Characteristics of Hazards
Volcanoes
Droughts
Hurricanes
Hazards
Oil Spills
Case Study
Hurricanes
Volcanoes
Hurricane Katrina
Montserrat
Leeward Islands
1995
Atlantic, USA
2005
Nuclear
Disasters
Droughts
Nuclear
Disasters
Deepwater Horizon
Gulf of Mexico
2010
Horn of Africa
2010-2011
Chernobyl and
Fukushima
Oil Spills
Spatial
Distribution
Coastal areas,
between the tropic
of cancer and
capricorn
Margins of tectonic
plates, especially in
subduction zones
Seas or oceans
where there are oil
pipelines
Desertic places
Where nuclear
plants are located
Spatial
Extent
Miles
Kilometers
Miles
Miles
Meters /
Kilometers
Predictability
Weeks
Minutes
No predictability
Months / Days
No predictabulity
Frequency
Seasonal
Hours / Days /
Weeks / Months /
Years
Hours / Days /
Weeks / Months /
Years
Hours / Days /
Weeks / Months /
Years
Months / Years
Magnitude
Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale
Richter Magnitude
Scale
Depends on area,
quantity of oil
spilled (gallons)
Areas,countries,
km
Cities
Duration
Hours / Days /
Weeks / Months
Hours / Days /
Weeks / Months /
Years
Months
Days / Weeks /
Months / Years
Hours / Days
Speed of
onset
Days / Weeks
Seconds / Minutes
Seconds / Minutes
/ Hours / Days /
Weeks
Days / Weeks /
Months
Seconds / Minutes
Effects
Flooding, loss of
personal property,
destruction
Ash clouds, death,
destruction,
ground shaking
Damage wildlife,
economic loss,
contamination of
water
Famine, loss of
crops, dehydration,
death
Radiation affect
people, destruction