A flood is a natural disaster where an area of dry land is suddenly submerged under water. It can be caused by heavy rain, dam breaking, overflowing rivers, or melting ice or snow. Prevention methods include retaining walls, town planning, vegetation, and education. An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the earth's crust due to the release of stress along geological faults or volcanic activity. A cyclone is an area of circular wind with low pressure at the center called the eye. Volcanoes form when hot magma escapes from below a planet's surface. Volcanic eruptions are studied in volcanology and measured using the volcanic explosivity index.