Natural Disasters Quiz

Terminology in Natural Hazards

• "Disaster" is often regarded as the more appropriate term by scholars to describe the impact of a natural hazard on a community or society.

Examples of Natural Hazard Events

• Examples include earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and tsunamis. These events arise from natural processes of the Earth.

Factors Determining Severity of Damage

• Several factors influence the severity of damage from a disaster, including:
  • The intensity and magnitude of the hazard.
  • The vulnerability and resilience of the community impacted.
  • Preparedness levels and response strategies of the local population.

Origin of Disasters

• A disaster results from the interplay between natural hazards and societal vulnerabilities. It occurs when a hazard significantly impacts a community's capacity to cope.

Complexity of Distinction Between Disaster Types

• Clear differentiation among natural, human-made, and human-accelerated disasters has become challenging due to:
  • Increasing human influence on natural systems (e.g., climate change).
  • Technological advancements making human-made hazards more complex.
  • Social and economic structures exacerbating the effects of natural events.