Geography · Environmental Studies

Natural Hazards and Disasters

1,386 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
  1. It was old

  2. It was hit by an earthquake

  3. It was hit by a flood

  4. It was destroyed by the British when they reached India

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Archaeological evidence suggests that the decline of Mohenjo Daro was likely due to environmental factors, specifically repeated flooding of the Indus River. While other theories exist, flooding is the most widely accepted cause for the abandonment of the city.

Multiple choice
  1. causing people to move

  2. killing small animals

  3. helping crops grow/flood

  4. making people run and hide

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In ancient India, the seasonal rains brought by monsoons were essential for agriculture, as they provided the water needed for crops to grow and replenished the river systems.

Multiple choice
  1. tornado

  2. flood

  3. thuderstorm

  4. hurricane

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Hurricanes are massive, rotating storm systems that cover large areas and release immense amounts of energy, making them the most powerful type of storm.

Multiple choice
  1. 2003 during flood

  2. 2004 during cyclone

  3. 2005 during heavy rainfall

  4. 2004 during tsunami

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Indira Point was submerged under seawater in December 2004 due to the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami. The tsunami was triggered by a massive undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Multiple choice
  1. dehydrate

  2. sun bathe

  3. starve

  4. take a vacation

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Ancient Egyptian agriculture depended entirely on the annual flooding of the Nile to deposit nutrient-rich silt and provide water for crops. If the floods failed to arrive, crops would fail, leading to widespread famine and starvation.

Multiple choice
  1. gentle, predictable

  2. gentle, unpredictable

  3. fierce, predictable

  4. fierce, unpredictable

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Unlike the destructive and unpredictable floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Mesopotamia, the Nile's annual flooding was relatively gentle and highly predictable. This reliable cycle allowed Egyptian civilization to flourish with stable agricultural planning.

Multiple choice
  1. Tornado

  2. Earthquake

  3. Tsunami

  4. Sandstorm

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sandstorms are common meteorological phenomena in arid and semi-arid regions. They are caused by strong winds blowing loose sand and dirt across the dry landscape.

Multiple choice
  1. Fire

  2. Earthquake

  3. Tidal Wave

  4. Storm

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Lighthouse of Alexandria, built on the island of Pharos in Egypt, was severely damaged by a series of major earthquakes between 956 and 1323 AD. By the late 14th century, the seismic activity had reduced the structure to ruins, and its remaining stones were later used to build a medieval citadel.

Multiple choice
  1. The effect of a small wave.

  2. They are effects of bad weather.

  3. The effect of calm weather.

  4. They deposit materials on beaches.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer