The Challenge of Natural Hazards - Defining the Natural Hazard
Natural hazards are sudden, severe events that make the natural environment difficult to manage. They are natural processes of the planet (be it atmospheric , flooding or geological ) but since they disrupt human life and have huge economic and social impacts they become natural hazards . Atmospheric hazards include: Blizzards, Droughts, Heatwaves, Lightning & Tornadoes. Flooding hazards include: Glacial bursts & Storm Surges Geological hazards include: Earthquakes, Landslides, Sink Holes & Volcanic Eruptions Atmospheric combined with Flooding include: Snow Storms, Thunder Storms & Tropical Storms Flooding combined with Geological include: Avalanches & Tsunamis Geological combined with Atmospheric include: Ash or Pyroclastic Clouds Hazards that combine Atmospheric , Flooding and Geological are mud flows or lahars Hazard risk = the chance of being affected by a natural hazard e.g. the residents of New Orlean...