Natural Hazards and Disasters

1. Question: What is the term for a sudden and violent shaking of the ground?

Answer: Earthquake

2. Question: What is the scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?

Answer: Richter scale

3. Question: What is a tsunami?

Answer: A series of large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes or volcanic eruptions

4. Question: What is the term for a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall?

Answer: Drought

5. Question: What is a tornado?

Answer: A rapidly rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground

6. Question: What is the term for a large-scale storm system with strong winds and heavy rain, typically occurring in tropical regions?

Answer: Hurricane

7. Question: What is a volcanic eruption?

Answer: The release of magma, ash, and gases from a volcano

8. Question: What is the term for a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside?

Answer: Avalanche

9. Question: What is the term for a sudden and intense flood, usually caused by heavy rain?

 Answer: Flash flood

10. Question: What is the term for the area of the Earth’s surface directly above the point where an earthquake originates?

 Answer: Epicenter

11. Question: What is the term for the underground point where an earthquake starts?

Answer: Focus

12. Question: What is a landslide?

Answer: The sliding down of a mass of earth or rock from a mountain or cliff

13. Question: What is the term for a severe snowstorm with high winds and low visibility?

Answer: Blizzard

14. Question: What is the term for a rapidly moving, turbulent flow of debris, water, and mud down a slope?

Answer: Mudflow

15. Question: What is the term for a sudden burst of flame, especially one caused by an explosion?

Answer: Firestorm

16. Question: What is the term for an extended period of excessive heat, often with high humidity?

Answer: Heatwave

17. Question: What is the term for the collapse of land into a hollow or cavity below?

Answer: Sinkhole

18. Question: What is the term for a natural disaster involving the displacement of large amounts of water onto normally dry land?

 Answer: Flood

19. Question: What is the term for a large sea wave caused by the displacement of water due to an underwater earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide?

Answer: Tsunami

20. Question: What scale is used to measure the intensity of hurricanes?

Answer: Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale