The Impact of Hazards Is More of a Problem for Those People in Ledc's.

The impact of hazards is more of a problem for those people in LEDC's. Discuss this statement with reference to a range of hazards.

Natural hazards (an unexpected or uncontrollable natural environmental phenomenon of unusual magnitude that threatens people) continue to happen in a range of locations and scales across the world. The impacts that hazards have can be divided into three main groups:

Ð'* Social impacts (the human effects that a hazard has this may include the death or injury of people, the loss of housing/ accommodation, and the emotional aguish caused by the event.

Ð'* Economic impacts (the cost of the hazard this may include the clear up operation, the rescue mission, the rebuilding of structures, and the financial support of those people who have lost everything in the hazard.

Ð'* Environment impacts (which can be split into two sections including damage to the natural environment i.e. Damage to wildlife habitats and destruction of trees and the physical way the built environment looks i.e. the damage to buildings etcÐ'...

Although it is clear that the economic status does have an effect on the level of impact that is caused by a natural hazard this is not the only factor. The impact of hazards will be caused by a number of interlinking factors, which mean that no to impacts from a hazard will ever be the same. The factors that contribute to the impact of a hazard can be spilt into two main groups (Human and Physical)

Human Physical

Economic status of the country / area

Levels of prediction

Levels of response to situation

Population numbers and density

The land planning of an area

Levels of preparedness The magnitude

The frequency

The time of day

The type of hazard

The topography

The impact of the hazard will not be dependent

on one of the above factors and many of these will be interlinked. It is true to say that the economic status of the country does play a huge role in the impact and will influence the many of the other human factors listed above.

Levels of prediction can prove vital in reducing the impacts of hazards if good prediction methods are in place this can mean that people will know of the risk that they face and this will give them chance to take the most suitable action. Accurate levels of prediction are often reliant on the latest technology and train specialist that can use the data collected to monitor a hazard. This technology does not come cheap and those countries with are less economically developed (LEDC's) do not have the financial ability to invest in such equipment. When Mount Unzen in Japan 1st erupted in 1792 15,000 people died due to the lack of prediction at this time the levels of technological advance were not as impressive as they are today in the same area, there was no real investment into technology as on the scale in Japan today. When the volcano erupted for a second time in 1991 the Japanese Observatory were monitoring the site with the high levels of technology that was available to them, this allowed early prediction and the area was evacuated and people were move to safety the death toll in 1991 was only 39 people

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