A location where one or
more geophysical
and/or
hydrometerological
hazard frequently
occurs
Physical Factors
Hydrometerological
Drought
Wildfires
Examples
Cedar
Human related
Oct 2003
Impacts
15 people died
2820 buildings were damaged or
destroyed
273246 acres
of forest were
destroyed
San Diego
Causes
Dry Santa Ana
winds and drought
Examples
2011
Still continuing
Impacts
Damage to
the farming
industry
Damage to biodiversity
Economy has been
badly affected
State wide sprinkle
and hosepipe laws
Depleted lakes,
groundwater and
aquifers
San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin and
Sacramento rivers
Delta
Causes
The dry Santa Ana
winds, originating in
the Mojave desert
descending from
mountains further
inland to coastal areas
and lack of rainfall
increase drought risk.
Also increased water
demand increases
water shortages
Global climate
change could
play a role in
decreased
rainfall
Flooding
Coastal
Causes
Sea level rise
Global warming
Winter storms
Storm surges and increased rainfall
Global warming
El Nino
Examples
L.A. Flood 1938
River
Causes
El Nino
Increased rainfall
Winter storms
Examples
L.A. Flood 1938
Impacts
50 year flood
$40 million in damages
Damage to
homes and
infrastructure
115 people died
Santa Ana River
burst its banks in
many places
Feb 27th-28th
Landslides
Examples
La Conchita, 2005
Impacts
10 people were killed
36 homes were damaged or destroyed
Causes
Intense rainfall
and global
warming
Fog and Smog
Causes
It occurs when cool
offshore air drifts inland and
meets warm air (especially
during summer)
Likely to become more
unpredictable with increasing
climate change
When combined with car pollution
and chemical smog that collects in
the basin the fog is made worse
Tectonic
Plate Margin
Earthquakes
Examples
Loma Prieta
1989
Oct 17th
5:00pm
San Francisco Bay
Epicentre
Nisene Marks State Park
Impacts
60 People died
Damage to
transport
infrastructure
Collapse of
Nimitz Freeway
After quake all bridges
in the area underwent
reinforcement for
earthquakes
Occurred during world-series
baseball match so earthquake
was well televised and news
about it could be broadcast
quickly
6.9 on richter scale
Northridge
1994
Jan 17th
4:30am
Impacts
70 People died
6.7 on richter scale
Widespread severe
property damage
despite earthquake
building regulations
Transport systems
in LA shut down
Fires broke out
in the San
Fernando Valley,
Venice and
Malibu
Epicentre
Northridge; a
suburb of LA
Los Angeles
Type
Transform/Conservative
The Pacifc plate and
North American
Plate move past one
another
Impacts
Very high magnitude
earthquakes
Features
Linear
Valleys/Trenches
Human Factors
Vulnerability
Large population
but not very
vulnerable due to
high cpacity to cope
Capacity to cope
The ability of people,
organisations and systems, using
available skills and resources, to
face and manage adverse
conditions, emergencies or
disasters
Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
Increased demand for producta and
energy has led to increased use of fossil
fuels and increased production of green
house gases and particulates
Leads to global warming
Preperation
Many households have disaster kits which
include water, food and a first aid kit among
other things
Prevention
Building of life-safe
homes and
businesses
Education
Children in schools are taught about
risks from earthquakes and are taught
earthquake drills
Awareness of Risk
Choice to live in hazard area
Where the population are aware of the risks
they may choose to live there regardless
because they feel the benefits outway the costs
Population Size
38.8 million people
Structure
12.5% over age of 65
23.9% under age of 18
27.0% foreign born
15.9% of people under
poverty line
Level of development
MEDC
Unsustainable use of resources
Global climate change
Increased flood, storm
and drought events
Urbanisation
Rapid urbanisation and
urban sprawl has led to
increased surface run off
and increased flood risk