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APPENDIX A. ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS <br />A-7 <br />program and contains modules for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and wind hazards. <br />HAZUS-MH has also been used to assess vulnerability (exposure) for other hazards. <br />Hydraulics: Hydraulics is the branch of science or engineering that addresses fluids (especially water) in <br />motion in rivers or canals, works and machinery for conducting or raising water, the use of water as a prime <br />mover, and other fluid-related areas. <br />Hydrology: Hydrology is the analysis of waters of the earth. For example, a flood discharge estimate is <br />developed by conducting a hydrologic study. <br />Intensity: For the purposes of this plan, intensity refers to the measure of the effects of a hazard. <br />Inventory: The assets identified in a study region comprise an inventory. Inventories include assets that <br />could be lost when a disaster occurs and community resources are at risk. Assets include people, buildings, <br />transportation, and other valued community resources. <br />Landslide: Landslides can be described as the sliding movement of masses of loosened rock and soil down <br />a hillside or slope. Fundamentally, slope failures occur when the strength of the soils forming the slope <br />exceeds the pressure, such as weight or saturation, acting upon them. <br />Lightning: Lightning is an electrical discharge resulting from the buildup of positive and negative charges <br />within a thunderstorm. When the buildup becomes strong enough, lightning appears as a “bolt,” usually <br />within or between clouds and the ground. A bolt of lightning instantaneously reaches temperatures <br />approaching 50,000ºF. The rapid heating and cooling of air near lightning causes thunder. Lightning is a <br />major threat during thunderstorms. In the United States, 75 to 100 Americans are struck and killed by <br />lightning each year (see http://www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorms/thunder.shtm). <br />Liquefaction: Liquefaction is the complete failure of soils, occurring when soils lose shear strength and <br />flow horizontally. It is most likely to occur in fine grain sands and silts, which behave like viscous fluids <br />when liquefaction occurs. This situation is extremely hazardous to development on the soils that liquefy, <br />and generally results in extreme property damage and threats to life and safety. <br />Local Government: Any county, municipality, city, town, township, public authority, school district, <br />special district, intrastate district, council of governments (regardless of whether the council of governments <br />is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under State law), regional or interstate government entity, or <br />agency or instrumentality of a local government; any Indian tribe or authorized tribal organization, or <br />Alaska Native village or organization; and any rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other <br />public entity. <br />Magnitude: Magnitude is the measure of the strength of an earthquake, and is typically measured by the <br />Richter scale. As an estimate of energy, each whole number step in the magnitude scale corresponds to the <br />release of about 31 times more energy than the amount associated with the preceding whole number value. <br />Mass movement: A collective term for landslides, mudflows, debris flows, sinkholes and lahars. <br />Mitigation: A preventive action that can be taken in advance of an event that will reduce or eliminate the <br />risk to life or property. <br />Mitigation Actions: Mitigation actions are specific actions to achieve goals and objectives that minimize <br />the effects from a disaster and reduce the loss of life and property.