Natural hazards

Natural hazard=A naturally occurring process or event that has the potential to affect people. (a volcano under the sea, away from people)

Natural disaster= A major natural hazard that causes significant social, environmental and economic damage.

Vulnerability=The ability to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from a natural hazard. (the more vulnerable the population is, the greater the disaster will be)

Earthquake distribution

70% of all earthquakes are found in the 'Ring of fire'

Most powerful earthquakes are found with convergent and conservative plate boundaries.

Found at or near plate boundaries. (Often in clusters)

The continental fracture zone=belt of activity following the mountain ranges from Spain to the Alps.

The oceanic fracture zone=belt of activity through the oceans along the mid-ocean ridges.

Earthquake

Sudden release of stored energy. Energy released from the focus.

Volcanic eruption

Around 500 active volcanoes and around 50 erupt each year

Close or on tectonic boundaries, apart from hotspots.

Tsunami

Most are generated at subduction zones (convergent boundaries)

Occur when a sub-marine volcano displaces the sea bed vertically. The violent motion causes the large volume of water to move outwards from displacement point

90% of all events from the Pacific basin.

PAR model=Pressure and Release model (relationship between disaster and context)