Natural disasters in the geosphere
Natural disasters are events in nature that cause a lot of destruction. They can be very dangerous for people and animals. They can begin in any of the three spheres, and often cause problems in another sphere too.
Tectonic plates
The surface of the Earth is made of several huge pieces of land called tectonic plates. They float on top of the hot, liquid rock inside our planet, and they move very slowly. Sometimes they crash into each other, rub against each other or open up gaps between them.
Under the plates there is hot liquid rock called magma. When it escapes through a gap, it builds a hill or mountain: a volcano. When the pressure builds up, there is a volcanic eruption, with ash and lava.
When two plates crash or rub against each other, the ground shakes violently. Earthquakes can make cracks in the land and knock down buildings and bridges.
It is the same hot liquid rock, but with a different name. Under the ground it is magma. When it comes out of the volcano, it is lava. Hot lava flows like a thick red river; when it cools down, it becomes hard, solid rock.
The Canary Islands were made by volcanoes. In 2021 a volcano erupted on the island of La Palma for almost three months. Its lava reached the sea and made new land!