Natural Hazards: What You Should Know Jocelyn Cortez

What defines a Natural Hazard? Hazard: A potential threat to human life or property Disaster: Hazardous even that occurs over a certain amount of time in a defined area Catastrophe: Massive disaster that requires significant amount of money or time to recover There are three parts to a “natural hazard” A common hazard, such as a general storm, or a worse tornado However, there are different types of hazards must meet certain standards

Catastrophe A series of catastrophic events in Japan, 2011 Catastrophes must meet a certain criteria in order to be deemed a “catastrophe” -Ten or more people killed -100 or more people affected -State of emergency is declared -International assistance is required Catastrophe A series of catastrophic events in Japan, 2011

What kinds of hazards are there? Floods: Natural Process of overbank flow Earthquakes: Ground shaking Tornadoes: A dangerous vortex of violent, rotating winds Hurricanes: Large, swirling storms that form over warm ocean water Tsunamis: A destructive wave caused by the displacement of ocean water There are multiple kinds of hazards that fall under disasters or catastrophes. Some of the most known ones include; (presents bullet points on chart) -Floods are very common, and can occur wherever there is water -Earthquakes can happen anywhere, at anytime. They are really difficult to detect, but overall, can be detected -Tornadoes are devastating, but are common in wide-open land spaces, such as “Tornado Alley” -Hurricanes occur in humid areas, with oceans and tropical environment -Like hurricanes, Tsunamis can happen wherever there is an ocean. However, Tsunamis can travel far, and high distances. This results in devastating outcomes for residents living in that area

What Natural Hazards is Utah Most Susceptible to? Any! *Flooding, erosion, and as a result, landslides are the three most seen disasters in Utah’s history Thistle Lake Lake Bonneville http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_det ailpage&v=WW9ILb4cr7w Utah is susceptible to any natural hazard, really. The key is to know your surroundings and know what to expect. * Open hyperlink, Play a video* This is a video containing footage from one of the most common natural hazards in the state of Utah. (flooding) This is the flooding of the Virgin River in southern Utah. Here, you can see the breaking of the embankment, or the sides of the river. There is debris coming from the homes and land around the river. Floods like this can occur when even light rain has fallen, so it is important to be prepared.

Where is an earthquake likely to happen Rumor Has It… Where is an earthquake likely to happen In Utah? Rumor has it that Utah is overdue for a huge earthquake! Well what can we expect? Here is a “seismograph map” of Utah. This map shows the areas in Utah that shaking may occur, and the intensity at which it will shake. The shade of the colors represent where and how much shaking we can expect. The yellow map shows the location, magnitude, and dates of significant earthquakes along the Intermountain Seismic Belt. * Ask audience if they are able to pick out the location of where they live, and see if they can match it to what is expected to be the magnitude of shaking in that area*

How Can We Prepare? Always have stored food and water Create first aid kits Get to know your surroundings Ensure that your home is protected or insured in case of any damage Create a “safe plan” with family members Do your research and educate yourself ASK QUESTIONS! There are two ways in which you can prepare for natural hazards: physically, and mentally. Physically prepare yourself by doing the following *continue to present bullet points* These types of foods should include dry, ready to eat foods, as well as clean filtered water. First aid kits are essential in keeping safe. “Safe plans” are things like where to meet, who to call, and what to do in case of an emergency. Research could be anywhere from looking websites up online that specialize in natural disasters, to just watching the Discovery channel. It’s important to ask questions and do your research in case of anything. It’s a smart thing to do, and in turn, it will help you better prepare for a natural disaster. Physically Mentally

How Can You Reduce the Risk of Natural Hazards Anticipate the Hazard Take Action: Land Use Planning React In order to reduce the risk of hazards, one must take the following measures; land use planning signifies people avoiding to build on flood plains, active landslide areas, or places where coastal erosion may occur. Also, in order to prepare for a hazard, you must anticipate a disaster like you knew if was coming all along. Finally, in efforts to reduce our vulnerability to future disasters, we must come together to react to the situation in the most helpful way possible. If you take these precautions, there is no doubt that you will be successful in preparing for a natural disaster.

Ask Yourself! What would be some other effective ways to take precautions when preparing for a natural disaster? What are the three most common natural disasters in the state of Utah?

References Devecchio, First. Hazards Natural. Third. Pearson, 2009. Print . "Hazards Handbook." beready.utah.gov. N.p., 2008. Web. 24 Apr 2012. <http://beready.utah.gov/beready/document s/HazardsHandbookDraft8.pdf>. . "Natural Hazard Programs." water.usgs.gov. N.p., 2005. Web. 24 Apr 2012. <http://water.usgs.gov/wid/html/HRDS.html >.