Natural Disasters

1. a heavy snowstorm with strong winds
3. a windstorm that blows hot air, dust, and grit
5. the shaking that results from the movement of rock beneath Earth’s surface
8. an overflowing of water in a normally dry area
12. a circular depression formed when the roof of a cave collapses
13. the sudden occurrence of a violent discharge of steam and volcanic material
14. a giant wave usually caused by an earthquake beneath the ocean floor
15. a small storm often accompanied by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lightning

2. a slide of a large mass of dirt and rock down a mountain or cliff
4. great mass of falling snow and ice
6. cyclone a severe storm with high winds that spiral around a calm center
7. a long period of dry weather
9. a large fire that spreads quickly over a natural area
10. a storm with small balls of ice that fall like rain
11. a rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down to touch Earth’s surface