Opportunities and Risks - Natural and Tectonic Hazards

Opportunities and Risks

1.1 Is the earth we live on stable?

• To most people, the earth looks stable.

• However, the earth’s surface is moving slowly.

• Sometimes, there are violent movements.

1.2 What are natural hazards?

• Hazards are events which threaten us or cause loss of human life and property.

• Natural hazards are hazards caused by nature.

Examples of natural hazards:

• Flooding.

• Climatic hazards (e.g., Drought, Typhoons).

• Geological hazards (e.g., Landslides, Avalanches).

• Biological hazards (e.g., Pests (locust), Disease/Bacteria (avian flu)).

• Tectonic hazards (e.g., Earthquake, Volcanic eruption, Tsunami)

  • The focus will be on tectonic hazards.

1.3 Why do we need to be concerned about tectonic hazards?

• Tectonic hazards often cause widespread destruction of property and loss of life.

• Earthquakes can:

  • Trigger landslides

  • Destroy buildings

  • Cause power cuts

  • Lead to water shortages

  • Cut road transport

• Discussion points:

  • How do you feel about the disaster itself and the people who suffer from it?

  • Would it be possible to minimize the loss of life and property damage?

  • Why do people still choose to live in these hazard-prone areas?

1.4 Coming Units

• The structure of the earth.

• How plate movements create tectonic hazards.

• The ways of minimizing the loss caused by these hazards.

• How people living in hazard-prone areas decide to leave or stay there.