Geophysical Risks
Disaster threats in the European Union. Natural hazards

Geophysical risks encompass natural hazards caused by geological conditions, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, as well as other hazards such as landslides, ground instability, cave-ins, and avalanches. Earthquakes can trigger secondary effects, such as landslides, damage to critical infrastructure, soil liquefaction, tsunamis, debris avalanches, and fires, which sometimes cause more damage than the tremors themselves. They can also result in damage to critical infrastructure and Natech events, such as the release of hazardous materials from damaged industrial facilities. According to the NatCatSERVICE database (Munich Reinsurance Company), geophysical disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) that occurred between 1980 and 2017 killed more than...