Managing The Impacts of Natural Hazards (Copy)
6 Managing the Impacts of Natural Hazards – Cheat Sheet
General Approaches
| Stage | Actions |
|---|---|
| Before (Preparedness & Prevention) | Monitoring & warning systems, land use planning, strong building design, public education, disaster drills, emergency supplies |
| During (Immediate Response) | Evacuation, use of shelters, rescue operations, medical aid |
| After (Recovery & Rehabilitation) | Rebuilding, restoring services, financial support, international aid, long-term planning for resilience |
Tectonic Hazards (Earthquakes, Volcanoes)
| Strategy | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring & Warning | Seismographs, volcanic gas monitoring, satellite imaging | Japan earthquake monitoring |
| Land Use Zoning | Restricting buildings near active faults/volcanoes | Mount Merapi (Indonesia) exclusion zones |
| Building Design | Earthquake-resistant structures | Tokyo skyscrapers with shock absorbers |
| Disaster Preparation | Plans, drills, rescue teams | Japan earthquake drills annually |
| Evacuation | Removing people from danger zones | Mt. Pinatubo eruption (Philippines, 1991) |
| Recovery | Rebuilding, international aid | Haiti earthquake relief (2010) |
Tropical Cyclones
| Strategy | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring & Warning | Satellite tracking, cyclone alert systems | USA’s NOAA hurricane warnings |
| Building Design | Reinforced roofs, raised homes | Caribbean cyclone-proof housing |
| Preparation | Emergency kits, drills, shelters | Philippines disaster risk reduction plans |
| Evacuation | Mass movement from coastal areas | Bangladesh cyclone shelters |
| Recovery | Rebuilding infrastructure, aid agencies provide relief | Hurricane Katrina (USA, 2005) |
Flooding
| Strategy | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring & Warning | Rainfall radar, river gauges, storm hydrographs | UK Environment Agency flood warnings |
| Shelters & Rescue | Safe places & rescue boats for stranded people | Bangladesh flood shelters |
| Flood Management | Levees, dams, diversion channels, afforestation | Netherlands flood defences |
| Recovery | Clean water supplies, rebuilding homes, long-term river basin management | Pakistan floods (2022) |
Drought
| Strategy | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring | Weather forecasts, rainfall & soil moisture analysis | African drought monitoring centres |
| Emergency Water Supplies | Tankers, bottled water, emergency wells | Ethiopia drought relief |
| Water Conservation | Efficient irrigation, recycling greywater, awareness campaigns | Drip irrigation in Israel |
| Increasing Supply | Dams, reservoirs, aquifers, desalination, rainwater harvesting, water transfer schemes | Saudi Arabia desalination plants |
| International Aid | Food, financial, and technical support | UN drought aid in Horn of Africa |
Quick Pointers
- Preparedness saves lives: education, drills, and resilient infrastructure reduce impacts.
- MEDCs: stronger focus on technology & planning; LEDCs: higher reliance on international aid.
- Long-term sustainability = adaptation + mitigation strategies.
Written and Compiled By Sir Hunain Zia, World Record Holder With 154 Total A Grades, 7 Distinctions and 11 World Records For Educate A Change O Level And IGCSE Environmental Management Full Scale Course