What are natural hazards?

Natural hazards refer to severe weather events or natural phenomena that have the potential to cause significant harm to people, property, and the environment. These can include events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and volcanic eruptions. The essential characteristic of natural hazards is their capacity to lead to dangerous situations, disrupt normal life, and necessitate emergency response and preparedness measures.

Understanding natural hazards is crucial in the study of geography because it helps in assessing risks and creating effective policies for disaster management and mitigation. Recognizing their potential impact allows communities and governments to develop strategies to minimize damage and enhance resilience against such events.

In contrast to the other options, severe weather events are directly linked to physical processes in nature that can lead to disasters, whereas cultural festivals, natural wonders, and economic activities focus more on human experiences or structures that do not inherently pose physical threats to safety.