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How fast the event happens is another important consideration. Some natural hazards are slow to evolve (for example, drought and permafrost melting), whereas others strike quickly (for example, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, certain floods and snowstorms).
A natural hazard is described in terms of its location, how large it is (areal extent), how strong it is (intensity or magnitude) and the likelihood of occurrence (probability).
When does a natural hazard become a natural disaster?
Natural hazards become natural disasters when people are injured and when buildings, transportation corridors or power and communication systems are destroyed and the local community is unable to cope. In disaster scenarios, one hazard can trigger another; for example, by destroying the vegetation on the flanks of mountains, forest fires make the land more susceptible to erosion, which can lead to landslides. Hurricanes can result in flooding. This multiplication of events, or cascading failure, further complicates the emergency response required.
Should Canadians be concerned about natural hazards?
Yes! Natural hazards will directly or indirectly affect most of the population at least once in their lifetime. Canada is vulnerable to catastrophes similar in scale to those that have occurred elsewhere in the world, such as the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia. Earthquakes in the Queen Charlotte Islands; tornadoes that have torn through Edmonton, Alberta and Barrie, Ontario; catastrophic landslides in Frank, Alberta and Saint-Jean-Vianney, Quebec; extensive flooding in Manitoba; and devastating ice storms in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec have all contributed to Canadians’ awareness of the potential for damage from natural disasters. These are examples of catastrophic events, but the cumulative effects of smaller but more frequent disasters, such as a river flooding, can sometimes cause more damage and have as much impact on the population as one major event.
Can the damage from natural hazards be reduced?
Absolutely! Natural hazards can rarely be stopped, but robust building codes, construction of new physical infrastructure such as debris dams and retaining walls in landslide prone areas, careful land-use planning and any measures that increase personal and community resilience will all contribute to reducing how severely individuals and communities are damaged. These are all examples of mitigative actions; however, the first step in mitigation is education. By increasing your knowledge about natural hazards you are one step closer to being prepared.
What can I do?
You need to have an emergency plan ready, before a natural disaster happens, so that you and everyone in your family know what to do in case of an emergency. Part of that plan will be to prepare an emergency kit that will provide the essentials for food and water, hygiene and shelter for your family and pets for at least 72 hours. The "Get Prepared'’ Web site has comprehensive information and step-by-step instructions that will help you be as ready as possible for just about any emergency, including disasters caused by natural hazards.
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It is hard to think of a natural hazard that hasn’t occurred in Canada — earthquakes, floods and landslides — we’ve seen them all. A natural hazard is a potentially damaging process or phenomenon that occurs, or has the potential to occur, in nature. A natural hazard, such as the earthquake (seismic) hazard on Vancouver Island, exists even when no earthquake has actually occurred. When an earthquake happens, it is termed an event.