Hazards

1. The Origin of Hazards

2. What is a hazard?A hazard is a natural event which has the potential to threaten people’s lives and property, whereas a disaster is the realisation of a hazard. A mistake is often madebetween extreme events in nature, as they are not environmental hazards (because people and/or property are not at risk) and environmental hazards in which people and/or property are at risk.

3. What Is the Origin of a Hazard?A hazard can have one of two origins. One of these is natural, such as earthquakes and volcanoes, these are the result of tectonic processes. Other hazards may not be natural, and these are called modified physical hazards. This is where human activity has a part to play in the cause of the hazard. For example, smog is a modified physical hazard. Also, there is also evidence that hazards such as cyclones and severe storms are the result of the global warming impacts of humans on the atmosphere. This is especially the case with flooding. Even though flooding is generally caused by extreme rainfall, the severity of the flood can be made worse with human interference, such as deforestation which increases surface run-off. Some hazards also occur as a reaction to other hazards. Earthquakes for example, can be responsible for landslides, fires, tsunamis, flooding and even human based hazards such as crime from looting and robbing.