Option+D+Hazards+and+Disasters+-+Risk+Assessment+and+Response

Environmental hazards exist at the interface between physical geography and human geography. Natural hazard events are often exacerbated by human actions, although conversely, human‑induced hazard events are also affected by natural environmental conditions. The principles involved in studying natural hazards are identical to those involved in studying human‑induced hazards.

The focus of this optional theme is on the full range of human adjustments and responses to hazards and disasters at a variety of scales. The term “natural disaster” is deliberately avoided in this theme because it is not considered to be an accurate reflection of the multitude of underlying reasons that expose people to risk and subsequently create the pre‑conditions necessary for a disaster to occur.



__**Characteristics of hazards**__





[|Global hazards map]

with thanks to Tom Phillips at KGV



__** Characteristics and spatial distribution of earthquakes **__

How are earthquakes and volcanoes monitored?

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/monitoring/deformation/data/instruments.php http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/natural_hazards/managing_hazards_rev2.shtml p202 Course Companion

LIC - Sichuan HIC - Tohoku [|Japan Earthquake 'not the big one'] [|Japan Earthquake map - BBC]

__**Volcanoes**__ Eyjafijallajokull - Iceland Volcano HIC

[|Eyjafjallajökull]

http://www.acegeography.com/volcano-case-studies.html



__**Measuring magnitude**__
 * What is measured?
 * How is it measured?
 * What are the strengths / weaknesses of measuring it in this way?

Earthquakes http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/physical/earth/richt.html

Volcanoes http://www.theguardian.com/education/2004/sep/02/research.highereducation


 * __ [[file:Hurricanes2.pptx|Characteristics and spatial distribution of hurricanes]] __**

How do hurricanes form?



Lesson - Monday 21.9.15 Last lesson we looked at the characteristics of hurricanes, where they develop and how they develop into hurricanes from thunderstorms. The video below explains how and where hurricanes are born.

1) From p205 describe the distribution of hurricanes 2) Describe the changes that occur as the intensity of a hurricane increases 3) Complete an annotated diagram of a hurricane to show it's main features. 4) Make a copy of the saffir simpson scale. Describe what it measures and evaluate it with a strengths and weaknesses table (p206 course companion will help with this). 5) Use the case study template and the checklist to complete a case study of Hurrucane Katrina using the links below.

media type="youtube" key="Wk_FVXVnE2I" width="560" height="315" __**HIC - Hurricane Katrina, USA 2005**__ • [] • []

[] [] [] LIC - Cyclone Nargis Myanmar (Burma)
 * __[|Wider reading for predictability]__**



**__Characteristics and spatial distribution of droughts__**

 * __[|What is a drought?]__**

media type="custom" key="23851528"


 * __[|UCL Drought monitor]__**


 * __How do droughts develop?__**


 * __[|El Nino / La Nina]__**

[|Further physical causes]



Widespread cutting down of trees reduces the ability of the soil to hold moisture. The routes of vegetation creates small passages for water to infiltrate the soil. When this vegetation is removed, the soil becomes increasingly impermeable and greater surface runoff occurs. An estimated 62% of precipitation occur as a result of evaporation from wetlands, lakes and forests which pump water into the atmosphere ( [|http://www.irinnews.org]). Therefore the removal of vegetation from forests and wetlands has an effect on the hydrological cycle as well.
 * __Deforestation__**

media type="custom" key="23851540"

__**Resources for LIC drought example - East Africa Drought**__

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__** Resources for HIC drought examples - SE Australia Drought **__ media type="custom" key="23970314"

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 * Where did it happen?**
 * Why?**
 * How long for (duration)?**
 * What were the effects?**
 * How did people respond?**

[] [] [] [] @http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Habitat/Gulf-Restoration/Oil-Spill/Effects-on-Wildlife.aspx []
 * __Human Induced Hazard - Deep Water Horizon__**