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 softskills communication

Cook up a storm

  1. To create a hurricane in the ocean

  2. To cook for yourself

  3. To cook a lot of food

  4. To go out to dinner
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The idiom 'cook up a storm' means to cook elaborately or in large quantities, often with great energy and enthusiasm. Option A is incorrect as it refers to weather phenomena, not cooking. Option B is too narrow - one can cook up a storm for others as well. Option D is the opposite - the phrase describes active cooking, not dining out.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are false?

a. All storms are low pressure systems. b. Destructive capacity of a wind storm increases with the decrease in wind speeds. c. A hurricane dies out only when it moves over the land mass.

  1. Only a

  2. Only a and b

  3. Only b

  4. Only b and c

  5. Only c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct option as this statement is false. Destructive capacity of a wind storm increases with the increase in wind speeds.

Multiple choice

Why do people in cities face inconvenience on a rainy day?

Directions: Read the passage given carefully and answer the question that follows.

Rain in the countryside attracts the lovers of nature. It is pleasant and helpful. But rain in the city creates a different kind of sight. For some people, the heavy downpour may have a cooling effect, and it has its charm with the roar of thunder and the flash of lightening. On a rainy day, the lanes and the streets look like rivers and the entire city becomes magically converted into Venice. The street bears a deserted look. Occasionally, people try to plod their way. Their clothes are tucked up and they hold the umbrella in one hand and their bag in the other. A sudden gush of wind tilts their umbrella and they get drenched. If a vehicle passes speedily, it splashes muddy water on them. Sometimes, the streets become water-logged and traffic comes to a halt.

  1. Because streets and roads are jammed

  2. Because streets and roads are dry

  3. Because streets and roads are full of water

  4. Because there is no conveyance available
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

According to the passage, "Sometimes the streets become water-logged and traffic comes to a halt". So, option 3 is correct.

Multiple choice

The rain brought a brief respite from the scorching heat so that a wet front spread along the coast.

  1. from the scorching heat so much so that a wet front spread along the coast

  2. to the scorching heat, spreading a wet front along the coast

  3. to the scorching heat when it spread a wet front along the coast

  4. from the scorching heat, for a wet front spread along the coast

  5. by the spread of a wet front, from the scorching heat along the coast
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. Here, 'for' implies 'because' and it explains correctly how the rain brought a respite from the scorching heat.

Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

Natural calamities like the tsunami puts the fear of God into human mind.

  1. Natural calamities like the tsunami puts the fear of God into human mind.

  2. The tsunami as well as other natural calamities puts the fear of God into human mind.

  3. Natural calamities like the tsunamis puts the fear of God into human mind.

  4. A natural calamity like the tsunami puts the fear of God into human mind.

  5. Natural calamities like the tsunami have always put the fear of God into human mind.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This option changes the subject to singular and thus corrects the error of subject-verb agreement.

Multiple choice

What is the main cause of Tsunami?

  1. Volcanoes

  2. Cyclones

  3. Earthquake on sea floor

  4. Moon’s attraction

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

A tsunami is usually caused by a powerful earthquake under the ocean floor. This earthquake pushes a large volume of water to the surface, creating waves. These waves are called the tsunami.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is false regarding flash floods?

  1. Human activities can cause flash floods to occur.

  2. Flash flooding can be caused by extensive rainfall.

  3. Flash floods do not occur in normally dry areas.

  4. Meltwater can cause floods.

  5. Flash floods are characterized by fast moving water.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Flash floods most often occur in normally dry areas that have recently received precipitation. Flash floods are known to occur in the highest mountain ranges of the United States and are also common in the arid plains of southwestern United States.

Multiple choice

Mile Island and Chernobyl disasters are environmental disasters associated with the accidental leakage of radioactive waste. In India, Bhopal gas tragedy, an environmental disaster, is associated with the leakage of

  1. nitrous oxide (NO2)

  2. chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

  3. carbon dioxide (CO2)

  4. methyl isocyanate (MIC)

  5. hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bhopal gas tragedy, an environmental disaster, is associated with the leakage of methyl isocyanate (MIC).

Multiple choice

Directions: The question contains a sentence/sentences/part thereof followed by five choices. Select from these choices the one which most logically completes the idea contained in the given sentence or part. The Doomsday Clock has been moved closer to midnight by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) due to increased perception of risk of catastrophe on account of two reasons: the perils of ready to launch nuclear weapons;

  1. and the willingness of those in control to use them at the slightest provocation

  2. and the catastrophic consequences of the damage caused by human habitation

  3. and the upheavals taking place deep inside the earth's crust

  4. and the human intervention in the work of nature

  5. and the climatic changes resulting from environmental damage
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The Doomsday Clock metaphorically represents humanity's proximity to catastrophic destruction. The sentence presents two major threats: ready-to-launch nuclear weapons (first reason), and the second parallel threat is climate change from environmental damage. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists considers both nuclear and climate threats as existential risks.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that is not an effect of the given cause. Cause: Severe drought is reported to have set in several parts of the country. Which of the following cannot be a possible effect of the above cause?

  1. Food, water and fodder is sent immediately to all areas to save the people and cattle.

  2. Many people have since starved to death.

  3. The heavy movement of food, water and fodder has paralysed the communication system.

  4. Govt. has made arrangement for providing financial assistance to those affected.

  5. All of these can be the effects.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The inward traffic of emergency movement is not likely to paralyse the communication system. Transport is only a small part of communication and even that may not be paralysed.