Introduction to Natural Hazards - Natural Hazards - page 13

under the headings of expansive soils, creep
and solifluction , mud and debris flows, landslides and
slumps, rockfalls, debris avalanches, and air-supported
flows. Many of these hazards rank in severity and
impact as middle-order events. For example, expansive
soils, while not causing loss of life, rank as one of the
costliest long-term hazards because of their ubiqui-
tousness. For each of these categories, the type of land
instability is presented in detail, together with a
description of major disasters. The chapter concludes
with a cursory presentation on the natural causes of
land subsidence.
Because the emphasis of the previous chapters has
been on the physical mechanisms of hazards, the topic
closes in Chapter 13 with a discussion of the social
impact of many of these phenomena. Here is empha-
sized the way hazards are viewed by different societies
and cultures. This section is followed by detailed
descriptions of responses before, during, and after the
event. As much as possible, the characterization of
responses under each of these headings is clarified
using anecdotes. It is shown that individuals or families
have different ways of coping with, or reacting to,
disaster. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the
psychological ramifications of a disaster on the victims,
the rescuers, and society.

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REFERENCES AND FURTHER
READING

Balling, R.C. and Cerveny, R.S. 2003. Compilation and discussion of
trends in severe storms in the United States: Popular perception
v. climate reality. Natural Hazards 29: 103-112.
Blong, R.J. 1982. The Time of Darkness, Local Legends and
Volcanic Reality in Papua New Guinea. Australian National
University Press, Canberra.