Name Learning Unit 1 Introduction to Natural Disasters Review Questions This assignment is designed to assess your understanding of Unit 1 and includes some of the Questions for Review at the end of Chapter 1 from your text plus a few additional questions Each question can be answered in one to two sentences Please limit yourself to a maximum of three sentences Access the assignment complete it with ANSWERS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR FONT as a separate file and send it back for evaluation and grading through the assignment tab by or before the due date 1 What are some reasons people live in geologically dangerous areas for the view of a scenic environment fertile land cheap land natural transporta tion corridors population growth 2 Is the geological landscape controlled by gradual and unrelenting processes or intermittent large events with little action in between Provide an example to illustrate Overall the geologic landscape is controlled by intermittent large events While some processes operate slowly and gradually infrequent catastrophic events have sudden and major impacts For example streams run clear most of the year but get muddy and erode their channels during floods This is when they carry most of their annual load of sediment That sediment reflects a short and intense erosion period 3 Some natural disasters happen when the equilibrium of a system is disrupted What are some examples A landslide that results when a slope becomes soaked with water volcano bulge collapses triggering an eruption An earthquake generated tsunami An earthquake triggered landslide A hurricane induced flood 4 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 areas 5 What are the main reasons for the ever increasing costs of catastrophic events Overall increase in world population and human migration to more hazardous 6 If people should not live in especially dangerous areas what beneficial use is there for those areas parks natural areas wildlife preserves playing fields golf courses 7 When is a large event such as a major earthquake not a disaster A natural disaster is defined as a natural event that adversely affects people and property therefore a large event would not be considered a disaster when it hap pens in a remote area where it affects no people 8 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 and the cost of the probable loss in dollars from the event 9 Describe the general relationship between the frequency and magnitude of an event numerous small events a few larger events and only rarely a giant event The magnitude amount of energy released of an event and its frequency are inversely related 10 When people or governmental agencies try to restrict or control the activities of nature what is the general result The problem is transferred to somewhere else or onto someone else or to a later point in time 11 What kind of information must be assembled to make hazard predictions Hazard prediction relies on historical data to reveal short term recurrence intervals and information about the severity of the events that have occurred in the past Geologic data can yield a longer time period of recorded events to extend the record many thousands of years These data must be integrated with information about what effects the geologic hazard such as an earthquake might have in a specific area 12 What is a precursor event A precursor event is an event or series of events that precede a natural event which may warn of impending disaster 13 Explain how population growth increases the number of disasters The more people there are on Earth the more likely any disaster has of affecting them and affecting them to a greater extent As population increases more people move into areas that are hazardous to live such as shorelines steep slopes and near active faults and volcanoes 14 What are the stages of disaster recovery The stages of disaster recovery are emergency work restoration of services and communication lines and reconstruction The emergency phase includes the work that must be done immediately to save lives such as search and rescue of victims and clearing roads for emergency vehicles The restoration phase restores major services heat electric water communication and returns refugees Reconstruction includes rebuilding to get lives back to normal for everyone 15 Provide 3 methods of hazard mitigation Mitigation refers to efforts to prepare for disaster and reduce its damage and can include government policy engineering projects and public education Land Use planning Engineering solutions Risk assessment Public education and disaster awareness Hazard warning systems and evacuation procedures
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