Understanding Natural Hazards
FoundationTyphoons, rainstorms and earthquakes are natural hazards; know the warning signals and be prepared, and you can stay safe.
- Natural hazards include typhoons, rainstorms, landslides, earthquakes and volcano eruptions.
- Hong Kong often meets typhoons and rainstorms in summer and autumn.
- Read the typhoon and rainstorm signals and stay indoors in time.
文體小知識：說明文可以把生活知識講得有條理。這一篇介紹各種自然災害，並一步一步教大家應變自救。
§Text Passage
1Natural hazards are violent natural events that harm people and property. Hong Kong often meets typhoons, rainstorms and landslides; the world also sees earthquakes, volcano eruptions and tsunamis. We cannot stop disasters, but knowing them and being ready can greatly reduce deaths and losses.
2Hong Kong lies by the sea and is often hit by typhoons in summer and autumn. A typhoon brings fierce wind and rain that can fell trees, tear down scaffolding, and stop flights and schools. Rainstorms come fast and heavy; rain soaks into slopes until the soil loosens and slides down as a landslide, burying roads and houses.
3To warn the public, the Observatory issues signals. Typhoons use signals No. 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10 — the bigger the number, the stronger the wind. Rainstorms use amber, red and black levels. At No. 8 or Black, people should stay indoors, schools close, and workers follow government arrangements.
4Some parts of the world sit on earthquake belts where moving ground shakes; strong quakes can topple buildings, and volcanoes burst out lava and ash. Japan and Indonesia, near us, have many quakes and volcanoes. In an earthquake, remember Drop, Cover and Hold On — hide under a firm desk and protect your head.
5Preparedness starts at home: keep a torch, batteries, drinking water, dry food and simple medicine ready, and a radio for news; stick tape on windows and move pots and clutter indoors. When typhoon signals are up, do not go out to watch the waves, and stay away from slopes and big trees. Calm and preparation are the best protection.
1Summary 重點摘要
Typhoons, rainstorms and earthquakes are natural hazards; know the warning signals and be prepared, and you can stay safe.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A natural event that harms people and property.
A tropical storm with fierce winds and heavy rain.
Very heavy rain falling in a short time.
Soil sliding down a slope after heavy rain, burying roads and homes.
Shaking of the ground caused by moving rock; it can topple buildings.
A mountain that can erupt lava and ash.
Official signs such as typhoon signals that warn the public of danger.
Supplies like a torch, water, food and medicine prepared before a disaster.
Leaving a dangerous place in an orderly way for somewhere safe.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know what natural hazards areNatural hazards are abnormal events in nature — fierce winds, rainstorms, earthquakes — and they become disasters when they harm lives and property. Hazards grow from the geography: coasts meet typhoons, hilly slopes suffer landslides, and countries on earthquake belts feel quakes. People cannot stop hazards from happening, but we can learn their patterns, prepare in advance and reduce the losses to the smallest — that is the meaning of disaster prevention.
- Step 2: Know Hong Kong's typhoonsHong Kong is often struck by typhoons in summer and early autumn. A typhoon is a tropical cyclone with ferocious winds at its centre; it fells trees, tears down scaffolding and signs, and brings storm surges that flood low-lying areas. The Observatory shows the threat with signals: No. 1 means a cyclone is near, No. 3 means winds strengthen, and at No. 8 or above schools close and people stay home. After a typhoon the streets are strewn with fallen trees and debris — walk carefully and watch the ground before moving on.
- Step 3: Know rainstorms and landslidesHong Kong's rainstorms come mostly in summer, arriving fast and dumping a shocking amount of rain in a short time. The Observatory warns with amber, red and black signals; black means the heaviest rain, and people should stay somewhere safe. Heavy rain fills slope soil with water; heavier and softer, it slides down as a landslide. The government reinforces and maintains slopes, but in storms we must also keep away from slopes and never linger beneath them. Be extra careful if you see exposed soil on a hillside.
- Step 4: Look at hazards around the worldThe world has many kinds of natural hazards. Japan, Taiwan and Indonesia sit on earthquake belts and shake often; Indonesia and the Philippines have active volcanoes that erupt lava and ash; undersea quakes can also raise tsunamis whose giant waves rush ashore. These hazards remind us how strong the forces inside the Earth are. In an earthquake, remember Drop, Cover and Hold On: get under a firm desk, shield your head and neck, and move out quickly only when the shaking stops.
- Step 5: Read the warning signalsWarning signals are the government's tips to the public. With typhoons, No. 8 means the storm is close and its winds can paralyse the city; schools close. A Black Rainstorm Warning means heavy rain may cause serious flooding, so avoid going out. Once a signal is up, act at once: stay indoors, keep away from the sea and slopes, and never go wave-watching or play in the water. Workers follow government arrangements, and parents should explain the signals to children. Reading the signals and following them is the first step to safety.
- Step 6: Prepare the home for emergenciesDisaster readiness begins at home. Pack an emergency backpack with a torch, spare batteries, a small radio, bottled water, biscuits and other dry food, regular medicines and a windbreaker; tape the checklist on the bag and check it regularly. Before a typhoon, stick tape on windows in the shape of the character for ten, bring in flower pots and clutter from the balcony, and check that drains are not blocked. These small jobs take little time but prevent big losses when it matters most.
- Step 7: Stay calm during disastersWhen disaster strikes, staying calm matters most. While typhoon signals are up, stay indoors away from windows, and never go wave-watching or storm-chasing; in a blackout use a torch, not candles, to avoid fires; dial 999 in an emergency. After the storm, do not touch fallen cables or trees, and follow adults' instructions and official announcements. Check and restock your emergency supplies in ordinary times too. Prepare before, stay calm during, and be careful after — then we can ride out every storm safely.
5Worked example Example
Example: The Observatory announces that Typhoon Signal No. 8 will be hoisted tomorrow morning. After school today, how should Chun-chun's family prepare for the typhoon? List their preparation checklist.
- Tidy the home: bring balcony flower pots and toys indoors, and stick tape on the windows in the shape of the character for ten.
- Get emergency supplies: torch and batteries, bottled water, dry food, regular medicines, and charge phones and power banks fully.
- Check home safety: clear the drains, close doors and windows, and agree with the family to gather in one room if the power fails.
- Watch Observatory news: remember what the typhoon and rainstorm signals mean, and plan to stay indoors tomorrow with no outdoor activities.
- Answer: Before No. 8 is hoisted: bring in outdoor clutter, tape the windows, prepare torches, batteries, water, dry food and medicines, charge devices, clear drains and shut doors and windows. When the signal is up, stay home, away from windows and the sea.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How does the Observatory show a typhoon's strength?
Q2What three colours are the rainstorm warnings?
Q3What hazard often follows heavy rain on Hong Kong's slopes?
Q4How should you protect yourself in an earthquake?
Q5What goes into a home emergency backpack?
8Recap Recap
- Natural hazards include typhoons, rainstorms, landslides, earthquakes and volcano eruptions.
- Hong Kong often meets typhoons and rainstorms in summer and autumn.
- Read the typhoon and rainstorm signals and stay indoors in time.
- Keep emergency supplies at home and prepare before typhoons.
- Stay calm in disasters, and keep away from the sea and slopes.