Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes - oh my!
This week I will determine the difference between hazards, disasters, and catastrophes. Natural Hazards Natural hazards are natural processes/events that have potential to threaten human life and property. Some examples of natural processes are volcano eruptions and earthquakes. These natural processes are only considered hazardous when humans are in their path. No area of the United States is free of hazards. Major hazards in the United States include tornadoes and windstorms, as they are associated with the largest volume of deaths per year. Most of these cause big property damage. Expansive soils cause more than $15 billion in damages per year. Natural Disasters If an event occurs over a limited amount of time within a defined area, it is considered a natural disaster. In addition to this criteria, one of the following must also occur for an event to be deemed a natural disaster: 10 or more people are killed 100 or more people are affected a state of emergency is decl...