EXTREME

NATURAL
EVENTS
TROPICAL CYCLONES/HURRICANES
DO NOW:
VOCABULARY
Natural event: any event caused by nature, not people
(natural processes)
Process: a series of related actions
Extreme Natural Event: an abnormally severe natural event
Change: The spatial and/or temporal variations of the
environment
Natural Hazard: is an extreme natural event that could affect
to people
Cultural Hazards: is an event that people cause themselves
Natural disaster: an extreme natural event that has affected
people
Atmosphere: the envelope of gases surrounding the globe

EXTREME NATURAL
EVENTS
A significance occurrence caused by natural processes
which due to its size or duration becomes extreme.

Tectonic hazards Surface hazards Atmospheric hazards
Volcanic eruptions
Earthquakes
Winds
Floods
Tsunamis and storm
surges
Landslides
Avalanches
Fires
Topical storms
cyclones, hurricanes
and typhoons (strong
fierce winds
(~300km/h), torrential
rain etc.)
Tornadoes
Downpours or rain
Blizzards
Drought
WHAT MAKES A
HAZARD
When extreme natural events interact
(Important Geographic Idea) with human
activities they are known as natural hazards
on a large scale they are called disasters
Natural disasters kill 1 million people each
decade (10yrs) and leave millions
homeless.
Economic damages from natural disasters
cost over $500 billion in the 1990s.
ENE + PEOPLE = HAZARD
Extreme
Natural
Event
People
&
Property
H
A
Z
A
R
D
Copy the diagram and add these examples
Farms, towns, mines
An earthquake on an uninhabited island
A volcanic eruption in Auckland.
EFFECTS ON HUMANS
OF ENES
NUMBER OF NATURAL HAZARDS
REPORTED GLOBALLY
Identify the
main trend
shown in
the graph
below

Name 2
possible
reasons for
this trend.
DESCRIBE THE GLOBAL
DISTRIBUTION OF TROPICAL
CYCLONES
QUESTIONS
Which of the following would not be considered a natural
hazard? Explain your choice
A volcanic eruption in the vicinity of Taupo
A flood in California
A tropical cyclone on an uninhabited island in the Pacific
An earthquake in the Kanto plain area of Japan

Which of the following would be considered to be a natural
hazard? Explain your choice
A forest fire near Tokoroa started by lightening
An oil spill in Alaska
The radioactive dust storm caused by exploding a nuclear
bomb
The excessive noise caused by a crowd at Ericsson
Stadium, Auckland, NZ
NUMBER OF DEATHS
FROM NATURAL
DISASTERS
There seems to be a
relationship between the
effects of disastrous extreme
natural events and the wealth
of countries
What regions have the
most death from natural
disasters?
Why do you think this
could be?
GRAPH THE FOLLOWING
DATA AS A COLUMN GRAPH
DAMAGED CAUSED BY ENEs 1900 - 1999
Decades Damage ($ billion, 1990 value)
1990 1909 0
1910 1919 0
1920 1929 2
1930 1939 5
1940 1949 5
1950 1959 11
1960 1969 17
1970 1979 18
1980 1989 15
1990 1999 27