CHAPTER 1 NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS CATASTROPHIC EVENTS IN NATURE Correct answers are indicated by an asterisk both in short answer and multiple choice questions True or False questions can be easily prepared from multiple choice questions Web Sites Introduction and general hazard sites http ask usgs gov http disaster ifas ufl edu http disasterlinks net http edcwww cr usgs gov Earthshots http edcwww cr usgs gov glis hyper guide disp http geohazards cr usgs gov http geology usgs gov http walrus wr usgs gov ask a geologist http www colorado edu hazards resources sites html http www fema gov http www iso com http www paho org disasters http www usgs gov http www usgs gov themes hazard html References Bak Per 1996 How nature works The Science of Self organized Criticality Copernicus SpringerVerlag New York 212 p Bryant E A 1991 Natural Hazards Cambridge Univ Press N Y 294 p National Committee on Property Insurance 1989 Catastrophic Earthquakes The need to Insure against Economic Disaster 120 p appendix Institute for Business and Home Safety 73 Tremont St Suite 510 Boston MA 02108 Peitgen H O J Jurgens and D Saupe 1992 Chaos and Fractals Springer Verlag New York 984 p CHAPTER 1 End of Chapter Answers 1 Is the geological landscape controlled by gradual and unrelenting processes or intermittent large events with little action in between Provide an example to illustrate intermittent large events streams run clear most of the year but get muddy and erode their channels during floods 2 Why do people live in geologically dangerous areas for the view experience a stream or the beach more closely fertile land cheap land 3 Contrast the general nature of catastrophic losses in developed countries versus poor countries developed countries mostly lose buildings or property money poor countries lose lives 4 If people should not live in especially dangerous areas what beneficial use is there for those areas parks natural areas playing fields golf courses 5 When people or governmental agencies try to control the activities of nature what is the general result The problem is transferred to somewhere else or onto someone else 6 Some natural disasters happen when the equilibrium of a system is disrupted What are some examples landslide becomes soaked with water volcano bulge collapses triggering an eruption 7 Why are most natural events not perfectly cyclic multiple independent variables affect most events overlapping cycles give non cyclic variation 8 Give an example of a fractal system Numerous small streams e g viewed at a close scale such as part of a state many larger streams e g viewed over a larger area such as the U S and very few giant rivers e g the Mississippi as viewed on a world map or Numerous small landslides fewer large landslides and only rarely a giant landslide 9 When an insurance company decides on the cost of an insurance policy for a natural hazard what are the two main deciding factors the probability of an event occurrence e g recurrence interval cost of the probable loss in dollars from the event 10 What are the main reasons for the ever increasing costs of catastrophic events people moving into dangerous areas are not familiar with the hazards more expensive property in dangerous sites Chapter 1 Short answer questions 1 Explain briefly in the context of geological hazards the main difference between uniformitarianism and catastrophism uniformitarianism is slow progressive over a long time catastrophism is sudden major events with time gaps in between 2 Why are people who live on coastal beaches so poorly aware or concerned about hazards in those environments Most of them including developers real estate people and governmental employees have never experienced a hurricane or major flood 3 What kind of natural hazards are not normally insurable landslides ground settling or swelling soils 4 Why do many coastal communities not educate visitors and new residents about natural hazards in their areas They view such information as bad for tourism and bad for business 5 What is the normal relationship between number of occurrences of a particular type of event and the size of such events numerous small events a few larger events and only rarely a giant event 6 When is a large event such as a major earthquake not a disaster when it happens in a remote area where it affects no people 7 When people incur a significant loss from a natural disaster who is most commonly to blame and why people themselves because they place themselves in the environment of such large natural events 8 What can happen to make a moderate size event into a large natural disaster overlapping events that amplify the effect 9 If you erect a barrier for protection against some natural event what detrimental effect can follow it can affect people in other locations such as downstream Chapter 1 Multiple choice questions 1 The erosion of large stream valleys is accomplished and controlled primarily by which of the following a gradual and continuous processes b a few large events with not much in between c gradual processes and a few large events in about equal proportions d the actions of man e actions of the federal and state governments 2 a b c People live in dangerous areas for what reasons for the views because of cheap land because the land is fertile d for proximity to recreational opportunities e for all of the above reasons 3 Catastrophic natural disaster losses in developed countries involve which of the following a large numbers of deaths b large financial costs to individuals and companies c primarily losses borne by insurance companies d large numbers of deaths and large financial costs e primarily losses borne by state governments 4 Areas of cities that are subjected to significant natural hazards should be used for which of the following a office buildings because they can withstand the effects of the hazard b inexpensive single family houses c parks and golf courses d shopping malls e factories and industrial complexes 5 When people or government agencies try to control the activities of natural events the common result is which of the following a the effect is the opposite of that intended b the effort is wasted because it is impossible to do c we have become quite effective at such control d this doesn t happen since the federal government doesn t permit tampering with nature e our problem with nature is transferred elsewhere to someone else or postponed 6 Natural disasters generally involve
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