TYPES OF HAZARD

WORLD AT RISK
 What you should
achieve this lesson
Know some key terms in relation to the topic

Understand how to classify different hazard types

Recognise the difference between a natural hazard and

a disaster
 Key terms
With a partner I want you to try to come up with and write
a definition of the following:

Natural Hazard
Disaster
Risk
Vulnerability
Hydro-meteorological hazard
Geophysical hazard
 Natural hazard

A natural hazard is a naturally occurring

process or event which affects people, e.g.
causing loss of life or injury, economic
damage, disruption to peoples lives or
environmental degradation.

Without people it is just a natural event not a

hazard, it needs the interaction of people to
make it a hazard.
 Natural hazard
NO NATURAL HAZARD

Hazardous Vulnerable
geophysical population:
event e.g. susceptible to
flood or human and
earthquake economic loss

No interaction of human and

physical systems
Natural hazard
(Dreggs model)
NATURAL HAZARD

Hazardous Vulnerable
geophysical population:
DISASTER
event e.g. susceptible to
flood or human and
earthquake economic loss

Interaction of human and physical

systems
 Disaster

The realisation of a hazard, although there is

no universally agreed definition of the scale on
which loss has to occur to qualify as a
disaster.
(Smith 1996)
 Risk

Risk is the exposure of people to a

hazardous event which may present a
potential threat to people or their
possessions, including buildings and
structures.
 Vulnerability

Vulnerability is the degree to which you

are susceptible to physical or emotional
injury or attack
 What is the
connection?
GROUP 1

ALL ARE HYDRO-METEROLOGICAL HAZARDS

 What is the
connection?
GROUP 2

ALL ARE GEOPHYSICAL HAZARDS

 What is the
connection?
GROUP 3

COULD FIT INTO EITHER

Hydro-meteorological
hazard
Discuss with your partner what you think this means

Hydro-meteorological Hazard

Natural processes or phenomena of atmospheric,

hydrological or oceanographic nature, which may
cause the loss of life or injury, property damage, social
and economic disruption or environmental
degradation
HYDRO-meteorological
hazards
Examples:
Cyclones, droughts, floods, storm surges,
thunder/hailstorms, rain and wind storms, blizzards
and other severe storms; desertification, wildland
fires, temperature extremes, sand or dust storms;
permafrost and snow or ice avalanches.

Hydrometeorological hazards can be single, sequential

or combined in their origin and effects.
Geophysical hazards

Discuss with your partner what you think this

means
Geophysical Hazard
Natural hazards where the principal causal
agent is geological, geomorphological (e.g.
landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes and
earthquakes). They do not include biological
hazards.
 Chronic hazards

Discuss with your partner what you think this

means
Chronic Hazard
A hazard that is long-term and persistent
Examples:
El Nino
Global Warming
What do you think?

Are hazards really

natural?
 homework

Create a mini case study on Hurricane Irene

Watch the news
Read the papers
Look online
Where and why
What impacts have there been (short and long term;
local, national, international)
Cost
Were any precautionary measures in place