The document defines and describes several natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, typhoons, avalanches, thunderstorms, and landslides. Earthquakes occur along fault lines when tectonic plates release stress, tsunamis are large waves caused by underwater disturbances, and hurricanes are tropical storms over 74 mph that typically occur in summer and autumn in the Atlantic.

1. Natural disasters

2. EARTHQUAKES
Earthquakes occur when the
earth's tectonic plates release
stress. This release of pressure
creates the vibrations, which we
call an earthquake, causing
damage to the surrounding
environment. They occur around
fault lines, the places where
tectonic plates meet. The intensity
of earthquakes is measured on
the Richter scale.
EARTHQUAKES IN JAPAN. March 2011

3. 3
TSUNAMI
A tsunami is a series of
tremendous waves
generated by a massive
underwater disturbance.
Tsunamis can move at
speeds as high as 500 miles
per hour and although
typically small, they can be
up to 100 feet tall.

4. 4
HURRICANE
A hurricane is a destructive
tropical cyclone in the western
Atlantic Ocean with winds
exceding 74 miles per hour.
Hurricanes are usually
accompanied by electrical storms
and typically occur during
summer and early autumn. In a
mere day, a hurricane can
release the amount of energy
necessary to satisfy the electrical
needs of the entire United States
for about six months.

5. 5
TORNADO
A tornado is a destructive
whirling wind accompanied
by a funnel-shaped cloud
extending down from a
cumulonumbus cloud.
Tornadoes can spin at
speeds up to 500 miles per
hour and annihilate anything
in its path in a matter of
seconds.

6. 6
FLOODS
A flood is caused by excess
water surpassing the limits of
its confines. A flood can
happen during a myriad of
events, including heavy rainfall
and overflowing river banks.
Floods present a significant
danger with enough force to
sweet away massive objects
such as cars and trees.

7. 7
TYPHOON
A variation of tropical cyclone, which is
typical for the northwestern Pacific. In the
central part of typhoons observed the
greatest reduction of air pressure at the
sea surface, reaching 650 mmHg

8. AVALANCHES
•
Avalanches Happen on every
continent
•
Avalanche Season is during the
“winter time” or December-April in
the United States
•
A large scale can release up to
300,000 cubic yards of snow
•
Avalanches are more commonly
released by recreationists than by
natural causes
•
The biggest factor of avalanche
possibility is the accumulation
snow over the winter season
–
More snow = bigger
avalanche

9. THUNDER STORMS
•
Every Thunderstorm produces
lightning
•
There is wet thunder and dry
thunder, the difference being
whether or not rain in
produced
•
Warm humid conditions favor
thunderstorms
•
Only 10% of thunderstorms
are classified as severe
•
Your chance of being struck by
lightning is 1 in 600,000
Multiple Lightning Strikes and a
Supercell Thunderstorm
formation

10. LANDSLIDES
•
Landslides are the movement of
land down a slope by gravity
•
Landslides are mother nature’s
way of redistributing land
•
They can be triggered by rain,
floods, and earthquakes as well
as man-made factors such as
slope grading or mining
•
Landslides have the potential to
happen anywhere a steep slope
is present

11. THANKS FOR WATHCHING