?

  it causes areas to have specific types of weather more often than others.
• explain the atmospheric circulation?

  • wind in the northern hemisphere moves from the north towards the equator in the south.
  • between 30 degrees north and 60 degrees north, winds move from south to north due to coriolis effect, therefore winds bend to left.
• what are tropical storms?

  powerful low-pressure weather systems which lead to strong winds and heavy rain.
• state 3 features of tropical storms?

  • they are between 482-644km wide and 6-8km high.
  • they spin due to the coriolis effect.
  • they last for 7-14 days.