Natural disasters are major changes in the environment that can cause damage through volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, cyclones, thunderstorms, floods, droughts, and wildfires. Volcanic eruptions occur when gas and lava erupt from openings in the earth's crust due to pressure from deep inside. Earthquakes are violent shaking of the ground caused by movement of tectonic plates. Cyclones are fierce, spinning storms that can uproot trees, destroy buildings, and overturn cars. Droughts are long periods without rain, and fires can burn out of control in forest and bush areas.

1. WWhhaatt aarree NNaattuurraall
DDiissaasstteerrss??

2. The World is always changing.
Natural disasters are changes which are
so great they may cause damage to the
shape of the land or to the lives of people
and other living things.
Great changes happen deep inside the
Earth and on its surface. The changes on
the outer part of the Earth happen
because of different kinds of weather.

3. What aarree NNaattuurraall DDiissaasstteerrss??
 VVoollccaanniicc eerruuppttiioonn
 EEaarrtthhqquuaakkee
 CCyycclloonnee oorr HHuurrrriiccaannee
 TThhuunnddeerrssttoorrmmss
 FFlloooodd
 DDrroouugghhtt
 FFoorreesstt ffiirree oorr BBuusshhffiirree

4. VVoollccaannooeess
AA vvoollccaanniicc eerruuppttiioonn iiss tthhee ssppuurrttiinngg oouutt ooff
ggaasseess aanndd hhoott llaavvaa ffrroomm aann ooppeenniinngg iinn tthhee
EEaarrtthh’’ss ccrruusstt..
PPrreessssuurree ffrroomm ddeeeepp iinnssiiddee tthhee EEaarrtthh
ffoorrcceess aasshh,, ggaass aanndd mmoolltteenn rroocckk ttoo tthhee
ssuurrffaaccee..

5. EEaarrtthhqquuaakkee
AAnn eeaarrtthhqquuaakkee iiss aa vviioolleenntt sshhaakkiinngg ooff tthhee
ggrroouunndd.. SSoommeettiimmeess iitt iiss ssoo ssttrroonngg tthhaatt tthhee
ggrroouunndd sspplliittss aappaarrtt..
WWhheenn ppaarrttss ooff tthhee eeaarrtthh,, ccaalllleedd ppllaatteess,, mmoovvee
aaggaaiinnsstt eeaacchh ootthheerr ggiiaanntt sshhoocckk wwaavveess mmoovvee
uuppwwaarrddss ttoowwaarrddss tthhee ssuurrffaaccee ccaauussiinngg tthhee
eeaarrtthhqquuaakkee..

6. CCyycclloonnee,, HHuurrrriiccaannee,,
TToorrnnaaddoo oorr TTyypphhoooonn
A Cyclone is a fierce storm with storm winds
that spin around it in a giant circle. During a
cyclone trees can be uprooted, buildings
can be destroyed and cars can be
overturned.

7. DDrroouugghhtt
A drought is the lack of rain for a long time.
In 1968 a drought began in Africa. Children born
during this year were five years old before rain
fell again.

8. FFoorreesstt FFiirree oorr BBuusshhffiirree
Fires can burn out of control in areas of forest or
bush land. Fires are caused by lightning, sparks
of electricity or careless people. Wind may blow a
bushfire to areas where people live.

9. TTHHUUNNDDEERRSSTTOORRMMSS
A thunderstorm, also known as
an electrical storm, a lightning
storm, or a thundershower, is a type
ofstorm characterized by the presence
of lightning and its acoustic effect on
the Earth's atmosphere known
asthunder

10. TTHHUUNNDDEERRSSTTOORRMMSS
A thunderstorm, also known as
an electrical storm, a lightning
storm, or a thundershower, is a type
ofstorm characterized by the presence
of lightning and its acoustic effect on
the Earth's atmosphere known
asthunder