PHYSICAL EN VI RON MENTAL IMPACTS urban environment is a complex social, eco- The created by inter- nomic and biophysical system action between a human-made fabric and the 27 physical characteristics of the landscape. The haz- ards of urban living contingent upon the physical geography of the city vary with size and location but can include a host of events such as hurri- canes 8 flooding 9 wind storms earthquake snow. 2 firestorms, 33 landslides 34 and ground sub- sidence 35 examine the incidence of and Here we human response to several of these urban hazards.