NATURAL DISASTERS
Photographic Alphabet Edition
AaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaAaA AVALANCHE
a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside.
• a large mass of any material moving rapidly downhill: an avalanch of mud.
B b B b B b B bBb B b B b B b B b B bB b B BLIZZARD
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm caused by strong sustained winds of at least 56 km/h (35 mph) and lasting for a prolonged period of time – typically three hours
or more.
C c C c C c C cCc C c C c Cc C c C cCc C CYCLONE
a system of winds rotating inward to an area of low atmospheric pressure, with a counterclockwise (northern hemisphere) or clockwise (southern hemisphere) circulation; a depression.
• another term for tropical storm.
D
f
DdDdDdDdDdDdDdDdDdDdD DUST STORM
a strong, turbulent wind that carries clouds of ine dust, soil, and sand over a large area.
E e E e E e E eEe E e E e E e E e E e E e EARTHQUAKE
a sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth’s crust or volcanic action.
F f F f Ff F f F f F f F f F f F f F f F f F f F f Ff F f F FLOOD
an overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines, esp. over what is normally dry land: in a thousand miles the flood destroyed every bridge.
• ( the Flood )the biblical flood brought by God upon the earth because of the wickedness of the human race (Gen. 6 ff.). • the inflow of the tide.
f
G g G g G g G gGg G g G g G g G g G g G GRASSLAND FIRE
a large open area of country covered with grass, ignited in lame esp. one used for grazing: rough grassland. usually due to dry spells.
H
H h H h H h H hHh H h H h H H h H h H h H HURRICANE
a storm with a violent wind, in particular a tropical cyclone in the Caribbean.
• a wind of force 12 on the Beaufort scale (exceeding 64 knots or 74 mph).
I i I i I i I iIi I i I i I i I i I i I i I i I i I i I i I iIi ICE STORM
a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain, also known as a glaze event or, in some parts of the United States,
as a silver thaw.
J j J j J j J j J j J j J j J j J j J j J j Jj J j J j J j J j J j JOLT
push or shake (someone or something) abruptly and roughly: a surge in the crowd behind him jolted him forward.
• [ no obj. ] move with sudden lurches: the train jolted into motion.
f
k K k K k K k KkK k K k K K k K k K K k K k KATRINA
Hurricane Katrina was the deadliest and most destructive Atlantic tropical cyclone of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the ive deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States.
L
f
lL lLlLlLlLlLlLlLlLlLlLlLlLll LANDSLIDE
a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris lows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments.
M m M m M m M mMm M m M m M m MONSOON
a seasonal prevailing wind in the region of South and Southeast Asia, blowing from the southwest between May and September and bringing rain (the wet monsoon), or from the northeast between October and
April (the dry monsoon).
N n N n N n N nNn N n N n N n N n N n N n N NUCLEAR EXPLOSION
A nuclear explosion is an explosion that occurs as a result of the rapid release of energy from a high-speed nuclear reaction.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO OIL SPILL
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution.
P
PpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpP PESTS
a destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.
QqQ q Q q q q Q q Q q Q q Q q Q q Q q Qq QUASAR
a massive and extremely remote
celestial object, emitting exceptionally large amounts of energy, and typically having a starlike image in a telescope.
It has been suggested that quasars contain massive black holes and may represent a stage in the evolution of some galaxies.
Rr R r R r R rRr R r R r R r R r R r R r R r R RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Radioactive wastes are wastes that contain radioactive material. Radioactive waste is hazardous to most forms of life and the environment, and is regulated by government agencies in order to protect human health and the environment.
S s S s S s S sSs S s S sSs S s S s S s S s S STORMS
a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.
TtTtTtTtTtTtTtTtTtTtTtTt TSUNAMI
a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake, submarine landslide, or other disturbance.
UuUuUuUuUuUuUuUuUuUuUu UNDERWATER
EARTHQUAKE
an earthquake that occurs underwater at the bottom of a body of water,
especially an ocean. They are the leading cause of tsunamis.
VvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvVvV VOLCANO
a mountain or hill, typically conical, having a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are being or have been erupted from the earth’s crust.
W
f
WwWwWwWwWwWwWwWwWw WHIRLPOOL
a rapidly rotating mass of water in a river or sea into which objects may be drawn, typically caused by the meeting of conlicting currents
xXxX xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx XANGSANE
a deadly typhoon that affected the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand during the 2006 Pacific typhoon season. The name Xangsane means elephant.
X
YyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyYyY YASI
Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi was a very powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that made landfall in northern Queensland, Australia on 3 February, 2011, causing severe damage to affected areas.