Hazard's, Disaster's, and Catastrophe's are terms that we use to describe natural processes. Natural Processes include things such as earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and fires. However, the three processes all have slightly different meanings.
A natural hazard is a natural process that is a threat to humans or their property. For example, a fallen tree has hit a telephone wire, and is laying across a road.
A disaster occurs over a limited time span within a certain area or place. Something is considered a disaster when 1 of 4 things occur, 10 or more people are killed, 100 or more people are affected by it, a state of emergency is declared, or assistance is requested by law enforcement. An example of a disaster could be 9/11.
A catastrophe is a massive disaster that requires a lot of money and time to fix (often years). Hurricane Katrina was considered the worlds biggest catastrophe ever, which flooded New Orleans and affected the lives of thousands.
Natural hazards affect the lives of millions of people around the world. All areas of the US are at risk for at least one hazard. No area is considered "hazard free" and everyone around the world should take precautions to avoid something tragic.
very nice entry this week! Looking forward to what you find out this semester about Ireland!
ReplyDeleteI found your example of the falling tree as a natural hazard very helpful. I was trying to brainstorm more for clarification but you covered it perfectly. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou gave a very informative entry.You provided very pertinent facts. Good job!
ReplyDeleteYou gave a very informative entry.You provided very pertinent facts. Good job!
ReplyDeleteVery informative topic on hazards, catastrophes and disasters. I really like how you used an example to explain the topic.
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