Correct Option
The correct option is Fires.
Explanation
Earthquake hazards are classified into primary (direct) and secondary (indirect) effects. Geomorphic hazards specifically refer to phenomena that involve the physical deformation, movement, or alteration of the Earth's surface materials (soil, rock, and landforms) resulting directly from seismic activity.
Analysis of Options
- Ground Shaking Ground Shaking: Incorrect. This is the primary geomorphic hazard caused by the passage of seismic waves through the Earth's crust. It represents the direct physical vibration of the lithosphere.
- Soil liquefaction Soil Liquefaction: Incorrect. This is a direct geomorphic phenomenon where saturated granular soil loses its strength and stiffness in response to applied stress (shaking), behaving like a liquid. It is a geological process.
- Tsunami Tsunami: Incorrect. Tsunamis are generated by the sudden vertical displacement of the ocean floor (a geomorphic event). While they are hydrodynamic waves, they are directly linked to the physical displacement of the crust and cause significant geomorphic changes (erosion and deposition) along coastlines.
- Fires Fires: Correct. Fires are a secondary hazard. They are not a geomorphic or geological process but are induced by the destruction of infrastructure, such as ruptured gas pipelines or electrical short circuits, following the ground shaking.
Key Takeaway: Direct geomorphic hazards involve physical changes to the Earth's structure (e.g., faulting, shaking, liquefaction, landslides), whereas fires are secondary consequences resulting from damage to human-made structures.