Floods
What is a flood?
A flood happens when water overflows or soaks land that is normally dry.
What is the "ring of fire"?
Answer: An area around the Pacific Ocean where most earthquakes occur due to tectonic plate activity.
What causes a tsunami?
Answer: Large undersea earthquakes at tectonic plate boundaries.
What is a wildfire?
Answer: An uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation.
What is a flood plain?
The land surrounding a river that can be affected by flooding.
What are aftershocks?
Answer: Smaller earthquakes that occur after the main quake.
How fast can a tsunami travel in the ocean?
Answer: Up to 500 miles per hour.
Name one natural cause of wildfires.
Answer: Lightning strikes.
Name one cause of riverine floods.
Answer: Heavy rain, a broken dam, or rapid ice melt
What is a strike-slip fault?
Answer: A fault where portions of Earth's crust move sideways.
What should you do if you see the sea water retreating before a tsunami?
Answer: Move to higher ground immediately.
What are surface fires?
Answer: Fires that burn in dead or dry vegetation just above the ground.
What can happen to structures during severe flooding?
Answer: Bridges, houses, and cars can be picked up and carried off by floodwaters.
What magnitude is considered a major earthquake?
Answer: A magnitude of 7 to 7.9.
Why is it important to recognize the trough of a tsunami?
Answer: It indicates that the wave’s crest will hit shore shortly after.
How can wildfires benefit some plant species?
Answer: Some plants need fire to release their seeds or to germinate.
What are some diseases that can spread after a flood?
Answer: Typhoid, malaria, hepatitis A, and cholera.
What was the strongest earthquake ever recorded?
Answer: The Valdivia earthquake in Chile, which had a magnitude of 9.5.
What is the best defense against tsunamis?
Answer: Early warning systems that allow people to seek higher ground.
What effect has climate change had on wildfires?
Answer: It has intensified drought and made ecosystems more susceptible to wildfires.