1.2.1

Introduction to Natural Disasters

Test yourself

Introduction to Disasters

Hazards and disasters are not the same thing. Risk, vulnerability and resilience of places all play a part in making a hazard into a disaster.

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Disasters and thresholds

  • A disaster is when a hazard has a significant impact on people.
    • I.e. It is the consequence of a hazard happening.
  • If the damage caused by a hazard exceeds a threshold level, we say that a disaster has happened.
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Risk, vulnerability and resilience

  • Risk is the probability of a hazard happening and creating a loss of lives and/or livelihoods.
  • Vulnerability describes the risk of exposure to hazards combined with an inability to cope with them.
  • Resilience is the degree to which a population or environment can absorb a hazardous event and stay organised and functioning.
    • I.e. A population or environment's ability to cope with stress and recover.

The Hazard Risk Equation

The hazard risk equation works out how likely it is for a hazard to dramatically affect a place.

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The equation

  • Risk = hazard  ×  vulnerabilitycapacity  to  cope\frac{hazard \;\times\; vulnerability}{capacity\; to\; cope}
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Capacity to cope

  • Some communities have a high resilience. Features that increase a population's ability to cope include:
    • Having emergency evacuation, rescue and relief systems in place.
    • Helping each other to reduce the numbers affected.
    • Having a hazard-resistant design or land-use planning to reduce the numbers at risk.

The Pressure and Release Model

The Pressure and Release (PAR) model shows the connections between the nature of a hazard and its wider context.

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Main features

  • The PAR says that risk is a function of vulnerability and the nature of the hazard.
  • The socio-economic context is important. This includes the political system, income levels, economic strength, levels of education, population change and levels of investment.
  • The nature of the hazard is also key – i.e. whether it is a volcano, earthquake, storm or landslide.
  • Everything is dynamic (always changing) and so the safety of the people is difficult to manage.

Jump to other topics

1Tectonic Processes & Hazards

2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change

3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change

4Globalisation

5Option 4A: Regenerating Places

6Option 4B: Diverse Places

7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)

8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)

9Superpowers (A2 only)

10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)

11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)

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