Geography · Environmental Studies

Natural Hazards and Disasters

1,357 Questions

Natural hazards and disasters involve the study of extreme natural events like earthquakes, floods, and cyclones, alongside their management and mitigation strategies. This geography and environmental studies topic is heavily tested in civil services and state public service examinations. Use these questions to prepare for inquiries on disaster response, community recovery, and tremor causes.

Earthquake and tremor causesDisaster management activitiesFlood management mythsCyclone and severe weatherPost-disaster health problemsCommunity disaster response

Natural Hazards and Disasters Questions

Multiple choice geography hazards hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster natural disasters and hazards

Which of the following is not hydrological disaster?

  1. Floods

  2. Limnic eruptions

  3. Tsunami

  4. Volcanic eruption
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Floods, tsunamis, and limnic eruptions are related to water or water bodies, making them hydrological or hydro-meteorological disasters. A volcanic eruption is a geological disaster caused by tectonic or magmatic activity.

Multiple choice geography hazards hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster natural disasters and hazards

As the magnitude of natural disaster increases their frequency of occurrence _________.

  1. Increases

  2. Decreases

  3. Remains same

  4. Varies over time
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Magnitude is the amount of energy released by a disaster. Frequency is the recurrence interval of the disaster. Impact is a function of magnitude and frequency of disaster. The magnitude-frequency concept is generally an inverse relationship between magnitude and frequency.
Multiple choice geography hazards hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster natural disasters and hazards

which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. India is one of the most disaster prone countries.

  2. Over 55% of the land area in India is vulnerable to earthquakes.

  3. 12% of the land area in India is vulnerable to floods.

  4. All of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

India with its vast size and unique geo-physical characteristics is one of the world's most disaster prone countries. Natural disasters occur frequently in varying intensity in different parts of the country. 
1. Over 55% of the land area is vulnerable to earth quakes.
2. 12% to floods
3. 8% to cyclones.
4. 70% of the cultivable land is prone to drought.

Multiple choice geography hazards hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster natural disasters and hazards

Natural phenomenon that are hazardous to life, property and environment are known as natural hazards.

  1. True

  2. False
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Natural hazards are defined as natural processes or phenomena that may cause loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.

Multiple choice geography understanding disaster hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster hazards

Consider the following statement regarding disasters:
1. These are caused due to faulty human activities.
2 These originate from human planning errors or negligence.
Identify the disaster.

  1. Natural disaster

  2. Man-made disaster

  3. Hybrid disaster

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Disasters caused by human error, negligence, or faulty planning are classified as man-made disasters.

Multiple choice geography understanding disaster hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster hazards

If you were at the beach, how would you know there may be a tsunami? 

  1. An alert comes over the radio

  2. There may be a warning

  3. There is a drop in the level of the ocean

  4. all of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Tsunami warning signs include official alerts, radio broadcasts, and natural indicators like a significant, rapid recession of the ocean water from the shoreline.

Multiple choice geography understanding disaster hazards and types of hazards introduction to disaster hazards

Intense damage was caused in Ladakh in 2010 due to which natural calamity ?

  1. Cloudburst

  2. Landslide

  3. Earthquake

  4. Drought
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The floods occurred in 2010 across a large part of Ladakh, a region of the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. 71 towns and villages were damaged, including the main town in the area, Leh. At least 255 people are reported to have died, after a cloudburst and heavy overnight rains triggered flash foods, mudslides, and debris flows.

Multiple choice geography environmental economics study of water pollution threats to water resource major hazards in india and prevention

It is said, the Tajmahal may be destroyed due to ________________.

  1. Flood in Yamuna river.

  2. Decomposition of marble as a result of high temperature.

  3. Air pollutants released from oil refinery of Mathura.

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Mathura refinery was in the news for allegedly causing the white marble of the Taj Mahal to yellow. The Indian government hired a panel to examine the effects of the refinery. The panel found that the air has high levels of suspended articulate matter, caused by factory emissions, dust, construction and exhaust from automobiles. These are causing the Taj Mahal to change colour.

Multiple choice geography for a safer future disaster and management disaster management and precautionary measures disaster management: responding to disasters man made disaster tsunami and floods

The collection, compilation, and dissemination of relevant knowledge and information on hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities are included in which of the following steps of disaster management ?

  1. Preparedness

  2. Recovery

  3. Rehabilitation

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The first phase of disaster management is preparedness which involves collection, compilation, and dissemination of relevant knowledge and information on hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities to respond to a disaster or other emergency situation. The preparedness phase is designed to structure the disaster response prior to the occurrence of a disaster. During the preparedness phase, governments, organizations, and individuals develop plans to save lives, minimize disaster damage, and enhance disaster response operations.

Multiple choice geography for a safer future disaster and management disaster management and precautionary measures disaster management: responding to disasters man made disaster tsunami and floods

Decisions and actions taken after a disaster with a view to restoring or improving the pre-disaster living conditions of the stricken community is called __________.

  1. Reduction of risk

  2. Preparedness

  3. Recovery

  4. Prevention
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Recovery is defined as decisions and actions taken after a disaster with a view to restoring or improving the pre-disaster living conditions of the stricken community, while encouraging and facilitating necessary adjustments to reduce disaster risk. This process of recovery from the impact of disaster must be across various sectors, namely shelter, infrastructure, healthcare services, agriculture, economic and social rehabilitation. 

Multiple choice geography for a safer future disaster and management disaster management and precautionary measures disaster management: responding to disasters man made disaster tsunami and floods

The conceptual framework of elements considered with the possibilities to minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society is _______.

  1. DRR

  2. UNDP

  3. UNISDR

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The most commonly cited definition of DRR is one used by UN agencies such as UNISDR, also known as the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and UNDP: "The conceptual framework of elements considered with the possibilities to minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout a society, to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards, within the broad context of sustainable development