Earth’s Natural Hazards and Disasters

Any natural phenomenon which has a negative or fatal effect on the lives of humans and animals is known as a natural hazard. It refers to all the hydrologic, atmospheric and geologic events, which have the potential for adversely affecting humans, their activities and structures. Disasters are caused by natural hazards which are sudden and calamitous in nature. They can cause serious disruptions to the functioning of a society or a community. Natural hazards can be classified into geological hazards, meteorological hazards, hydrological hazards and biological hazards. Disasters can either be natural such as blizzard, tornado, tsunami, etc., or human made like bioterrorism, nuclear accidents and civil unrest. The topics included in this book on Earth’s natural hazards and disasters are of utmost significance and bound to provide incredible insights to readers. It elucidates new techniques and their applications for the management of these hazards and disasters. This book will serve as a reference to a broad spectrum of readers.