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Quiz yourself on Natural Hazards OverviewGet your flashcardsBuild my revision planTrack my progress🧠 Memory Aids: PEARL and VERT
PEARL — Factors Affecting Vulnerability
Use PEARL to remember the five factors that make communities vulnerable to natural hazards. These apply to any hazard question asking "why are some communities more at risk?"
- P — Poverty: Cannot afford earthquake-resistant buildings, early warning systems, or to relocate
- E — Education: Lower awareness of what to do when disaster strikes; cannot act on warnings
- A — Access: Remote communities cannot receive emergency aid quickly after a disaster
- R — Resilience: Countries with experience and investment in preparedness cope far better
- L — Location: Living near fault lines, active volcanoes, coastlines, or floodplains increases exposure
VERT — Factors Affecting Hazard Impact
Use VERT for questions asking "what factors affect the impact of a natural hazard?"
- V — Vulnerability of the population (PEARL factors above)
- E — Emergency response capacity (quality of emergency services; government capability)
- R — Resilience and preparedness (building codes, early warning, drills, community knowledge)
- T — Type and magnitude of hazard (physical characteristics of the event itself)
Key Contrasts for Exam Quick Reference
| Comparison | LIC Result | HIC Result |
|---|---|---|
| Haiti 2010 (7.0 Mw) vs Christchurch 2011 (6.3 Mw) | ~316,000 deaths | 185 deaths |
| Nepal 2015 (7.8 Mw) vs Chile 2010 (8.8 Mw) | ~9,000 deaths | ~550 deaths |
| Bangladesh Cyclone Bhola 1970 vs Cyclone Sidr 2007 | ~500,000 deaths (no warning) | ~3,400 deaths (3 million evacuated with warnings) |
Note: The Bangladesh comparison shows that even within one LIC, investment in preparedness dramatically reduces deaths — the physical hazard was similar; the preparedness was not.
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