Natural Disasters

a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, sometimes reaching heights of over 100 feet (30.5 meters), onto land.

a period of time when an area or region experiences below-normal precipitation.

a sudden shaking of Earth's surface caused by the movement of rocks deep underneath.

a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.

tropical storms that form in the Atlantic Ocean with wind speeds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour.

unplanned fires that occur in wildlands such as forest, rangelands or grasslands.

a widespread condition in which many people in a country or region are unable to access adequate food supplies.

infectious disease that affects animals and humans.

an opening in a planet or moon's crust through which molten rock and gases trapped under the surface erupt, often forming a hill or mountain.

happens when water overflows or soaks land that is normally dry.

a scientific theory that explains how major landforms are created as a result of Earth's subterranean movements.

a condition in which air closer to the Earth's surface is cooler, denser and heavier than the air higher up.

a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

a climate pattern that describes the cooling of surface-ocean water along the tropical west coast of South America.

a change in the number of members of a certain plant or animal species in a particular location during a particular time period.