Natural Hazards

Natural hazards afflict all corners of the Earth: often unexpected, seemingly unavoidable and frequently catastrophic in their impact. This book is the first interdisciplinary treatment of the full range of natural hazards. Accessible, readable and well supported with over 180 maps, diagrams and photographs, Natural Hazards is a valuable guide for students and professionals in the field, and others - members of emergency and rescue services and lay readers with interests in this topic. Clearly and concisely, it describes and explains how these hazards occur, examines prediction methods, considers recent and historical case-studies of notable hazard events and explores the social impact of such disasters. Climatic hazards covered include: tropical cyclones, tornadoes, large storms and winds; oceanographic hazards such as waves, sea-ice, sea-level rise and beach erosion; drought, flood, hail, lightning, snow and bushfires. Geological hazards include: earthquakes and volcanoes, and associated events such as tsunamis, lava flows and atmospheric effects; and land instability.