booklet 1 - what are hazards

• what is a hazard?

  threat with potential to cause injury, loss of life, damage to property, socio-economic disruption or environmental damage
• atmospheric hazard


  eg - drought, storms, extreme heat, lightning strike, tornado, wildfire
• hydrological hazard


  flooding, mass movements, subsidence
• geophysical hazard


  earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic activity
• what is a natural hazard?

  - event perceived as a threat to people, the built environment + the natural environment

  - occur in physical environments of the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere
• common characteristics of a natural hazard

  - clear origins + distinct effects

  - only short warning time before event

  - scale + intensity requiring emergency responses

  - exposure to risk is involuntary

  - loss of life and damage often occur shortly after the event
• potential impacts of a natural hazard

  - landslides + extreme weather

  - change in population size - migration

  - local and global impacts

  - economic costs - property damage

  - short and long term affects

  - loss of life, isolation, lack of access and escape
• disaster


  hazard event that causes widespread disruption, destruction of property and loss of life on a significant scale
• when does the UN class a hazard as a disaster?

  - 10 or more killed

  - 100 or more affected

  - declaration of state of emergency is made

  - request by national government for international assistance
• risk


  probability of a hazard occurring and creating loss
• why do people put themselves at risk?

  - hazard events are unpredictable

  - lack of alternatives

  - changing levels of risk

  - cost / benefit
• perception of hazards


  - way in which individual/group views threat of hazard event

  - will determine course of action taken by people, governments + organisations
• factors influencing peoples perceptions of hazards

  - direct experience of particular hazard

  - the areas economy + ability to redevelop

  - religious beliefs / age / education

  - social status + affluence
• vulnerability


  risk + ability to cope with potential loss
• factors affecting vulnerability


  - past recurrence intervals

  - population / age / economy

  - spatial extent / land use

  - speed of onset / magnitude / duration
• strategies to reduce vulnerability

  - improvements in science + technology (forecasting)

  - establishing a spatial pattern

  - volcano warning system - allows for signs to be detected + emergency services to be alerted