2.1 natural hazards in Australia

2.1 Natural Hazards in Australia

1.       What is a natural hazard?

A threat of a naturally occurring event that will have a negative effect on people or the environment.

2.       What is the difference between a natural hazard and a natural disaster?

A disaster is something that have happened. A hazard is something waiting to happen.

3.       What two broad categories of natural hazard exist in Australia?

Drought and heatwave

4.       Make a list of the types of natural hazards that fit each category.

5.       Why are natural hazards that occur in densely populated areas more noticeable that hazards that occur elsewhere in Australia

Because the impacts they have on communities are obvious and costly which becomes well documented and covered by the media because of the effects on a large number of people.

6.       Outline two specific impacts droughts have on rural communities in Australia

Economic impacts and environmental impacts

7.       Name the three categories geographers use to classify the impacts of natural hazards. Give examples of each.

1.       Social impacts – tsunami

2.       Economic impacts – droughts

3.       Environmental impacts – floods

8.       Explain why it is essential that Australian communities study the nature and impacts of natural hazards.

So they can plan responses and determine better ways for communities to survive the threat of living with natural hazards.

9.       Explain how GIS is used to map the threat of natural hazards in Australia.

Gis uses data to predict the areas where natural hazards are most likely to occur. Using 2573 postcodes from across Australia and data on the number of times a natural hazard has occurred in the particular postcode area. It shows the potential risk from nine different hazards.

10.   Refer to 2.4 and the text

a)      Tropical cyclone

b)      Tropical cyclone

11.   Make a list of the ways the information in 2.3 would be useful to the following groups:

a)      So they know if they are located where natural hazards occur

b)      So they know where about natural hazards may occur

c)       Build more emergency services around places where natural hazards occur

d)