Understanding Hydrometeorological Hazards Quiz

Hydrometeorological Hazards

• Includes typhoons, thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and drought, among others
• Involves atmospheric, hydrological, or oceanographic phenomena that can cause loss of life, injury, property damage, and more

Human-Induced Hazards

• Caused by technological or industrial conditions, such as infrastructure failures or human activities
• Examples include transport accidents and chemical spills
• Can pose serious health risks to populations without adequate policies to regulate hazardous materials

Exposure and Sensitivity

• Exposure refers to people and properties affected by hazards
• Measured by the number of people or types of assets in an area, with geographical location being a crucial factor
• Sensitivity refers to the degree to which a community can be affected by hazards, depending on factors like economic dependence

Disasters and Disaster Risk

• A disaster is a serious and tragic event that causes loss of lives, human suffering, and great damages to properties and the environment
• Disaster risk is the potential loss in lives, health status, livelihood, and various assets, which are often challenging to quantify

Hazards

• Natural hazards are phenomena that may cause severe death toll, damages to property, environment, and socio-economic condition of communities

• Types of natural hazards include:

  Biological Hazards

  • Directly linked to an organic origin, caused by exposure to toxic substances and microorganisms
  • Examples include epidemic diseases caused by viral and bacterial infections

  Geologic Hazards

  • Events that originated in solid ground, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and secondary hazards like landslides and mudflows

Impacts of Disasters

Social Impacts

• Primary damage includes destruction of buildings and infrastructure
• Can affect health and education, leading to long-term impacts on society
• Housing destruction can lead to homelessness, further affecting society
• Health care infrastructures are vulnerable to hazards, making them unable to accommodate people affected by disasters

Economic Impacts

• The basic structure of the economy is a major determining factor on the degree of vulnerability to hazards
• Each sector of society has a part to play, and too much focus on a single aspect can lead to undesirable outcomes
• Countries dependent on a single source of livelihood, such as agriculture, are more vulnerable to extreme weather events

Environmental Impacts

• Disasters create substantial environmental degradation and ecological imbalance, reducing the quality of people's lives

Test your knowledge on hazards such as typhoons, thunderstorms, floods, and drought that are of atmospheric, hydrological, or oceanographic nature. Learn about the impacts on society and the environment caused by these phenomena.