Difference Between Natural Hazards
Many people confuse both natural hazards and disasters, but the two terms have completely separate meanings. When an earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, tornado, or other natural occurrence happens, they are automatically classified as natural hazards. Sometimes, natural hazards conflict with a population of humans, and when natural hazards affect humans, only then do they become natural disasters. A natural hazard may affect the standard of living of a population, damage homes, destroy lives, and cause great economic turmoil within a region populated by people.
Prevention of Natural Hazards and Disasters:
One thing is certain about the difference between natural hazards and disasters. Natural hazards are a feature of planet earth. There is no way to prevent them and they are a part of the natural process of earth. Natural disasters on the other hand, can be prevented, however, to a certain extent. Advances in scientific knowledge has made it possible to save lives and minimize damage in the event of a natural hazard occurring in a human population. The key to preventing natural disasters is determining the risks of a hazard and actions can be done to reduce these risks. The reason why natural disaster prevention is so important it because it helps to save lives and the cost of prevention is far less than the costs of cleaning up a natural disaster.
Unfortunately, prevention is a lot tougher than recovery after a natural disaster occurs as a result of a natural hazard. The general public is uninterested in disaster prevention and only aid to disaster relief when they see pictures of devastated villages and families on their television. This means that natural disaster prevention is underfunded, and resources given for disaster prevention do not help.
Other Ways Humans Can Affect Natural Hazards and Disasters:
There are several ways in which humans contribute to the results of natural hazards and disasters. For example, if a group of humans live near a river and they cut down the trees in the surrounding area (in a process known as deforestation), the likelihood of that area flooding during a severe storm greatly increases because the trees are no longer there to soak up water. So, natural hazards that would normally be harmless are exemplified by human practices. As a result, natural hazards don’t automatically cause natural disasters to happen.
The severity of natural hazards and disasters is greatly factored by the poverty levels of countries as well. If a natural hazard occurs in a poor-stricken country, it may cause a great deal more devastation then in a country such as the United States, where preparation and resources are abundant.
Many scientists also believe that natural hazards have been greatly affected by human overpopulation and pollution. Natural hazards that would otherwise be harmless in a pollution-free world have been magnified, increasing the likelihood that a natural hazard will create a natural disaster.
