Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents: Part I: The nature and impact of disasters. -- 1.What’s disaster risk? -- 2.Where and when do disasters occur? -- 3.The impact of disasters. -- Part II: Vulnerabilities and capacities. -- 4.Why do disasters occur? -- 5.People’s vulnerability. -- 6.People’s capacities. -- Part III: Natural and socio-natural hazards. -- 7.Endogenous processes: Earthquake, Volcanoes and Tsunamis. -- 8.Gravity-Driven ‘Natural’ Exogenous Processes. -- 9.Climatological and hydro-meteorological hazards. -- 10.Socio-natural hazards. -- Part IV: People’s response to and resilience during and after disasters. -- 11.People’s behaviour in time of disaster. -- 12.People’s resilience. -- 13.Moving Towards Disaster Recovery. -- Part V: Disaster risk reduction and management. -- 14.Disaster risk reduction. -- 15.Disaster management. -- 16.Fostering disaster recovery. -- 17.Conclusions.

"The text offers a comprehensive and unique perspective on disaster risk associated with natural hazards. It covers a wide range of topics, reflecting the most recent debates but also older and pioneering discussions in the academic field of disaster studies as well as in the policy and practical areas of disaster risk reduction (DRR). This book will be of particular interest to undergraduate students studying geography and environmental studies/science. It will also be of relevance to students/professionals from a wide range of social and physical science disciplines, including public health and public policy, sociology, anthropology, political science and geology."--Provided by publisher.