Natural Hazards
A natural hazard is an unexpected or unpredictable threat to humans and their property resulting
from the geomorphic/physical, climatic and biological environment.
Natural hazards are acts of nature which are unpredictable and extreme and which threaten life
and property.
When a natural hazard impacts an area, causing damage to property and/or loss of life, this is
known as a natural disaster. For instance, a powerful hurricane in the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean is a natural hazard. If this hurricane makes landfall, causing several deaths and destroying
many homes as well as other buildings, then this situation is known as a natural disaster.
The Caribbean is prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, volcanic eruption and landslides because:
i. the Caribbean plate lies on or are close to plate boundaries which
cause earthquakes and volcanic eruption
ii. they lie in the direct path/track of hurricanes which occur off the West African \
coast and travel across to the Caribbean
iii. areas are low lying and most people occupy coastal/flat locations
iv. many people occupy steep slopes or below them
v. people are changing the landscape by removing vegetation
Examples of Hazards which have impacted the Caribbean:
Haiti (Earthquake 2010/7.0 – over 230, 000 persons were killed, many injured,
homeless, diseases such as cholera, public and private properties destroyed, no
water and light Port-Au-Prince destroyed, roads, water facilities, property etc),
Jamaica (Kgn –1993) caused landslides, death (2), destruction of property,
homelessness
Montserrat (Souferiere Hills volcano erupted in 1995 – 1997, 2010 – capital city
(Plymouth)was buried and a village destroyed, also farmlands, 19 killed, tourism
industry destroyed, evacuation of people – pyroclastic flow superheated clouds of
A natural hazard is an unexpected or unpredictable threat to humans and their property resulting
from the geomorphic/physical, climatic and biological environment.
Natural hazards are acts of nature which are unpredictable and extreme and which threaten life
and property.
When a natural hazard impacts an area, causing damage to property and/or loss of life, this is
known as a natural disaster. For instance, a powerful hurricane in the middle of the Atlantic
Ocean is a natural hazard. If this hurricane makes landfall, causing several deaths and destroying
many homes as well as other buildings, then this situation is known as a natural disaster.
The Caribbean is prone to earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, volcanic eruption and landslides because:
i. the Caribbean plate lies on or are close to plate boundaries which
cause earthquakes and volcanic eruption
ii. they lie in the direct path/track of hurricanes which occur off the West African \
coast and travel across to the Caribbean
iii. areas are low lying and most people occupy coastal/flat locations
iv. many people occupy steep slopes or below them
v. people are changing the landscape by removing vegetation
Examples of Hazards which have impacted the Caribbean:
Haiti (Earthquake 2010/7.0 – over 230, 000 persons were killed, many injured,
homeless, diseases such as cholera, public and private properties destroyed, no
water and light Port-Au-Prince destroyed, roads, water facilities, property etc),
Jamaica (Kgn –1993) caused landslides, death (2), destruction of property,
homelessness
Montserrat (Souferiere Hills volcano erupted in 1995 – 1997, 2010 – capital city
(Plymouth)was buried and a village destroyed, also farmlands, 19 killed, tourism
industry destroyed, evacuation of people – pyroclastic flow superheated clouds of
