Class 11 Geography: Natural Hazards and Disasters: Causes, Consequences and Management — Chapter Question Set

(b) West Bengal — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(b) Champawat — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(d) Tamil Nadu — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(b) Brahmaputra — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

(a) Atmospheric — This is the textbook-supported choice for the question.

d) Kashmir — The textbook states: You may also be aware of the severe earthquake in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC).

c) has moved us all — The textbook states: The damage caused to human life and properties during these episodes has moved us all.

b) some of these questions — The textbook states: This chapter will attempt to analyse some of these questions.

a) a continuous process that goes on uninterrupt — The textbook states: It is a continuous process that goes on uninterruptedly involving phenomena, big and small, material and nonmaterial that make our physical and sociocultural environment.

d) a process present everywhere with variations — The textbook states: It is a process present everywhere with variations in terms of magnitude, intensity and scale.

c) earthquakes and lightening, etc — The textbook states: Change can be a gradual or slow process like the evolution of landforms and organisms and it can be as sudden and swift as volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes and lightening, etc.

b) of the ozone layer — The textbook states: Similarly, it may remain confined to a smaller area occurring within a few seconds like hailstorms, tornadoes and dust storms, and it can also have global dimensions such as global warming and depletion of the ozone layer.

a) meanings for different people — The textbook states: Besides these, changes have different meanings for different people.

d) trying to understand them — The textbook states: It depends upon the perspective one takes while trying to understand them.

c) value-neutral (these are neither good nor bad — The textbook states: From the perspective of nature, changes are value-neutral (these are neither good nor bad).

b) value-loaded — The textbook states: But from the human perspective, these are value-loaded.

a) some changes that are desirable and good like — The textbook states: There are some changes that are desirable and good like the change of seasons, ripening of fruits, while there are others like earthquakes, floods and wars that are considered bad and undesirable.

d) short period of time — The textbook states: Observe the environment you live in and prepare a list of changes, which take place over a long period of time and those, which take place within a short period of time.

c) considered good and others bad? — The textbook states: Do you know why some changes are considered good and others bad?

b) considered good and others bad — The textbook states: Prepare a list of changes, which you notice in your daily life and give reasons why some of these are considered good and others bad.

a) considered bad and have haunted humankind for — The textbook states: In this chapter, we will read about some of these changes, which are considered bad and have haunted humankind for a long time.

d) some such changes that are always disliked an — The textbook states: Disasters in general and natural disasters in particular, are some such changes that are always disliked and feared by humankind.

c) treated as innocent and helpless victims in f — The textbook states: For a long time, geographical literature viewed disasters as a consequence of natural forces; and human beings were treated as innocent and helpless victims in front of the mighty forces of nature.

b) NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS — The textbook states: But natural forces are NATURAL HAZARDS AND DISASTERS CHAPTER 54 INDIA : PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT not the only causes of disasters.

a) some activities carried by human beings that — The textbook states: There are some activities carried by human beings that are directly responsible for disasters.

d) Chernobyl — The textbook states: Bhopal G as tragedy, Chernobyl nuclear disaster , wars, release of C FCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) and increase of green house gases, environmental pollutions like noise, air, water and soil are some of the disasters which are caused directly by human actions.

c) some other activities of human beings that ac — The textbook states: There are some other activities of human beings that accelerate or intensify disasters indirectly .

b) some of the disasters that are the results of — The textbook states: L andslides and flo ods due to deforestation, unscientific land use and construction activities in fragile areas are some of the disasters that are the results of indirect human actions.

a) in the near future? — The textbook states: Can you identify some other human activities going on in and around your neighbourhood and schools that can lead to disasters in the near future?

d) a common experience that human-made disasters — The textbook states: It is a common experience that human-made disasters have increased both in their numbers and magnitudes over the years and concerted efforts are on at various levels to prevent and minimise their occurrences.

c) possible to prevent some of these disasters c — The textbook states: Though the success has be en only nominal so far , it is possible to prevent some of these disasters created by human actions.

b) possible to prevent natural disasters — The textbook states: A s opposed to this, very little is possible to prevent natural disasters; therefore, the best way out is to emphasise on natural disaster mitigation and management.

a) 1993 — The textbook states: Establishment of National Institute of Disaster Management, India, Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1993 and the W orld C onference on Disaster Management in May 1994 at Y okohama, Japan, etc.

d) some of the concrete steps towards this direc — The textbook states: are some of the concrete steps towards this direction initiated at dif ferent levels.

c) observed that scholars use disasters and natu — The textbook states: Most often it is observed that scholars use disasters and natural hazards as interchangeable.

b) related phenomena — The textbook states: Both are related phenomena, yet quite distinct from each other .

a) elements of circumstances in the Natural envi — The textbook states: Natural Hazards are elements of circumstances in the Natural environment that have the potential to cause harm to people or property or both.

d) relatively sudden and cause large scale — The textbook states: As compared to natural hazards, natural disasters are relatively sudden and cause large scale, widespread death, loss of property and disturbance to social systems and life over which people have a little or no control.

c) very high — The textbook states: Thus, any event can be classed as disaster when the magnitude of destruction and damage caused by it is very high.

b) generalised experiences of people the world o — The textbook states: Generally, disasters are generalised experiences of people the world over, and no two disasters are similar and comparable to each other.

a) unique in terms of the local socio-environmen — The textbook states: Every disaster is unique in terms of the local socio-environmental factors that control it, the social response it generates, and the way each social group negotiates with it.

d) indicative of three important things — The textbook states: However, the opinion mentioned above is indicative of three important things.

c) increased over the years — The textbook states: Firstly, the magnitude, intensity, frequency and damages caused by natural disasters have increased over the years.

b) a growing concern among people the world over — The textbook states: Secondly, there is a growing concern among people the world over to deal with the menace created by these so that the loss of human life and property can be minimised.

a) disasters over the years — The textbook states: And finally, significant changes have taken place in the pattern of natural disasters over the years.

d) natural disasters and hazards — The textbook states: There has also been a change in the perception of natural disasters and hazards.

c) seen as two closely associated and interrelat — The textbook states: Previously, hazards and disasters were seen as two closely associated and interrelated phenomena, i.e.

b) more vulnerable to disasters — The textbook states: areas prone to natural hazards, were more vulnerable to disasters.

a) in a given ecosystem — The textbook states: Hence, people avoided tampering with the delicate balance that existed in a given ecosystem.

d) how disasters were less damaging — The textbook states: People avoided intensification of their activities in such areas and that is how disasters were less damaging.

Bhopal G as tragedy, Chernobyl nuclear disaster , wars, release of C FCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) and increase of green house gases, environmental pollutions like noise, air, water and soil are some of the disasters which are caused directly by human actions. A s opposed to this, very little is possible to prevent natural disasters; therefore, the best way out is to emphasise on natural disaster mitigation and management. Mor eover , with the help of development of techniques to monitor the behaviour of cyclones, their intensity, direction and magnitude, it has become possible to manage the cyclonic hazard to some extent.

Apart from these regions, the central-western parts of India, particularly Gujarat (in 1819, 1956 and 2001) and Maharashtra (in 1967 and 1993) have also experienced some severe earthquakes. Out of these, the first two zones had experienced some of the most devastating earthquakes in India. Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Unlike other disasters, the damages caused by earthquakes are more devastating.

Earthquakes are also responsible for landslides and often these cause obstructions in the flow of rivers and channels resulting in the formation of reservoirs. Tropical Cyclone Tropical cyclones are intense low-pressure areas confined to the area lying between 30°° N and 30 °° S latitudes, in the atmosphere around which high velocity winds blow. (ii) Strong Coriolis force that can prevent filling of low pressure at the centre (absence of Coriolis force near the equator prohibits the formation of tropical cyclone between 0 °-5 °° latitude) .

are some of the concrete steps towards this direction initiated at dif ferent levels. Though floods occur frequently over wide geographical area having disasterous ramifications in many parts of the world, floods in the South, Southeast and East Asian countries, particularly in China, India and Bangladesh, are frequent and equally disastrous. Various states of India face heavy loss of lives and property due to recurrent floods.

Apart from these regions, the central-western parts of India, particularly Gujarat (in 1819, 1956 and 2001) and Maharashtra (in 1967 and 1993) have also experienced some severe earthquakes. 64 INDIA : PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Droughts The term ‘drought’ is applied to an extended period when there is a shortage of water availability due to inadequate precipitation, excessive rate of evaporation and over-utilisation of water from the reservoirs and other storages, including the ground water. Various parts of India experience these droughts recurrently which result in some serious socio-economic and ecological problems.

You may also be aware of the severe earthquake in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC).

The damage caused to human life and properties during these episodes has moved us all.

What are these as phenomena and how they are caused?

These are some questions which come to our minds.

This chapter will attempt to analyse some of these questions.

It is a continuous process that goes on uninterruptedly involving phenomena, big and small, material and nonmaterial that make our physical and sociocultural environment.

It is a process present everywhere with variations in terms of magnitude, intensity and scale.

Change can be a gradual or slow process like the evolution of landforms and organisms and it can be as sudden and swift as volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes and lightening, etc.

Similarly, it may remain confined to a smaller area occurring within a few seconds like hailstorms, tornadoes and dust storms, and it can also have global dimensions such as global warming and depletion of the ozone layer.

Besides these, changes have different meanings for different people.

It depends upon the perspective one takes while trying to understand them.

From the perspective of nature, changes are value-neutral (these are neither good nor bad).

But from the human perspective, these are value-loaded.

There are some changes that are desirable and good like the change of seasons, ripening of fruits, while there are others like earthquakes, floods and wars that are considered bad and undesirable.

Observe the environment you live in and prepare a list of changes, which take place over a long period of time and those, which take place within a short period of time.

Do you know why some changes are considered good and others bad?

Prepare a list of changes, which you notice in your daily life and give reasons why some of these are considered good and others bad.

In this chapter, we will read about some of these changes, which are considered bad and have haunted humankind for a long time.

Disasters in general and natural disasters in particular, are some such changes that are always disliked and feared by humankind.

For a long time, geographical literature viewed disasters as a consequence of natural forces; and human beings were treated as innocent and helpless victims in front of the mighty forces of nature.

Disasters are also caused by some human activities. Bhopal G as tragedy, Chernobyl nuclear disaster , wars, release of C FCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) and increase of green house gases, environmental pollutions like noise, air, water and soil are some of the disasters which are caused directly by human actions. Can you identify some other human activities going on in and around your neighbourhood and schools that can lead to disasters in the near future? In the following section, some of the highly devastating natural disasters have been discussed, particularly in the context of India. These observations can also be illustrated by focussing on some of the major natural disasters in India. Apart from these regions, the central-western parts of India, particularly Gujarat (in 1819, 1956 and 2001) and Maharashtra (in 1967 and 1993) have also experienced some severe earthquakes. These measures have special significance to a country like India, which has about twothird of its geographical area and equal proportion of its population, vulnerable to disasters.

A s opposed to this, very little is possible to prevent natural disasters; therefore, the best way out is to emphasise on natural disaster mitigation and management. In the following section, some of the highly devastating natural disasters have been discussed, particularly in the context of India. These observations can also be illustrated by focussing on some of the major natural disasters in India. 56 INDIA : PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Yokohama Strategy and International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) Yokohama Strategy and Plan of Action for a Safer World All the member states of the United Nations and other states met at the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction in the city of Yokohama from May 23rd -27th 1994. Out of these, the first two zones had experienced some of the most devastating earthquakes in India. It is not possible to prevent the occurrence of an earthquake; hence, the next best option is to emphasis on disaster preparedness and mitigation rather than curative measures such as: (i) Establishing earthquake monitoring centres (seismological centres) for regular monitoring and fast dissemination of information among the people in the vulnerable areas. Various parts of India experience these droughts recurrently which result in some serious socio-economic and ecological problems.

Disasters are also caused by some human activities. There are some activities carried by human beings that are directly responsible for disasters. There are some other activities of human beings that accelerate or intensify disasters indirectly . L andslides and flo ods due to deforestation, unscientific land use and construction activities in fragile areas are some of the disasters that are the results of indirect human actions. Can you identify some other human activities going on in and around your neighbourhood and schools that can lead to disasters in the near future? As compared to natural hazards, natural disasters are relatively sudden and cause large scale, widespread death, loss of property and disturbance to social systems and life over which people have a little or no control. People avoided intensification of their activities in such areas and that is how disasters were less damaging.

You may also be aware of the severe earthquake in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC). You may also be aware of the severe earthquake in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC). The damage caused to human life and properties during these episodes has moved us all. What are these as phenomena and how they are caused?

The damage caused to human life and properties during these episodes has moved us all. You may also be aware of the severe earthquake in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LOC). The damage caused to human life and properties during these episodes has moved us all. What are these as phenomena and how they are caused? These are some questions which come to our minds.

What are these as phenomena and how they are caused? The damage caused to human life and properties during these episodes has moved us all. What are these as phenomena and how they are caused? These are some questions which come to our minds. This chapter will attempt to analyse some of these questions.

These are some questions which come to our minds. What are these as phenomena and how they are caused? These are some questions which come to our minds. This chapter will attempt to analyse some of these questions. It is a continuous process that goes on uninterruptedly involving phenomena, big and small, material and nonmaterial that make our physical and sociocultural environment.