UPSC Geography of India – Chapter 12: Natural Hazards – Floods, Droughts, Cyclones, Earthquakes (21 MCQs)

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UPSC Geography of India – Chapter 12: Natural Hazards – Floods, Droughts, Cyclones, Earthquakes (21 MCQs) – 21 questions, subject: Geography. Every question has the correct answer with a one-line explanation; tap "Show Answer". Free practice for TNPSC, UPSC, SSC, Bank and RRB exams – Shanmugam IAS Academy, Coimbatore.

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1.  

The seismic zoning map of India, which divides the country into Zones II to V, is issued by the:

Correct Answer: D [Bureau of Indian Standards]

Explanation:

as part of the code IS 1893.

2.  

Which of the following lies in seismic Zone V?

Correct Answer: B [Andaman and Nicobar Islands]

Explanation:

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands lie on an active plate boundary, the Andaman arc, and are placed in Zone V.

3.  

The Bhuj earthquake struck Gujarat on:

Correct Answer: A [26 January 2001]

Explanation:

The Bhuj earthquake struck Kachchh, Gujarat, on 26 January 2001, Republic Day.

4.  

The Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre is located at:

Correct Answer: C [INCOIS, Hyderabad]

Explanation:

After the 2004 tsunami, the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre was set up at INCOIS, Hyderabad, and became operational in 2007.

5.  

Tropical cyclones do not form within about 5° of the equator because:

Correct Answer: D [the Coriolis force there is too weak]

Explanation:

Near the equator the Coriolis force is almost zero, so inflowing winds cannot be set spinning into a cyclone.

6.  

In the North Indian Ocean, cyclones form mainly in:

Correct Answer: B [April–May and October–December]

Explanation:

North Indian Ocean cyclones form mainly before the monsoon (April–May) and after it (October–December), when wind shear is low.

7.  

In IMD's classification, a "super cyclonic storm" has maximum sustained winds of:

Correct Answer: D [222 km/h and above]

Explanation:

IMD classes a system as a super cyclonic storm when maximum sustained winds reach 222 km/h or more.

8.  

The new list of names for cyclones of the North Indian Ocean adopted in 2020 contains:

Correct Answer: A [169 names from 13 countries]

Explanation:

The list adopted in 2020 has 169 names, 13 contributed by each of the 13 member countries of the WMO/ESCAP Panel.

9.  

The flood-prone area of India assessed by the Rashtriya Barh Ayog is about:

Correct Answer: C [40 million hectares]

Explanation:

The Rashtriya Barh Ayog (1980) assessed India's flood-prone area at about 40 million hectares, about 12 per cent of the land.

10.  

Consider the following statements:

1. The Kosi is called the "sorrow of Bihar".
2. In 2008 the Kosi breached its embankment at Kusaha in Nepal.
3. Floods in Assam are caused mainly by the Mahanadi.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Correct Answer: B [1 and 2 only]

Explanation:

The Kosi is the 'sorrow of Bihar' and breached its embankment at Kusaha, Nepal, in 2008; Assam's floods come from the Brahmaputra.

11.  

Assertion (A): Cyclone deaths in Odisha fell sharply between the 1999 super cyclone and Cyclone Phailin (2013).

Reason (R): Better forecasting, cyclone shelters and large-scale evacuation were in place by 2013.

Correct Answer: A [Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A]

Explanation:

Warnings, cyclone shelters and mass evacuation by 2013 are exactly why Phailin killed far fewer than the 1999 super cyclone.

12.  

A drought in which soil moisture is too low to support crops is called:

Correct Answer: D [agricultural drought]

Explanation:

Agricultural drought means soil moisture is too low to support crops during the growing season.

13.  

Which of the following is NOT usually counted among India's drought-prone areas?

Correct Answer: C [The Brahmaputra valley]

Explanation:

a flood-prone area.

14.  

According to the ISRO Landslide Atlas of India (2023), the district most exposed to landslides is:

Correct Answer: D [Rudraprayag]

Explanation:

ISRO's Landslide Atlas of India (2023) ranked Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand first in landslide exposure, followed by Tehri Garhwal.

15.  

The South Lhonak glacial lake outburst flood of October 2023 occurred in:

Correct Answer: C [Sikkim]

Explanation:

South Lhonak lake in north Sikkim burst in October 2023, sending a flood down the Teesta valley.

16.  

The National Disaster Management Authority is chaired by the:

Correct Answer: B [Prime Minister]

Explanation:

The Disaster Management Act, 2005 makes the Prime Minister the ex officio chairperson of NDMA.

17.  

Arrange the following disasters in chronological order:

1. Indian Ocean tsunami
2. Latur earthquake
3. Kedarnath disaster
4. Odisha super cyclone

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Correct Answer: C [2-4-1-3]

Explanation:

1993, 1999, 2004, 2013.

18.  

When a tropical cyclone strikes India's coast, which of the following usually causes the greatest loss of life?

Correct Answer: B [Storm surge]

Explanation:

storm surge, sea water pushed ashore by cyclone winds, causes about 90 per cent of cyclone deaths (NDMA).

19.  

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by India in:

Correct Answer: A [2019]

Explanation:

India launched CDRI at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in September 2019.

20.  

The National Disaster Response Force was raised in:

Correct Answer: B [2006]

Explanation:

NDRF was raised in 2006 under Section 44 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as a specialised response force.

21.  
UPSC Prelims 2014

Consider the following pairs:

Programme/Project – Ministry

1. Drought-Prone Area Programme – Ministry of Agriculture
2. Desert Development Programme – Ministry of Environment and Forests
3. National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas – Ministry of Rural Development

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

Correct Answer: D [None]

Explanation:

DPAP and DDP were under Rural Development; NWDPRA under Agriculture.

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