Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

Geological Hazards Introduction Firstly I think I must try and define the word hazard with respect to geology. I found many different definitions in books and on the Internet, but the definition that describes it best in my opinion was by Darren Gravley a Ph.D. student in volcanology at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. He defined a hazard as an interaction between humans and an extreme natural event with respect to cultural perceptions and value systems. Many people believe the mankind has only one enemy, itself. But our planet has a huge range of hazards that have and could cause huge devastation to human life. Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, avalanches and floods are just a few geological hazards. In this essay I will talk about two hazards that most people think of when this topic is brought up. Volcanoes and earthquakes are probably the most common hazards, many cities and well populated areas are in close proximity to these areas. The Earth's crust is broken into plates. These rigid plates “float” on the Asthenosphere. As the plates move about they push together or pull apart. It is at the plate boundaries that most geological hazards take place. Volcanoes Most of the world�