A hazard map is a
map
A map is a symbolic depiction of interrelationships, commonly spatial, between things within a space. A map may be annotated with text and graphics. Like any graphic, a map may be fixed to paper or other durable media, or may be displayed on ...
that highlights areas that are affected by or are vulnerable to a particular hazard. They are typically created for
natural hazard
A natural disaster is the very harmful impact on a society or community brought by natural phenomenon or hazard. Some examples of natural hazards include avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods, heat waves, landslides - including submarin ...
s, such as
earthquake
An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...
s,
volcano
A volcano is commonly defined as a vent or fissure in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface.
On Earth, volcanoes are most oft ...
es,
landslide
Landslides, also known as landslips, rockslips or rockslides, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, mudflows, shallow or deep-seated slope failures and debris flows. Landslides ...
s,
flood
A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...
ing and
tsunami
A tsunami ( ; from , ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, ...
s. Hazard maps help prevent serious damage and deaths.
Uses
Hazard maps are created and used in conjunction with several natural disasters.
Different hazard maps have different uses. For instance, the hazard map created by the
Rizal Geological Survey is used by Rizalian
insurance agencies in order to properly adjust insurance for people living in hazardous areas.
Hazard maps created for flooding are also used in insurance rate adjustments.
Hazard maps can also be useful in determining the risks of living in a certain area.
Hazard maps can help people become aware of the dangers they might face from
natural disaster
A natural disaster is the very harmful impact on a society or community brought by natural phenomenon or Hazard#Natural hazard, hazard. Some examples of natural hazards include avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods, heat waves, landslides ...
s in a specific area.
Types
* Natural Disasters
** Geological disasters
*** Avalanches and landslides
*** Earthquakes
(See
Seismic hazard map
A seismic hazard is the probability that an earthquake will occur in a given geographic area, within a given window of time, and with ground motion intensity exceeding a given threshold. With a hazard thus estimated, risk can be assessed and inc ...
)
*** Volcanic eruptions
** Hydrological disasters
*** Floods
*** Tsunami
*** Wildfires
* Non-Natural Disasters
**
Traffic accidents
See also
*
Seismic hazard map
A seismic hazard is the probability that an earthquake will occur in a given geographic area, within a given window of time, and with ground motion intensity exceeding a given threshold. With a hazard thus estimated, risk can be assessed and inc ...
*
Disaster risk reduction Disaster risk reduction aims to make disasters less likely to happen. The approach, also called DRR or disaster risk management, also aims to make disasters less damaging when they do occur. DRR aims to make communities stronger and better prepared ...
*
Floods Directive
References
Map types
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