Abstract
This paper discusses specific examples of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. It discusses the latest eruptions and the latest earthquakes occurrences. The paper then describes the environmental and societal impacts that they caused both locally and around the world. Where possible, the paper also classifies the natural disaster and ranks it in history against other similar occurrences.

From the Paper
"Mexico City quake of 1985 - This quake measured 8.1 on the Richter scale, and killed at least 9,000 people, but many Mexico City residents believe the real number was far higher, perhaps as high as 100,000. Nearly 500 buildings were destroyed, and 100,000 homes were lost. It also collapsed most of the area hospitals, leaving little health care for victims of the quake. This quake is probably the most devastating of all those on the North American continent discussed here."
"Shensi, China earthquake - Occurred in 1556, the worst killing an estimate 830,000 people, which was about 60 percent of the entire nation's population. It destroyed a 520-square mile area, and affected ten provinces. It was rated an 8 on the moment magnitude scale, and is known as the worst earthquake in history, and the fourth worst natural disaster of all time."

Tags:stratovolcano, tsunami, Richter

Abstract
This paper discusses the causes of volcanoes, the different types and how they contribute to acid rain. The paper emphasizes the dangers inherent in this force of nature and looks at the active volcanoes in the United States and the major disasters of the past. The paper also looks at the San Andreas Fault and how it is a likely candidate for a major earthquake in the next few decades. Also discusses are San Francisco Bay and its environs, which are likely to sustain a moderate sized earthquake, accompanied by severe damage and loss of life.

From the Paper
"A volcano is a rupture in the surface of the earth which penetrates the crust and permits the escape of molten matter, rock and gases. The details of how this comes about are a quite elaborate. Such ruptures on the surface of the planet can change the face of the world over time, forming new land masses. They also pollute the air and change the climate, when active in great numbers or volume. It's believed they have brought on nuclear-winter type conditions, blotting out the sunlight. They could end civilization."

Tags:San, Andreas, Fault, San, Francisco, Bay, acid, rain, teectonic, plates, eruptions

Abstract
The paper discusses the options that are available to companies to manage and prevent disasters whenever possible. The paper explains that developing advance-warning systems can prevent extensive loss to life and in some cases, precautionary measures can be undertaken to prevent damages to property. The paper also shows how the best defense humans have against natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes and storm is public awareness and offering the public sufficient time for evacuation. Some aerial photos are included with the paper.

Outline:
Introduction
Tornado Trend Analysis
Confirmation of Fatalities and Injuries
Estimation of Damage to Homes, Business & Infrastructure
Debris Removal for the Purpose of Regaining
Taking Care of the People Impacted by the Tornado
Conclusion

From the Paper
"The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) makes provisions for federal funds to be provided on a high priority basis to help mitigate hazards at local levels. In addition, the act also calls for identification and assessment of natural disasters that can disrupt the normal functioning of governments and communities, and adversely affect individuals and families with great severity. The act defines an "Emergency" as any occasion or instant for which, in the determination of the President, federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts and capabilities to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States. (FEMA.gov, 2003)"

Tags:tornadoes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, storm, earthquake

Abstract
The writer of this paper details the exploration of the ocean floor which began in the 1940s and aided scientists in developing the theory of plate tectonics. This paper explores how the work of researchers like Albert Wegener and James Hutton and the study of plate tectonics helped predict with some degree of accuracy where and when an earthquake will strike as well as predict which of the world's active volcanoes will erupt, saving countless lives.
Topics covered in this report include:
The Theory of Continental Drift
This Dynamic Earth-Developing the Theory
Plate Tectonics
Works Cited

From the Paper
"Abraham Ortelius, a Dutch mapmaker, first suggested the possibility that the earth's landmasses were not fixed in 1520. He suggested that the Americas were once attached to Africa and Europe. They were then ripped apart by earthquakes and floods, creating three continents. It wasn't until the early part of this century, when a German meteorologist named Alfred L. Wegener became intrigued by this concept and the ideas set forth by other scientists that land bridges had been connected the continents at one time, but had then sunk into the ocean."

Tags:science, james, hutton, earthquake, volcano, geology, abraham, ortelius, alfred, wegener, ocean, earth

Abstract
In this article, the writer explains that the islands of New Zealand lie at a subduction zone between the Pacific plate and the Indian-Australian plate. This location on the unstable edge of the tectonic plates, part of the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire", has resulted in an active geological history and present. Surrounded on all sides by undersea ridges and trenches, faults crisscross both islands. The writer discusses that these major Pacific fault lines account for volcanic activity, frequent earthquakes, glaciers and a mountain range that stretches almost uninterrupted from Milford Sound at the bottom of the South Island to Cape Reinga at the uppermost tip of the North Island. This paper includes descriptions of the most dramatic examples of geothermal activity around the country.

From the Paper
"Earthquakes are another manifestation of the collision of the Pacific tectonic plate and the Indian-Australian tectonic plate. On average, 14,000 earthquakes are seismographically recorded in the New Zealand area each year. Of these, 100 to 150 are large enough to be felt. Since 1855, there have been fourteen earthquakes recorded that registered over 7.0 on the Richter scale. According to The Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences web site, to the south of New Zealand the Australian plate is being forced under the Pacific plate. Under the South Island, the two plates push past each other sideways, and east of the North Island the Pacific plate is being forced under the Australian plate.
"In Wellington, New Zealand's capital city, earthquakes thrust land upward more than five feet in 1848 and 1855, creating a peninsula out of an island. The area lies directly across on of the most active fault lines on the North Island. In 1931 an earthquake registering 7.9 on the Richter scale struck Hawkes Bay, destroying almost the entire town of Napier and causing damage along most of the coast. Two hundred fifty-eight people were killed and tens of thousands were left homeless."

Tags:New Zealand, geology, volcano, geothermal, earthquake, subduction zone

Abstract
This paper discusses tectonic plate movements and how they affect the surface of the earth by causing massive destruction produced by earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis.

From the Paper
"The global ramifications of tectonic plate movement is scrutinized by examining the damaging tectonic activity caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruption as well as the hazards these earthquakes in turn generate, namely volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. The damaging nature of these natural forces cause the world united grief as chilling images of vast wreckage are imbedded in their minds forever. These unstoppable tragedies remind us that we are insignificant in the greater scheme of life and we are still at the mercy of the throes of tectonic plate movement."

Tags:earth, continental, ocean, crust, intense, geologic, activity, topographies, shifting

Abstract
This study explains that natural as well as man-made disasters have the potential to impact life on earth; the best defenses against natural disasters, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, hurricanes and storm, are public awareness and offering the public sufficient time for evacuation. The author points out that the world's developed countries consider insurance an essential aspect of their lives, but this dependency on insurance is not shared by citizens of developing countries who might not be able to avail themselves of this facility. The paper relates that, when compared to natural disasters, many of the man-made disasters could have been prevented; understanding the risks involved in any situation is the first step to developing a successful plan to manage the risks involved.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of this Study
Importance of the Study
Scope of the Study
Rationale of the Study
Definition of Terms
Limitations of this Study
Overview of the Study
Literature Review
Natural Disasters and their Consequences
Man-Made Disaster and the Risks Associated
Life Expectancy and Risk Evaluation
Disaster Response Planning and Insurance Requirements
Methodology
Approach Used
Validity of the Study
Discussion
Summary and Conclusions

From the Paper
"Petroleum exploration, for example, has the ability to impact regions that are geographically very far apart. Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important for the petroleum industry, which has the potential to impact the global economy on a major scale. The three sharp spikes (early 70s, late 70s and 1991) in oil prices observed over time-period of this industry have indicated just how dependent the world economy is on petroleum products. It is easy to correlate these price increases to the recessions that occurred in the U.S. and many world economies during these times. Countries therefore, in addition to investing heavily in the scouring of new petroleum reserves, are also looking for new ways to optimize the processes in their refineries. Increasing storage capacities is a major concern and a potential endeavor. This implies that countries have to build refineries to process the crude oil, support tank farms to store the crude oil before it is processed. Lastly, they have to store the finished products as well as develop shipping and land transportation (rails and roadways) to transport the oil from the supply point to the demand point. Issues such as global warming, fresh water pollution and spills on the high seas are however, forcing countries to reevaluate their strategies when dealing with the environmental issues related to this industry."

Tags:natural, man-made, awareness, secondary, prevention

Abstract
This paper offers a general definition of plate tectonics and a simple explanation for this process. The paper defines three specific types of plate tectonic environments, provides examples of "seismic gaps"
and discusses the types of mountains that are formed as a result of plate tectonics. The paper concludes that the impact of plate tectonics on the geography of the earth can be seen almost everywhere one looks, whether in the United States, South America (the Andes Mountains), Europe (Mt. Vesuvius in Italy) or Asia (Mt. Fujiyama in Japan).

From the Paper
"As a general definition, plate tectonics is based on a theory that the lithosphere of the earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and that much of the earth's seismic activity, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, occur at the boundaries of these plates. A simple explanation for this process would be to compare plate tectonics to the surface of a ball with individual areas that slide and/or grind against each other, thus creating seismic activity deep below the mantle of the earth. This activity, usually in the form of earthquakes, can be measured by geologist through the use of a seismograph which measures the intensity of a quake based on the Richter Scale from 1 to 10 magnitude."

Tags:earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, seismic, gaps

Abstract
The student discusses rocks and how they are read by observing their color, their grain (smooth, coarse, or fine), hardness, and the location in which they are found. The student then describes how the Grand Canyon contains rock layers that range in age from 1,800 million years old to about 270 million years old and explains how the Canyon was formed by flooding of inland seas and windy desert conditions that eroded and sculpted the Canyon over the last 5 to 6 million years. The writer shows how the Grand Canyon is a living example of erosion and construction over time.

From the Paper
"Journal Rocks are read by observing their color, their grain (smooth, coarse, or fine), hardness, and the location in which they are found. The Grand..."

Tags:geology, volcano, earthquake

Abstract
This paper help explains how Plate Tectonics has caused changes in continental landmasses through geological occurrences. It presents the main controversy in the Plate tectonic theory - whether the movement of the plates has displaced landmass across the continents or not and whether it is the sole reason for the change of the landmass or it is through atmospheric influence.

From the Paper
"Thousands of years ago the earth's surface has been hypothesized as one big landmass. The Earth's surface has been constant motion. "Fragmented into giant sheets of solid rock that glide atop a layer of hotter, more pliable material, the globe's appearance is forever changing." [Cowen, 1999] . These plates are semi rigid, floated on flow of mantle. The plates measured around 50 miles, thickness of 25 miles on land and 4 miles thick under the oceans. Their movement was categorized by an average of a few inches a year. Even today, geologists and tectonicists hypothesize the earth to continue this movement in similar slow manner, even if we do not notice it. The plates' movement is called the Plate Tectonic Theory, a theory presented in 1912 but upheld in 1960 . "

Tags:volcano, earthquake, earth, california, mountain, collision, layer, global, meltdown, ocean, rock